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  #61  
Old 01-19-2017, 11:47 PM
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It has to go by this quickly if I am to make my living by this work, which I do. Few builders posting here make one at a time, and of those who do, many are hobby builders holding down a day job. I generally put in 5 or 6 ten hour days a week at my bench which is why it moves right along.
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  #62  
Old 01-20-2017, 04:28 PM
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Default Graft

Here's the actual last piece added to the Single 0's body. Now it's on to the neck.

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  #63  
Old 01-21-2017, 09:23 PM
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Default Birds Beak

Bruce has been cutting a traditional "birds beak" neck joint to create a volute between the Honduran Mahogany neck and headstock.

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  #64  
Old 01-22-2017, 02:32 PM
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Default Glued up

The "birds beak" (bridle) joint design is very strong because it eliminates the grain runout inherent in a one piece neck and the design provides a large of gluing surface for HHG. The two piece neck assembly allows the grain of the two parts to be parallel with the string forces acting on them and maximizes their stability under string tension. Most guitars these days have faux diamond/dart/volute etc.carved into a one-piece neck just as Martin continues to do. The real joint is a true tribute to traditional craftsmanship in lutherie.

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  #65  
Old 01-22-2017, 03:06 PM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7 View Post
Bruce has been cutting a traditional "birds beak" neck joint to create a volute between the Honduran Mahogany neck and headstock.

Et tu, Bob?

Nice work, Bruce.
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  #66  
Old 01-22-2017, 04:40 PM
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Jeez, Howard, shouldn't you at least put in some dots to show you modified what appears to be an attributed quote?

I have to admit that I too do generally refer to the feature as a Volute, since that IS popular usage. I think of language's main purpose as communicating, and see little need to cling to historical definitions in the face of contemporary agreement. I am not yet personally willing to become a social anachronism.

Also, Thank You, I love this particular structural feature, whatever you call it.
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  #67  
Old 01-22-2017, 06:25 PM
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I have bent the "easy" side today. It fit braggaby well IMO, right out of the bender, apparently needing no further tweaking on the hot pipe (as they often do) AND virtually no clean-up as well. Of course, Now I have to do the hard one.

One of my favorite things about Bruce's shop photos is seeing the clean, fresh cuts of wood next to the old, well-used tools and fixtures that have obviously held a lot of guitar parts.
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  #68  
Old 01-22-2017, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by iim7V7IM7 View Post
Bruce has been cutting a traditional "birds beak" neck joint to create a volute between the Honduran Mahogany neck and headstock.

I once saw a video of a luthier cutting that joint, and seeing the finished result doesn't do justice to how complex the whole thing seems to be. This is serious 3D geometry.
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  #69  
Old 01-22-2017, 07:47 PM
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This is the third time I have attempted this joint, and it is becoming easier to hold the complete concept in my mind. The first two were not as close to the Original Martin Version as this one is. John Greven has a little tutorial on his website which I had a look at (thanks, John), but he relies of routers and fixtures for much of the joinery, whereas I roughed it with a saw and then used chisels to pare it into a decent fit. My idea of a good time!
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  #70  
Old 01-23-2017, 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer View Post
This is the third time I have attempted this joint, and it is becoming easier to hold the complete concept in my mind. The first two were not as close to the Original Martin Version as this one is. John Greven has a little tutorial on his website which I had a look at (thanks, John), but he relies of routers and fixtures for much of the joinery, whereas I roughed it with a saw and then used chisels to pare it into a decent fit. My idea of a good time!
You know, I *almost* wrote something to the effect of "I bet Bruce just freehanded it with a saw and chisels" but thought it would be too flippant.
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  #71  
Old 01-23-2017, 10:48 AM
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You know, I *almost* wrote something to the effect of "I bet Bruce just freehanded it with a saw and chisels" but thought it would be too flippant.
Saws and chisels, yes, but freehand, not quite. The geometry has to be quite accurate for this join to work as it must, and I kept my pencil very sharp when I laid out my lines.
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  #72  
Old 01-23-2017, 11:18 AM
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I have no problem saying Bruce would do it that way, because I know thats exactly how he'd do it - :-). Thats the true talent and craftsmanship he exhibits in every build. Each headstock is uniquely hand cut and shaped, every inlay, neck profile, bridge, pickguard - its all by hand, 'cause thats just the way he does it, and if he feels a slightly different shape will work better in his head, he just draws it a little different and makes it. And if it doesn't work the way he wants it to, he just makes another - practice leads to skill, skill to expertise, expertise to mastery - its really very simple, you just can't skip a step -

This is kinda the essence of the difference between machine and hand made to me - being able to see what you need, then draw it, cut and shape it - and vary it, too. As opposed to designing and building a new jig, writing a new program, investing in a specially made cutter or whatever.

There are a few luthiers who have this ability, and I love it when they show it like this, because I hope it inspires others to work in the same fashion -
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  #73  
Old 01-23-2017, 02:02 PM
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The neck is coming along nicely, I hope. There is some question in how te finger boards will land in the Rosette and extension abalone, but I do have a plan! Here are some pics of the almost cleaned up Bird's beak, the dovetail neck to body connection, and the headplate:



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  #74  
Old 01-23-2017, 08:26 PM
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Bruce, nice little added humor in the last few pics.
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  #75  
Old 01-24-2017, 12:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Sexauer View Post
Saws and chisels, yes, but freehand, not quite. The geometry has to be quite accurate for this join to work as it must, and I kept my pencil very sharp when I laid out my lines.
Fair enough. Originally, I was going to add "blindfolded and with his dominant hand tied behind his back" too. (True story)

The assembled neck/headstock look great. I bet that joint is strong as heck.
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