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  #16  
Old 05-02-2017, 12:59 AM
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rogthefrog rogthefrog is offline
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Finish it.

I'm working on my first and deliberately ignoring all the mistakes and scrapes and ugly bits I'm causing because the only way I'll learn how it all fits together is by completing it. As Bruce suggests, make the mistakes on this one so you won't make them on the next (you'll make brand new ones!). Since it's already not quite perfect, you may as well use it for practice.

Another way to look at it is that the only way you'll arrive at a perfect (or perfect enough) guitar is through practice. A corollary is that every guitar before the perfect one will be imperfect in some way that will teach you something. And you won't arrive at the perfect guitar magically by tossing imperfect ones aside and starting over, since you won't have acquired the practice and knowledge that comes from finishing the imperfect ones. At best you'll have a bunch of unfinished imperfect guitars and no finished perfect guitar.

At least that's how I'm thinking about it for my own questionable first guitar.
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  #17  
Old 05-02-2017, 04:58 AM
SnowManSnow SnowManSnow is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Halcyon/Tinker View Post
Then if that's the only spot I wouldn't worry about it either. Curious, at what stage did you level the rosette? Before or after cutting out the soundhole?


After.
In retrospect before would have made it easier though correct?


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  #18  
Old 05-02-2017, 05:57 AM
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my only concern would be that the wood is so thin around the soundhole that cracks or splits would be much more likely. I think I would try to laminate a thin layer underneath, perhaps even just some reinforcing tape to help prevent that. If the top wasn't already on, you could perhaps route out a ledge right up to the rosette, and overlay some matching spruce to build it up. But that's a lot of work for very little gain.
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  #19  
Old 05-02-2017, 06:38 AM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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Any way you can glue a strip of veneer crossgrain or some 1/32" modelers plywood in there?
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  #20  
Old 05-02-2017, 10:00 AM
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Bruce Sexauer Bruce Sexauer is offline
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There is no reason for cracks to develop at the thinner lip of the sound hole if you don't bash it. Why not profile the entire lip to that shape so that it is of a piece? I do not do ANYTHING to finesse my soundhole until final sanding as it is SO easy to over work it.

As far as thin spots on the binding are concerned, that seems normal to me. If it is supposed to be .060 and you have a little less than half of that, it will still do its job and no one will probably ever notice it if you radius the edge nicely. In the future, level it with a cabinet scraper and keep the body of the tool flat to the side.
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  #21  
Old 05-02-2017, 11:30 AM
Halcyon/Tinker Halcyon/Tinker is offline
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I think most of us level the rosette before cutting out the soundhole, which prevents your situation from happening.

As for binding and the rabbets thereof, it is good practice to...

1) rout off the top and back excess with a cut that is both shorter and thinner than your final binding target. (So you don't have to sand endgrain)

2) sand/scrape (we use a hard block with 60-100 grit depending on the wood) the sides dead flat before routing your channels. Most woods will have cupping and rippling after bending. If you don't sand the sides flat first, your router roller will follow the dips and swells, causing your bindings to vary in thickness...
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  #22  
Old 05-03-2017, 04:54 AM
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That's what I love about this board! So many highly talented and experienced folks that are always ready to share their expertise and offer suggestions!
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