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Old 07-30-2019, 08:48 AM
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Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,871
Default Like Cutting Diamonds

One feature with cutaways that is unique to my guitars is the way I mount the strap button onto a faceted block at the heel. It holds the strap well but, keeps the button recessed out of the way of your fretting hand. It's a little trick I learned back in the day when I made kayaks;



I select a little wedge of wood and glue it into the heel block after the sides are on and before the top and back are glued on. I use a wedge block because it's will hold the threaded strap button more securely.

I usually try to blend it in with the binding on the guitar and since it's unique to my guitars I prefer a little more showy piece if possible. A lot of what shows on a piece of wood can be enhanced by the wood you select, the part you choose to use and, like a diamond, how you cut it. For instance:

This is the piece of Koa selected to make the wedge:



It has a little bit of figure but the Koa binding it nicely flamed. Here is the same piece of wood turned to the next side:



There is a lot of flame on that side. Now when I cut the facet into the wedge to seat the strap button it's faces at a 45 degree angle so in order to have the full on flame I need to face the best flame in that direction so I'll cut the square block wedge blank at a 45 degree angle out of this original piece of wood:



Here is a picture of the edge I will cut the facet into:



The figure will only be more pronounced when the facet is cut and the finish is on.
I know it's a little thing, maybe a little too obsessive for some. I love trying to show woods in the best light I can find so I'll just call it pride in workmanship.

Thanks for following along!
Mark
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Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


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