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  #31  
Old 01-04-2018, 09:06 PM
CosmicArkie CosmicArkie is offline
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Actually, I made an assortment of the cauls, 1" wide by a variety of lengths so as not to distort the brace archs, which are very shallow anyway. And an assortment of 3/16" thick pine cauls/pads in much the same vein to keep from leaving marks both inside and outside.
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  #32  
Old 01-05-2018, 12:19 AM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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A few shots before I call it a night. (No, not Jameson)







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  #33  
Old 01-05-2018, 04:20 PM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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Default Brass Plate

I'm going to file a string notch on the "neck" side of this plate. Smooth the edge with some extra fine paper.

The plate shifted while I snapped a few pictures. It lines up nicely.

Any suggestions on adhesive?

I have:

Wellwood contact cement (possible)
Silicone (I don't want silicone to wood)
Goop (Very goopy but VERY sticky. Wood to metal all day long)
Double sided Scotch style tape
5 minute epoxy (clear and JB)

I could get double sided tape at The Depot. Probably the strongest and neatest choice.



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  #34  
Old 01-14-2018, 02:47 PM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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Default Shifting gears

It's time to shift gears on this project. All the inside work seems to be completed. I'm going to put a battery in the Fishman control box and make sure its operational but before long I will be refitting the back to the body.

I'm not faced with securing the body profile to match the backs outline. Exterior pattern based on the backs outline profile,(minus the binding rout I guess). I am also thinking of dowel supports internally, 1/4" or 3/8" to hold the shape front to rear and side to side. String tied to the dowels to dislodge them and cut them for removal. Maybe. Its the next learning curve.

I've got to clean up my meager workspace. stow the tools. My living room looks like a workshop. I have a drill press on the dining table. The unused 2nd bedroom is going to be emptied and re purposed. Guitar projects, amp projects, cabinet projects and so forth.

So it's reorganization and cleanup time.

Meanwhile the "plate-mate" was affixed with scotch double sticky tape. It was the skinniest and stickiest. It stuck really well and I put a very thin bead of Titebond around the perimeter of the plate with a toothpick for extra peace of mind. The foamy double stick tape looked too thick and I'm sure would have sucked tone right out of the bridge.

I also made a spool clamp. I don't know if I'll be using these or trying the elastic band method. Either way neither matters much until I get the back and body fitted and happy. I could rout whatever small difference is left after gluing but I don't want to do that. I'm talking 1/8"-1/16" split over two directions. I can make this fit.

While winding down the repair procedure, I gave the back a few thin coats of Tru-oil with #000 steel wool scuffing. It made me feel good as I contemplated and analyzed my next direction course.

Many thanks and wishes for the New Year to all who look in and follow this.



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  #35  
Old 09-20-2018, 01:51 PM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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Default Almost a year later

Hello AGF,
It will be a year in November when I started this project.
After my last post I relocated my make-shift work area into the second bedroom. Shelves hold my guitars, mostly electric, and a modest "L" shape work area has served my needs for mods, repairs, and the back yard window provides fodder for daydreams as needed.
The top is wonderfully straight and flat, well within government spec. Is it real world ready? I think so and certainly hope so.

I'm ready to put the back on. I installed the pre-amp system, soldered the end-pin leads, cleaned the battery contacts and tested it in a wee little Fender Champ. Without strings, the bridge picked up my vibration and tapping.

On it's own the body, face down, does not conform perfectly to the contour profile of the back. When I fit the back the lower bout needed a bit of a spread, as well as the narrower upper bout, plus the overall length.

I should have made a template prior to removing the back so I could duplicate the profile shape as close as possible. As it stands with the internal spreaders shown below, the back lines up very, very close to the binding rout. Enough that I'm going to move on to gluing very soon. Any slight un-evenness in the final result will be dealt with via small files or the thinnest Dremel sanding drum of the 3 sizes I have, maybe even the middle size. Whatever.

I'll be tying string to the furthest support dowel to pull them off. Maybe I'll get them out in one piece. Maybe not.

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  #36  
Old 09-20-2018, 06:22 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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You did a good job cleaning and removing those braces.

A couple of tips before you put the back on, take a couple of small square pieces of wood and glue them onto the heel block and tail block.

Take a strip of wood inch wide or so, the length of the back and screw it onto those blocks, this will tie the neck to the tail, flip the guitar over and check your neck angle, if the fretboard shoots into the bridge, shorten the connection strip on the back and repeat, if it shoots over the bridge, make the connection piece longer.

Once you have the right distance between the heel and tail, make your back to size, before gluing the back on, pop the connection piece and two square blocks off

Steve
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  #37  
Old 09-20-2018, 10:52 PM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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Thanks Steve,
I like that idea. As it sits now, it is just about perfect in the length. The width is very nice at the two widest curves and in between as well. I have a thin piece of wainscot board that I'm going to use to secure the length and test the action. I'll mark the lateral dowels for position in the guitar as I'm sure they will come dislodged in all this.

I gather that once the length is working, with regard to the action, the back will either fit or be fitted within a fraction either way. Then the lateral adjustments can be dialed in. So I'm going to start with the actual existing back length and count on good karma to prevail.
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  #38  
Old 09-20-2018, 11:00 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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By attaching a block and filler piece, you can basically do a neck rest whilst the back is off, it means the lay of the neck will be perfect, rather than put everything back on only to then find out you need a neck reset and you have to steam the fretboard and neck off

In the old days we use to do this as a way of resetting the neck, open the back up to the waist area, move the neck to the correct position for the bridge and then reglue the black and sand away any excess back material

Steve
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  #39  
Old 11-13-2020, 02:41 PM
Dezmo Dezmo is offline
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Default 2 years hence

The hill I had to climb to affix the back towered over me for most of these 2 years. I knew what I wanted to achieve and was aware of the general techniques but as a "first-timer" I felt paralyzed. As with most of my projects, the first time out, I procrastinate and struggle. The only upside to that are the successful results in the end

About 6 weeks ago, I had an "Ah-Ha" moment, I forget what it was but the fire was lit and the game was on once again. I clamped a straight edge on the fret board to the saddle. I dry-fit the back and used 1/16th" drill bits through the back into the lining. First I did the length, carefully matching the binding rout, then I did the width on the upper and lower bouts. I tacked the back with Titebond and put on some very old NOS strings to check the relative action height. It was astonishingly great. I glued & clamped and everything stayed in place. The tiny drill holes all but disappeared. I had written off these little holes as I recalled the dismal condition of the guitar when I received it.




I measured and purchased plastic binding, one size for the top another thickness for the back. I cleaned the routs, filed & trimmed as needed with very little problem. I had bought the "Rubber bands" but I couldn't manage fitting them within the glue working time frame, so I used tape.


And then I scraped. Height and thickness. In for a penny, in for a pound. I managed a couple of scrapes on the top and a few on the back. As I touched up the finish (Tru-oil), most everything blended in.



I traced a new pick guard from the original, sanded & contoured the edge and beveled the top edges slighty.


I will try to source a proper Guild Truss cover but in the meantime this will do. The tuners are from an electric which had been upgraded to lockers. Great having many spare parts. That's what I keep telling myself.


I have also purchased s set of new frets. They aren't going in yet, and I have this fret (#15) which I'll tap in for looks. I had drilled this fret slot for steaming purposes.


The overall view of the front.


The bronze string plate need a tiny bit of drilling as the string ends don't pass thru easily.
I have some light phosphor bronze strings (10-46 I think) coming in. I expect to bring this guitar to Thanksgiving so my thoughtful "Ex", who gifted this project to me can give it a whirl.

Overall, I'm feeling a great sense of completion. While I'm not looking to build guitars, this refurb/repair supplied me with some great lessons.
Thank you to all who contributed tidbits and support. I will post and link to a simple song with this Guild before long.
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