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#16
11-13-2023, 10:35 PM
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Kinnaird student build day two
More kerfing. This time it is for the top
 Glued on the head stock laminate  Finished gluing on the rest of the top braces  carving the back braces! I am using a chisel in the photo but this is another place where the Ibex plane really shines!  Trimming the headstock down to size on the bandsaw  Marking the locations to drill the tuner holes  All ready for binding! 
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#17
11-13-2023, 10:56 PM
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Kinnaird student build day 2
Underneath all those clamps is some beautiful walnut burl veneer over the back of the headstock!
 Just when i was starting to recover from my first workout of the day it was on to another set at the shoulder, arm and core workout machine sanding a radius onto the back kerfing on the sides  This looks scarier than it is. Freehand routing the side sound port in using a dremel tool mounted in a base  Marking the locations on the braces and kerfing to cut the pockets for the back braces. We used a dental pick to accomplish this.  Routing out the pockets for the braces using the dremel tool  And look at that, the back is glued on!!! somehow we got it all done today and we are off to go get some dinner. I think I'll sleep good after this day. 
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#18
11-13-2023, 11:13 PM
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Some tools I have used during this build that I just had to buy for myself
During my student build one of the great learning experiences has been seeing how professional luthiers have their own processes and special tools for accomplishing the work. After just a couple of days I already have used some common tools that Steve and Ryan have that just work better than what I have in my shop.
Since they are onto the fact that I really like a couple of their hand tools, they have been guarding them carefully each day making sure they don't end up in my luggage at the end of the week. So I went on Amazon and presto! I have a few of them for myself already. Number one: I just can't live without this sexy little Ibex plane! It is the 60 mm model and is perfect for shaping braces and the center seam on the back.  Number two: The Shinto Japanese saw blade rasp! I bought two sizes, the 9 inch and the 7 inch rasp. They have two sides, a course and a fine. They work fantastic for shaping necks. I am particularly looking forward to using them to shave down the edge of the guitar when I am making an arm bevel.  Over the next couple of days I will point out some other nice tools and processes that Steve and Ryan have in their shop.
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#19
11-14-2023, 08:33 AM
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Great pics Jim!
Seems we have similar experience lol. I hated that sanding box, really tough on my shoulders. At least you are not driving the bus manually! I too remember looking at the list...I read about 10 things and thought, this is going to be a long day and then the next line read "LUNCH"!!!!! I also bought one of those rasps once I got home as they worked so great!
__________________
PS. I love guitars!
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#20
11-14-2023, 10:26 AM
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Daily work list
Quote:
I’ve had to drive the bus many times on my own builds. On this one Ryan just turned on the rotating radius dish, held the rims on the form for about one minute and it was done!!! I was very thankful for that machine!!!
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#21
11-14-2023, 10:38 AM
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Thanks for sharing, Jim!
The woods and total aesthetic look amazing. That top is going to look ridiculous under finish. Steve and Ryan do everything well, but their DB OM is the sweet spot IMNSHO. This guitar is going to be incredible!
__________________
- john If anyone has ideas for case storage once your kids' closets and under their beds are full I'm all ears.
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#22
11-14-2023, 10:49 AM
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Figured mahogany
Quote:
I agree, their DB OM is a great design. Thank you for selling me that Plum Pudding Mahogany for this build! I don’t have a picture of this, but a couple of times we wiped down the back with shellac during the build and that figured mahogany just popped!!! I cannot wait to see it under finish after Tony works his magic on it!
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#23
11-14-2023, 09:36 PM
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Student build day 3
Day 3 was filled with another long list of tasks. At the end of the day, our goal was to close the box, get some of the processes started on the neck, and bind the headstock.
 sanding off the overhanging edges of the back at the belt sander  and cleaning them up with a rasp  Carving the top braces as closely as I can to the dimensions Ryan gave me  prepping the headstock for binding  Steve guiding me through the binding process   a bound headstock  Aligning the fretboard and drilling holes to pin it in place    The top bracing carved and ready for the top to be glued on  Trimming the top edge of the top so we can easily see where the center will align with the sides for glue up  marking the braces and the kerfing  Routing the pockets for the ends of the transverse and upper X braces to fit into the kerfing 
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#24
11-14-2023, 09:52 PM
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student build day 3
It is the end of day three and we have a closed the box. It is amazing what we have accomplished in three days!!!
Look at the silking on that top!! Thank you Steve and Ryan for letting me choose this top. It is going to look amazing under finish, and I suspect from what we hear tapping on it that it is going to sound amazing too!   I could not even approach getting all this done in three days! Thankfully on these student builds, while the student if finishing important tasks that Steve and Ryan want them to learn and complete, they are both busy completing other tasks to make the build come together in 5 1/2 days. Ryan sands many of the parts as we move along and he always has the next work station prepped and ready with the necessary tools to accomplish the next task they want the student to complete. Steve puts together the neck block before we arrive with the carbon fiber reinforcements installed and the truss rod slot cut so the student can focus on how to carve the neck. It is like a well oiled machine and they have organized the class in such a way to get the maximum work accomplished in the time allotted, and for the student to enjoy the building process.
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#25
11-14-2023, 10:41 PM
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Some more tools I like at the Kinnaird shop
When I routed the cavity on the top for the rosette, I had the pleasure of using this incredibly accurate, beautifully machined, router circle cutter. It is a Bishop Cochran model. You can adjust the depth of the cut and the radius of the circle in incredibly small increments. The use of a router instead of a dremel tool for this task makes for far better tolerances and less tool runout. The result is absolute control of the cut for a perfect fit of the rosette. It is "almost" student build proof!!
 Unfortunately I cannot find this tool online and Steve and Ryan believe they are no longer available. If anyone knows of any comparable tools available for this task please let me know. I don't think I'll find a better tool for this job than this one.   This next tool is an antique. I know Steve has been building a long time  but I think this goes back even further than that, and may be a violin maker's tool. It is an ideal little plane with a curved sole for cutting the scallops on the top braces. The box it is in says it is an instrument maker's plane from the St. James Bay Tool Company. I can't find one online. If anyone knows of a modern equivalent let me know. I ordered a little Ibex plane with a curved sole this week from LMI. Hopefully it is similar. I told Steve and Ryan I would give them more than the $25 dollar price for it. They were not interested in selling. Once again they are keeping a close eye on this one  Finally my favorite Kinnaird shop improvement from this year! One that made day 3 sooooo much more enjoyable!!! I'm talking about an improvement that made it where I did not have to "drive the bus" all day on day 3 to radius the top rim. The wonderful addition of a motorized radius dish. Ryan literally flipped the power on and radiused the top in less than one minute. I did not have to do a thing!!!! Here are some pictures of what they did. It works very well and is not cost prohibitive for even us hobby builders. They have a motor installed under the table with a small pulley and a link belt driving a larger pulley to reduce the rotating speed. The large pulley drives an arbor mounted through two bearings. there is a threaded collar attached to the arbor. A disk with four holes is bolted to the collar. The radius dish has a lazy susan mounted underneath and four pins drop into the holes on the disk. This contraption works really well and saved me a whole bunch of work, so I am planning on building something similar in my shop Check with Ryan if you want the details on how they put this together. It's a very clean looking installation.  
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#27
11-15-2023, 02:23 AM
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Headstock
Quote:
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#28
11-15-2023, 05:19 AM
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Jim,
Great looking build. I have to agree with Colins, the headstock veneer in particular is especially gorgeous. I love all the extra little details your are adding in to make it your very own. You have a keen eye for aesthetics. It is shaping into a real "looker"!! Congrats! PS: I have a second build coming up with Steve and Ryan down the road, so leave those tools alone! John
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#29
11-15-2023, 06:19 AM
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Glad to see that you guys finally got your motorized dish sander done and it looks good too! It sure saves wear and tear on the body, doesn't it?
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#30
11-15-2023, 07:28 AM
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I’m glad you have had this opportunity, Jim! You have always had a positive, enthusiastic attitude and the joy of the week comes through in your posts. I have enjoyed your discovery of new tools as well, and hope you can find the ones that are eluding you, especially the rosette cutter. Thanks for sharing the experience! Dave
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