[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/10zeHOP.jpg[/IMG]

Just to note that that guitar is built out of stainless steel, not aluminum.

How do you know? Is it yours?

I would guess by looking at the welds. I am no expert but it does look like stainless to me (the welds).

No, not mine, but as Fred said, the welds are a dead giveaway.

Very cool, I hope you post some pics as you proceed through this project.

There are two of them there - one with a cutaway and one without. So someone is serious about this - who is it?

Ed

I too would love to know who that builder is.

He must have, or have access to, some very sophisticated CNC water jet machines to achieve that degree of precision in stainless steel.

Aluminum is about 6 times as stiff as spruce along the grain, and 6 1/2 times as dense.
The challenge is weight, because a heavy top will produce less volume, but more sustain.
If you make an aluminum top the same weight as a spruce top, it will not be nearly as stiff. That is because of the cube rule.

Could also do aluminum honeycomb. The top skin could thinner and still retain the shape.

https://www.rockwestcomposites.com/m...lum-0210-group

https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Hone.../dp/B00WF7DHJC

If memory serves me correctly, spruce is stiffer by weight than aluminum.

It is Not me,
but i have worked in this direction and have an aluminum soundboard.
Like no other, ever.....

CNC
 

CNC water jet would get you precise fit. Electron beam welding would get you flawless joinery.

That would take a giant credit card.

Precise fit and flawless joinery are not what makes a good instrument. Its intriguing from a design and technological viewpoint, but beyond that, ? I see sharp metal edges, cold and unrepairable box, and probably a very harsh and sterile tone. I would like very much to hear some soundclips, but I’m imagining something between a resonator and a banjo -

But maybe it would be easier to do something like a cigar box guitar, but starting with a large aluminum or stainless pot or fry pan - that would at least give you slightly rounded edges where your arm rests -

Aluminium is also not the easiest to tig weld, very unforgiving. Clearly if you are a coded welder by trade its not an issue, but for the average lay person, its pretty difficult to get a clean run.

I am a lay person with welding, I own a Tig and Mig and have even welded aircraft aluminium ladders, its not an easy thing to weld with clean lines. Tig and stainless or mild steel, dream stuff to weld.

Steve

I just stumbled across this video when looking up JR Robusto. The guitars are made by Ed Dowling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBXcglunjvc

http://www.eddowling.com/