Mark Hatcher's Studio 2017

[SJ VanSandt]

Beautiful, beautiful, Mark. Sounds heavenly, looks . . . well, delicious.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt

Beautiful, beautiful, Mark. Sounds heavenly, looks . . . well, delicious.

Thanks, I wish I could get more of that Padauk!

[Mark Hatcher]

Here are some update pictures of the quilted Maple Greta model I've been working on. First is the lattice bracing for the back coming together;





Then the sides being bent, laminated, joined, and kerfed;







The guitar is being set up left handed with a wedge so although the back bracing is symmetrical the left hand orientation starts with how the sides are profiled.

[emmsone]

Hi Mark,
That quilted looks really, really great!
I have some questions. Your jig for laminating the sides, is that set up to take a specific total side thickness? ie, is the outside curve offset by a side width?
I guess most sides even when laminating will end up with a similar total thickness, but with different woods, perhaps not ending up exactly the same. As i see it the mould will have to be super accurate to get contact throughout to get a decent gluing, so if the sides are too thick or too thin you'd end up with gaps.
Are your moulds hardwood? and did you get those parts, specifically the lamination jig, CNC'd for accuracy?

Thanks

David

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by emmsone

Hi Mark,
That quilted looks really, really great!
I have some questions. Your jig for laminating the sides, is that set up to take a specific total side thickness? ie, is the outside curve offset by a side width?
I guess most sides even when laminating will end up with a similar total thickness, but with different woods, perhaps not ending up exactly the same. As i see it the mould will have to be super accurate to get contact throughout to get a decent gluing, so if the sides are too thick or too thin you'd end up with gaps.
Are your moulds hardwood? and did you get those parts, specifically the lamination jig, CNC'd for accuracy?

Thanks

David

Hi David,

Thanks for your comments! To answer your questions, I cut the moulds on a bandsaw and sand them to accuracy leaving a .090" gap which is the finished thickness of the laminated sides I do. The bottom or male part of the mound is supported by the stand making it more rigid than the top female mound. I use
medium MDF board because it's has a little more flexibility than plywood. The sequence of placing the clamps is important to eliminate any gaps. You start the clamps at the waist and work out each way from there so you aren't blocking in gaps in the outer more flexible female mound.

Hope that made sense!
Mark

[ukejon]

Great to hear the recording.....such a bold voice for a small guitar. Amazing.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Great to hear the recording.....such a bold voice for a small guitar. Amazing.

Thanks ukejon! I've been very happy with the sound I'm getting from these little parlors. Happy enough to try the type of bracing I do with them on the next larger Penelope model.

[emmsone]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Hi David,

Thanks for your comments! To answer your questions, I cut the moulds on a bandsaw and sand them to accuracy leaving a .090" gap which is the finished thickness of the laminated sides I do. The bottom or male part of the mound is supported by the stand making it more rigid than the top female mound. I use
medium MDF board because it's has a little more flexibility than plywood. The sequence of placing the clamps is important to eliminate any gaps. You start the clamps at the waist and work out each way from there so you aren't blocking in gaps in the outer more flexible female mound.

Hope that made sense!
Mark

Yea that makes perfect sense.
My next guitar will be a different shape and i'm going to need to make a new mould. My current one was made with a bandsaw and sanding, but as the only bandsaw I have access to has a 1" blade it doesnt do curves very well and due to the amount of sanding I had to do I was never completely happy with its final accuracy. For the next one i'm tempted to get it cnc'd, or at least one 'level' cnc'd and then create the rest with a copy router. And then if i do go to the trouble of going to a cnc place, i think i'll get some templates made to make a real side bender in the future and my plan is to make it solid so its a bit like the inside of your lamination mould in such a way that perhaps it can double up for that job if I ever go in the side laminating direction... decisions decisions lol

Thanks again!
David

[Mark Hatcher]

The Maple sides are all set and the kerfing is in place;



Now it's time to start closing up the body;

[Mark Hatcher]

I've got the back all set. I love the figure on this quilted maple;



And onto the top;

[Mark Hatcher]

From time to time various people comment that I don't seem to post pictures from my shop showing enough dust and wood scrap. I was just cleaning up the top wood purfling on this quilted Maple Josie I'm working on and I thought, "Well here's a strikingly handsome piece of wood scrap worthy of display for my friends here on AGF!":

[ukejon]

Four years ago Mr. Hatcher lured me in with one of his enticing art shots, specifically an inside-the-body glimpse of his amazing I-beam braces.

Beware, he might well trap you with these amazing pictures! View with extreme caution....

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Four years ago Mr. Hatcher lured me in with one of his enticing art shots, specifically an inside-the-body glimpse of his amazing I-beam braces.

Beware, he might well trap you with these amazing pictures! View with extreme caution....

Well ukejon you seem to be on to my stratagem!

[ross748]

Nothing like some beautiful quilted maple! Very nice Mark.

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by ross748

Nothing like some beautiful quilted maple! Very nice Mark.

Thanks ross748, this is the second of three sets I was able to get out of a very nicely figured billet.