Plate joiner sanding tool

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I am guilty of narrow focus thinking and speaking over quickly, and not for the first time. I have realized that I include a sanded join in every guitar I make, and that I do not know of a better way to do it. When I prepare the rims to receive the back I use a rotating dish with abrasive on it.

I say this in place of totally retracting my previous statement that abrasive joinery has no place in Lutherie because while I clearly misspoke, the rest of what I said holds up, and even if actually incorrect , the philosophical and technical aspect of it remains. Once again reality and the ideal are at odds. My apologies.

Well, Bruce, there are many "joints" I can think of that are sanded. For example, if one part is thickness sanded and maybe not scraped after, say a back or side piece, soundboard, bindings/purflings, headstock veneer, neck and heel blocks (unless one leaves them perfectly flat), solid wood rosette, the aforementioned back and/or top rims... even the kerfed linings (does anyone plane these down?) I thought this was pretty obvious, and what I thought the spirit of the conversation was whether the soundboard halves should be jointed with sandpaper. I suppose I could revise my statement concerning joints as "plane when you can, sand when it is not practical." Or just use UF glue and let it fill the gaps! (just kidding on that, though I believe some factories actually do this.)

[Bruce Sexauer]

When I called my focus narrow I did mean I was looking at plate joinery, braces, bridge; the parts that are on the edge of the abyss, the border between high performance and catastrophic failure. I did miss-speak, and I am humbly backing away while hopefully leaving my actual meaning on the table. Don't worry, I won't go into politics.

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

When I called my focus narrow I did mean I was looking at plate joinery, braces, bridge; the parts that are on the edge of the abyss, the border between high performance and catastrophic failure. I did miss-speak, and I am humbly backing away while hopefully leaving my actual meaning on the table. Don't worry, I won't go into politics.

The abyss... yes!!!

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer

I was looking at plate joinery, braces, bridge; the parts that are on the edge of the abyss, the border between high performance and catastrophic failure.

Totally agree.