Todays plan for what I was going to do changed when I discovered the guy in the workshop next door (who has the super duper giant precision thickness sander) never actually appeared today. That meant no thicknessing got done, and therefore no sides got bent.
I did however cut the sides to a profile shape on the bandsaw and cut the top and back to somewhat approximate "guitar" shapes before creating clean looking (at least clean compared to what I did in my last build) neck block and end block. I used spruce for these in my last guitar and it all seemed to go well so I have done so again.
I decided to go for the "neck block with a top" style neck block for several reasons, 1) it seems to be the 'done' thing these days, 2) its definitely somewhat resemblant of the older spanish neck heel designs and as i'm building a nylon string that seems logical, and 3) it was something extra I could do in the meantime while waiting and hoping the thickness sander guy would eventually arrive.
The plus side of doing no thicknessing today is that my spruce blocks do look tidy.... Perhaps taking some inspiration from the Astrands, Hatchers and others of this world whose guitar insides look almost as good as the outsides.
You don't have to do much for the square slabs to become immediately obvious they are now parts of a guitar.
Untitled by
David Emm, on Flickr
Sides before being cut on the bandsaw, unfortunately there is as yet no after shot
Untitled by
David Emm, on Flickr
The aforementioned spruce blocks
Untitled by
David Emm, on Flickr