Official Luthier's Forum Medium Jumbo - Page 11

Mary · #**151** 10-30-2010, 11:23 AM

A young man contacted me recently to ask how to make a side sound port. He was so excited that his dad was going to let him do this. Actually, he didn't do a bad job.

His tool?

His pocket knife and he protected the raw with his sister's fingernail polish.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Kitchen Guitars · #**152** 10-30-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mary

A young man contacted me recently to ask how to make a side sound port. He was so excited that his dad was going to let him do this. Actually, he didn't do a bad job.

His tool?

His pocket knife and he protected the raw with his sister's fingernail polish.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Was his name Wayne Henderson?

Neil K Walk · #**153** 10-30-2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mary

A young man contacted me recently to ask how to make a side sound port. He was so excited that his dad was going to let him do this. Actually, he didn't do a bad job.

His tool?

His pocket knife and he protected the raw with his sister's fingernail polish.

Where there's a will, there's a way.

Wow - sounds like a high end operation he's got there. I thought our pal Glenn down in Georgia had the patent on the process:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnJT-20YbV0

FWIW, I'm trying to use the off-time constructively. I spent about $10 in materials and attempted to make my own luthier clamp. It could've come out better but only because about $3 of that was for a plastic knob to act as a replacement when the cam broke. I told John I wouldn't but I'm bored so I'm gonna give it another try.

In the mean time, I'm still "tooling up." Our friend John mentioned Harbor Freight so I went there today and am adding items (mostly hand tools) to my Christmas list.

BTW, I'm starting to lean toward doing a laminated neck. It might be doable for me if I'm able to identify and find the materials.

Mary · #**154** 10-31-2010, 02:45 PM

Harbor Freight magazines have been a favorite tool shopping magazine for a long time. I ordered tools from there quite often when Tim and I were first married because I was the manager of a factory tool crib where plumbing parts were made.

Between Harbor Freight and Sears (Craftsman) I was able to get many tools that were fairly decent and a decent price. They weren't the best for the bigger serious factory work, but they were pretty suitable for many of the smaller jobs.

I don't hesitate to look their magazine over occasionally even now when I have a need for a tool.

Neil K Walk · #**155** 11-03-2010, 07:19 AM

All this talk of wood acclimating and grain pattens has my head swimming. Then my older boy came home barking like a dog (bad cough but not croop) and I was called off on Shop Time with the Kitchens as a precautionary. So today I did a little homework and re-read the tale of The Fish to get some inspiration and steal some pointers from John's mistakes since I wasn't able to have him tell me first-hand.

I'll be sure to remember that when it comes time to do the rosette that we shellac first. I'm still not clear whether to put the rosette together (i.e. glue the bordering purfling strips on first) or if the wood ring we dremeled out needs to be run through the drum sander but we'll see the next time.

In the meantime, I have to buy some paint for our family room/kitchen from and swing by a local lumber shop to see if the mahogany they sell is the real deal. If not, I'll move on with "the box" and continue to tool up and read up on the Scary Sharp method and wood climatizing.

Speaking of which, with the furnace beginning to kick on for the season I've moistened the humidifiers for my Martin and Larrivee, marking the official end of nice weather. A winter of battling cracked hands and runny noses and butts awaits.

Mary · #**156** 11-03-2010, 03:29 PM

"A winter of battling cracked hands and runny noses and butts awaits."

Aw, the wonderful memories of cold winters. We had a deep frost today. Tim to get ready!

I imagine your lumber yard has some pretty nice lookin' mahogany. Once or twice a year I look in our lumber yard piles to see what they have, too. It's the real deal. I'm sure you'll find something worthy.

Neil K Walk · #**157** 11-03-2010, 07:22 PM

Well, this place is more about home improvement than being an actual lumber yard but I called and yeah, the stuff they have is Honduran. I'm trying to nail down the details though but I'd really just like to get a 24"x6"x1" flat sawn board to get two lengthwise neck profiles and a pair of headstock ears. I also want to get a 24"x4"x1/4" rosewood board for the center strip.

Neil K Walk · #**158** 11-08-2010, 09:56 PM

OK, I've been thinking: what material should I use for the bridge plate? I was thinking rosewood but I don't want to lose "balance" for fingerstyle.

Neil K Walk · #**159** 11-19-2010, 10:09 AM

Nothing new on the guitar front but I'm still thinking getting materials for the neck and what to do when time comes to finish the rosette.

I had the plans out this morning for the neck and noted that the tenon is to be 3/4" which is about 1/3 of the width of the blank at the body joint (the widest point.) Does that mean I could potentially have 3 equal width pieces laminated together with the central piece bearing the load of the neck joint? Would rosewood be up to the task? If so, then maybe I could get the mahogany locally. Now where to get a 3/4 thick board of EIR?

arie · #**160** 11-19-2010, 02:11 PM

is this to be bolted to the heel block or glued in?

just asking-but why a laminate neck for your first guitar?

Neil K Walk · #**161** 11-19-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arie

is this to be bolted to the heel block or glued in?

just asking-but why a laminate neck for your first guitar?

It'd be a bolted M/T neck.

Why a laminate neck? I think they look nicer and the construction method seems easier than doing a scarf joint with stacked heel.

BTW, I do have a Martin style finished neck but it has a dovetail joint which I'm not ready for. The neck profile is also a V-shape which I don't feel would be right for this guitar; I want a more "modern" neck profile and am actually tempted to make a mold of my Larrivee's neck.

arie · #**162** 11-21-2010, 01:21 AM

ok. LMI has some rosewood of a size that you could use. Not sure how well rw will hold threaded inserts. You could try some inserts in a little piece before committing to the real thing.

Neil K Walk · #**163** 11-21-2010, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arie

ok. LMI has some rosewood of a size that you could use. Not sure how well rw will hold threaded inserts. You could try some inserts in a little piece before committing to the real thing.

Hmmm. Good point. That could certainly be an issue. Back to the drawing board.

Neil K Walk · #**164** 11-23-2010, 10:04 PM

I bought a little wood today - not the EIR though. That's YJ's.

It could be useful for making a laminated neck:

Meanwhile, my younger son has taken an interest in my tinkering. He's been helping me make luthier clamps:

They seem to work:

Kitchen Guitars · #**165** 11-24-2010, 07:24 AM

Those clamps are looking great. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I actually have a day off! After the weekend start tossing some dates around to get you back in the shop. I still have shoots but fewer and fewer towards Christmas.
Shop fee- you have to help me nail down the Dickey Betts solo for Melissa. I am picking up an OD switch today.