McKnight Guitars - Olive wood / Redwood siblings

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by lizzard

What are the "TONE JOINTS" (no Marley references please) and which are the rest and what do you use?

Chris

Hi Chris,

I use Hot Hide Glue on any joint which [I] feel has a significant contribution to the transmission of vibration energy that would positively impact tone, volume and responsiveness of the instrument. I also consider the plausible need to possibly reverse the joint for disassembly should the joint need to be repaired down the road.

For example, I use HHG on the following joints:
Top brace system
Back brace system
Neck to body joint
Fingerboard extension to the top
Bridge attachment
Top and back center seam joints

I use many other adhesives in the build, all for specific reasons.
CA - Inlays, carbon truss tubes attachments, frets and Florentine bound points.
Epoxies - Inlays, truss rod, double sides, fingerboard to neck
PVA - Peg head overlay, bindings, end blocks, linings, top and back to side rim joints, rosette and to attach the label.

[Tim McKnight]

Getting ready to carve the back braces:





Tuning the back:





Final sanding:





Marking the rim to "let" the braces into it:





Rim is mortised to accept the brace ends:

[Neil K Walk]

Tim: I'm curious. What are all those additional pieces of wood that run parallel to the braces?

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by kwakatak

Tim: I'm curious. What are all those additional pieces of wood that run parallel to the braces?

Hi Neil,
They are very thin veneers of mahogany. I learned this technique from Ervin as he uses these on many of his backs. The strips really serve no tonal purpose but are merely light, thin structural strips, applied cross grain to the back, to prevent thin or susceptible wood from splitting or cracking.

[Tim McKnight]

Its time to join the back to the rim:




Align the rim to the back:






The rim donut goes on next to protect the gluing surface from the Go-Bar sticks:





Go bar sticks provide clamping force to hold the rim firmly to the back while the glue dries:





Moping up any glue squeeze out from the interior surfaces, using a hot water dampening cloth:

[Tim McKnight]

Meanwhile Adrianne is working on #5 which she hopes to show at Santa Barbara this year:

[Joel Teel]

That's some mighty pretty quilted Mahogany you're working with, Adrianne...how about a build thread of its very own?

Originally Posted by Tim McKnight

Meanwhile Adrianne is working on #5 which she hopes to show at Santa Barbara this year:

[lizzard]

I can't wait to see this under finish - very cool!

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by Wood Knot

That's some mighty pretty quilted Mahogany you're working with, Adrianne...how about a build thread of its very own?

Good suggestion but realistically it probably won't happen. She works a full time job and only builds in what little spare time she has so it leaves little time to wear all of the hats. Glad to see that you had a keen eye to notice the BEAUTIFUL "Tree" mahogany though.

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by lizzard

I can't wait to see this under finish - very cool!

Patience grasshopper...

[printer2]

Nifty rosette jig also.

[Tim McKnight]

Originally Posted by printer2

Nifty rosette jig also.

We make a lot of 12 segment rosettes and this little jig holds all the segments together tightly while the glue drys. The backer is a piece of UHMW plastic that the glue won't stick to so the dried rosettes come off cleanly. The little wood cams hold enough clamp pressure and are easily adjustable for different diameters of rosettes. The jig is probably 25 years old and still working great. This allows us to efficiently utilize small off cuts from the back and sides. Waste not, want not

[Tim McKnight]

Its time to work on neck #1:










Mesquite Fretboard:





Ready for binding and purflings:





Ebony/Maple/Ebony purflings with Curly Claro Walnut bindings:

[Treenewt]

Tim, I continue to be in awe of your work! Beautiful!

[lizzard]

Originally Posted by Treenewt

Tim, I continue to be in awe of your work! Beautiful!

Agreed - really cool, man!