2nd build in progress! How about a Sycamore 00C 12fret?

[Kitchen Guitars]

I haven't been in the shop for anything productive in a while. Work has taken its toll on my guitar building time.
I have gotten a commission build deposit on #3. I wanted to use the dough for something to improve the build process.
My 4" disc sander/3" belt sander combo has been slowing down to where any bearing down stops the belt. So, I started looking at Jet 12" disc sanders $250-350, the more reasonably priced Grizzly stuff. Man they have some cool tools!
I posted on OLF "what would you spend $500 on to improve the shop". A number of the guys suggested the Ridged OSS Sanding station. Its $199 at Home Depot.
Boy is it neat. A 4"x24" belt (4x12) Horizontal sander, a few adjustments and it handles 4" Spindles that run from 1/4" wide to 2" wide.
Looks like quite a neck maker! I wonder if I still want the 12" disc sander?
I'll give a full report after I work it out a bit.

I'll spend the next few weeks refining the shop. I can't photo a pile of kids then deal in 1/100's of an inch!

[Neil K Walk]

Oh boy, John's got more toys!

BTW, I checked out Harbor Freight today. It's not Rockler Hardware but man do they have a selection!

[Mary]

I can't photo a pile of kids then deal in 1/100's of an inch!


Seriously???????

C'mon... Say 'tain't so!

[Neil K Walk]

Bump!

How's that neck coming? Do you at least have any pics of the shop since ya cleaned/rearranged?

[Kitchen Guitars]

Pictures? Me? Not yet. The past couple weeks was a blurr. Moving all of the wood and shelves and juggling around Portrait sittings and keeping the place clean (in the same outbuilding) was dizzying.
But the brain has been working.
Some new plans for the spring. Gonna move the shop!
Last year and the year before I did maybe 30 sittings a year in the photography studio (for folks out of the loop, I am a location photographer primarily). Since June I am approaching 200 studio sittings! Way too cramped for a 12x25 room. We talked of moving the studio to a store front down the road, I like my studio in the back yard.
For what rent and utilities are going to run. this Idea is cheap!
Kitchen Guitars is moving up! Above the studio is a 20'x50' unfinished Vaulted room. Right now I am set up in a 12x20 room.
So, I start buying insulation today. Everyday I will come home with 4-6 rolls till I have the upstairs of the studio insulated, then I will bring home 2-4 sheets of drywall at a time till I get it sealed up. When spring breaks I have a Hoist lined up to lift the machines up stairs. Rip out the temporary wall in the studio and I am back in biz.

[Mary]

Wait. Did I read this right? Let me make sure I am reading this right.

The guitars will be upstairs? No, that's not it. Can I add another point of view here, John?

I'm not your wife, but I'm your friend. If I was your business partner I'd beg you to think deeper on this one.

#1) A camera weighs much less than a heavy duty sander does. In time some serious equipment will be appreciated if you are going to go full scale with guitars.

#2) I believe you'll wish the studio is upstairs. You can achieve that best by adding inside stairs. The simple fact is saw dust filters downward and demands contstant attention. If you do an on site photo of guitars or people, you sure won't want dusty $$$$ guitars or pretty little girls in pony tails to wrestle the dirt from the Sunday best clothes.

I'm just thinkin'.

[Ilovetaylors]

Originally Posted by Mary

Wait. Did I read this right? Let me make sure I am reading this right.

The guitars will be upstairs? No, that's not it. Can I add another point of view here, John?

I'm not your wife, but I'm your friend. If I was your business partner I'd beg you to think deeper on this one.

#1) A camera weighs much less than a heavy duty sander does. In time some serious equipment will be appreciated if you are going to go full scale with guitars.

#2) I believe you'll wish the studio is upstairs. You can achieve that best by adding inside stairs. The simple fact is saw dust filters downward and demands contstant attention. If you do an on site photo of guitars or people, you sure won't want dusty $$$$ guitars or pretty little girls in pony tails to wrestle the dirt from the Sunday best clothes.

I'm just thinkin'.

words of wisdom there.....

[Kitchen Guitars]

Ummmmmm. If I put the studio upstairs I will have to put in an elevator or an escalator for handicap access. Not to mention the vaulted walls would be a downer for backgrounds ^. Moving the studio sounds like 25K a year to me. Right now the dust is only a bi-fold door away from the camera room.
I have a huge Steel I-beam in-between floors. So, according to smarter than I the stuff I have would be no problem. The steps won't take the weight so I would have to lift the planer and such.
When / if I go full scale with this I'll have to move everything anyway.
I'll ponder your thoughts.

[Mary]

John, Okey dokey. Never mind. You will know what is best.


ilovetaylors, thanks for your vote of confidence, but ... apparently I'm not too bright.

[Kitchen Guitars]

Originally Posted by Mary

John, Okey dokey. Never mind. You will know what is best.


ilovetaylors, thanks for your vote of confidence, but ... apparently I'm not too bright.

Your sage advice is not turned to deaf ears (Ok Blind Pixels). You and Tim have been and are always invited out to see the shop, kids and wildlife. I almost got stepped on by a deer the other day.
Its simply the lay out. I DONT wanna drag that crap upstairs. BUT I need the space so much more for my Bread n butter than I do for my expensive, expanding hobby.

[Kitchen Guitars]

I did a bad thing a while back that I have been pounding on my head for a few weeks how to fix. I planed the headplate down to a size so it would accommodate the tuners. I accidentally grabbed Slothead tuners. Thought nothing of planing my head wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too thin. Well I have started restoration. The back plate will be 200 year old Wormy Chestnut, then a band of Maple to wrap it all together.
I was sick the past couple days. Work and sleep were about it. Yesterday I was feeling better and was so well rested that even after a long day of being everywhere I was wide awake after my last sitting at 8:30. So, I started messing with my Ridged OSS (Oscillating sanding station) Wow is it cool!
The 4" wide belt sander that gives about 8 linear inches to play with, oscillates up and down while spinning. No grab. No pull. Just easy smooth sanding. With the shop vac hooked up all of the saw dust got sucked up. What a great tool for the shop. I hope it is just what I need for the "saving of the neck"!

[Neil K Walk]

You could always saw off the old headstock and attach a new one with a scarf joint!

BTW, sorry I didn't clue you in on the tuners beforehand. I bought the same tuners by accident for my Larrivée a while back - in fact, didn't I mention that to you?

[Kitchen Guitars]

Originally Posted by kwakatak

You could always saw off the old headstock and attach a new one with a scarf joint!

BTW, sorry I didn't clue you in on the tuners beforehand. I bought the same tuners by accident for my Larrivée a while back - in fact, didn't I mention that to you?

My problem is I have 10 unmarked baggies with tuners in them. The other set of Grover open backs I had were for a paddle head. Never pondered I had slothead tuners. The clue should have been the 1/4" thick head. Duh! Ya always learn more doing it wrong.

[Kitchen Guitars]

About time to get back to work
My Photography busy season was wonderful. Now its time to get back in the shop.
This morning through a friend of a friend that knows a guy I scored for free a quart of local Moonshine! Not for creative thought! For French Polishing! No more poison! I will have to test it out on a hunk of wood. Make sure it doesn't do anything funky. From what I understand its 190 proof! My guitars will now have Eighty Four Pa. Ninja Cow Bone nut and Saddles, Eighty Four Pa Moonshine for the finish. The local Walnut I scored 2 years ago are ready to cut down to size (then dry for a few more years). I just found a Osage Orange on the Property. Big enough for D35's anyway. In the spring we are going to cut it and start the drying process.
Its a shame none of the local pine is worthy for a top wood.
Tomorrow I am finishing my friends Fender, cleaning the shop and assessing/laying out a work flow to wrap up #2!

[Kitchen Guitars]

I fixed the head!