Second amateur build

[CabinetMan]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Thanks. I was really tempted to put a thicker set of side braces in the waist and run a carbon fiber through each into the neck block but think it's too ambitious. Meanwhile, I've got similar projects that I'm DIYing. My boys have been hard on the house and I've replaced a LOT of drywall and am in the process of adding recessed panel wainscoting in the common areas:



I just need to find the right pieces for the chair rails.

Looks like your doing a great job. Will Look great once its all done. I really like the looks of those panels like you are doing them.
Owning a home is a NEVER ENDING project. There is ALWAYS something that needs doing! At least that's what my wife tells me!

[Neil K Walk]

Thanks, but as with my builds I find that it requires having the right tools. My chop saw is inadequate and the cuts could be cleaner. That math is also kicking my butt. I can't figure out the right angle and height for the panels to cover the wall going up the stairs.

[CabinetMan]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

Thanks, but as with my builds I find that it requires having the right tools. My chop saw is inadequate and the cuts could be cleaner. That math is also kicking my butt. I can't figure out the right angle and height for the panels to cover the wall going up the stairs.

I have,as well as seen other contractors, actually take a level and square and draw out the panels like you would want them to look on the wall and go from that.
That sometimes makes things a lot easier.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by CabinetMan

I have,as well as seen other contractors, actually take a level and square and draw out the panels like you would want them to look on the wall and go from that.
That sometimes makes things a lot easier.

Yeah, walls are never square - or perfectly flat. The tutorial I followed had me build the rails and stiles as a unit and then cover it up with trim molding. I like that it bends, but with the existing door frame in place I have to break out my profile/contour gauge and coping saw. Oh well - I said I wanted to learn inlay. This seems like good practice.

[Neil K Walk]

I admit, I've been putting the build off. Last I left off. I just wanted to put side braces on and notch the kerfing so that I can move on to closing the box. Once that happens I want to do the initial fit of the neck sans fretboard. Until then...

The downstairs is just about done...



The upstairs is ready for the decorative parts of the project...



As are the stairs:



PS: I found out why my miter saw wasn't cutting cleanly: I'd put the blade on backwards!

I swear if brains were dynamite I'd have real trouble blowing my nose!

[CabinetMan]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

I admit, I've been putting the build off. Last I left off. I just wanted to put side braces on and notch the kerfing so that I can move on to closing the box. Once that happens I want to do the initial fit of the neck sans fretboard. Until then...

The downstairs is just about done...



The upstairs is ready for the decorative parts of the project...



As are the stairs:



PS: I found out why my miter saw wasn't cutting cleanly: I'd put the blade on backwards!

I swear if brains were dynamite I'd have real trouble blowing my nose!

Looks awesome! Your doing a great job.

LOL, on the saw blade. That could make a difference!

When cordless drills first came out, My Grandfather bought me one. I was 16 or 17 and I had a part time job at a department store putting together their cheap furniture and was using my new drill. My boss thought that I wasn't getting things together fast enough, told me to give him that drill and he would show me how to do it quicker. SOOOOO when I handed him the drill I put it in reverse without him knowing. He put a screw on the bit and proceded to try to put the screw in the wood. He must have spent at least a full minute trying to get that screw to go in the wood. Looked at me funny and said, I now understand what's taking you so long; this stuff is junk; you're doing better than I can so keep up the good work. He handed me the drill, turned around and walked off never knowing it was in reverse!

[Neil K Walk]

Well, my little wall project continues with the miter cuts and all. Pretty soon I'll have to return my friend's tools (and replace what I broke ) but meanwhile, I picked this up again as well. I spent the other day with some 220 grit and some naptha and cleaned up the sides in prep of putting in the side braces. I know that I could've gotten by with felt strips and all but I like the look of spruce against rosewood and had plenty of scrap from the back braces.

[CabinetMan]

Looks great! VERY clean work!
I wish that I would have put my back on first. Going to try to get it glued on after while.

[Neil K Walk]

Lol. That’s because the image is 640x480 and the reversed kerfing looks neat, and no the back isn’t on yet - though it will go on before the top. I want to put thicker braces at the waist and bend a rosewood patch to place inside the bass side of the upper bout because I will be attempting a sound port there and want to keep that area reinforced. I also need to notch the kerfing on the top side.

For now, I’ve done a preliminary fit of the neck tenon into the mortise in the neck block and it’s snug, which is good - though much too early to set the neck angle as the body is not complete and the sides still semi-flexible.



Soon...

[Neil K Walk]

I have a question for any builders who have put sound ports in their build: is there any special treatment you do in the area prior to closing the box? Not putting a side brace there is obvious - and I purposefully did not put one where I want to cut out a soundport - but should I put some sort of backing material inside to prevent a crack in the grain on either side? If so, what material should I use? Felt cloth or a thin piece of wood with the grain oriented 90 degrees from the grain of the sides?

[TEK]

Neil,
I go with a thin piece of wood with the grain turned 90 degrees. Make it a half inch larger than the size of the sound port all the way around, bend it to fit nice and tight, and glue it in. You can use a piece of the back cut off to match or a contrasting wood, either looks nice.
Travis

[Neil K Walk]

Thanks, TEK. I'll have to see what size the piece of rosewood I have is. It doesn't have to be an especially large sound port. As for bending it, I don't have a pipe or fox bender. I'm hoping a simple clothes iron and the bending form will do.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by TEK

Neil,
I go with a thin piece of wood with the grain turned 90 degrees. Make it a half inch larger than the size of the sound port all the way around, bend it to fit nice and tight, and glue it in. You can use a piece of the back cut off to match or a contrasting wood, either looks nice.
Travis

I found a blog about this very subject and saw that somebody sandwiched a piece of maple veneer between the rosewood side and a second piece of rosewood. I have the maple veneer which bends very easily but do not own a Fox bending machine or even a heated pipe. I do have a bending form and a (spare) clothes iron. Necessity may be the mother of invention yet again!

[Neil K Walk]

I don't have much to report and unfortunately no pictures, but to summarize:

1: I've spent some time on the end graft. I am being ambitious and trying to incorporate a theme with curved lines to match the sides of my head stock. Perhaps I'm being overly ambitious but I really don't want to fall back on the easier "wedge" option that I did last time around. That being said, I've decided that perhaps it's a little early to address this. Though I've already routed out the area it's not where I want it to be (with regards to the centerline) so I've opted to halt efforts there and focus on aligning the plates to the rims.

2: I spent time last week marking where the centerline on the end blocks and the top are. Yesterday was spent aligning the top and notching the rims to lock it in. There's still some light sanding to do on the braces before gluing the top on. The notches on the back need to be adjusted slightly but otherwise the back is ready to be glued on.

[Truckjohn]

After building several instruments both ways - I now glue the back to the rims before gluing the top on.

The result is a much more clean appearance. You look through the soundhole and the glue joint between the back and sides is very visible. Gluing the back on first allows you to ensure all these joints are clean, tight, and good looking.