Hatcher Studio '24

[Mark Hatcher]

I am capping the side braces:



It is important that the side braces span the full width of the sides. This helps to prevent the sides from splitting along the kerfing edge.



The caps keep the kerfing contact line smooth around the top and bottom:



Little details

Mark

[Treenewt]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

Thanks SaintClarence27, I'm with you! I find the woods I get to work with are a constant inspiration for my work. Infinitely variable, surprising and a pleasure to work, wood deserves celebrating.



Hi Treenewt, that plane is a Bridge City HP-8 mini block plane. Bridge City has a number of contemporary, innovative woodworking hand tools that have found a home in my studio.
As always, I do not sponsor or receive incentives to endorse companies. I do endorse the current movement in woodworking toward innovative contemporary hand tools because I make better guitars with them.

Thanks for commenting!
Mark

I figured it might be their plane! Thanks Mark!

[Mark Hatcher]

Coming together

m

[Mark Hatcher]

I'm closing up the body. Here is the back:



and the top going on:



Thanks for following!
Mark

[Dustinfurlow]

Loving everything about this...and glad the clip of Michael was well-received. He used to tour with Alison Kraus and has the "it" factor to his tone/playing, IMO. Trying to get him to demo more!

[Guitars44me]

Originally Posted by Dustinfurlow

Loving everything about this...and glad the clip of Michael was well-received. He used to tour with Alison Kraus and has the "it" factor to his tone/playing, IMO. Trying to get him to demo more!

Michael was the best of the Taylor Roadshow Players! It was really fun to watch him take guitar after guitar and bring out the best in each. Also fun to have Taylor folks handing him perfectly tuned instruments one after another!!!

Plus his original songs and warm, expressive vocals were fantastic at his gigs.

Thanks Dustin!

Paul

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by Dustinfurlow

Loving everything about this...and glad the clip of Michael was well-received. He used to tour with Alison Kraus and has the "it" factor to his tone/playing, IMO. Trying to get him to demo more!

Thanks Dustin. Michael has a great playing style!

Thanks

Originally Posted by Guitars44me

Michael was the best of the Taylor Roadshow Players! It was really fun to watch him take guitar after guitar and bring out the best in each. Also fun to have Taylor folks handing him perfectly tuned instruments one after another!!!

Plus his original songs and warm, expressive vocals were fantastic at his gigs.

Paul

Thanks for commenting!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I have the guitar body all closed. Here's a top progress photo:



With the body closed up it's time to start binding. I am using pommel figured Sapele for the binding and a bunch of black wood and maple purfling lines:



The top will have a little fancier purfling.

Thanks for following!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I mentioned earlier that I am using this Desert Ironwood sapwood burl to get the contrast needed for the fret markers:



We've agreed on the design of those fret markers. This is a mock-up scotched taped together:



There is a small dark Desert Ironwood plug round dot in each marker (the 12th fret gets two). The fretboard binding has the same pomelle figured Sapele the body has.

There will be Maple purfling lines between the binding and the fretboard and also between the binding and the neck.

We are sticking with the selected dark Desert Ironwood fretboard.

More to come!
Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

I'm cutting out the top purfling. Desert Ironwood has a reputation for being a difficult wood the cut. Burled Desert Ironwood is even more difficult to work with. So I know I am being challenged when cutting out these very thin sticks for the top purfling on this guitar. But hey, if it were easy, everybody would do it.

This is the kind of work that my hand powered table saw shines at!



The blade is thin so there is less waste of this expensive burl wood. It cuts cold so these sticks won't be even more brittle. And the accuracy is incomparable:





Thanks for viewing!
Mark

[canuck7]

That's some fine woodworking, which I enjoy seeing in progress ... I really like the burlwood for the purfling with its color variation, really a beautiful look!!

[The Bard Rocks]

It was impressed by my Hatcher and didn't think it could be readily topped, but in the years since, have continued to be impressed by the directions you take and how you get there. Though I certainly know better, to see what you are doing now makes me feels like I play a v.I now. You set the bar to what seems to be impossibly higher with each new one - then proceed to clear it.

[Zandit75]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

It was impressed by my Hatcher and didn't think it could be readily topped, but in the years since, have continued to be impressed by the directions you take and how you get there. Though I certainly know better, to see what you are doing now makes me feels like I play a v.I now. You set the bar to what seems to be impossibly higher with each new one - then proceed to clear it.

Well said!

[Mark Hatcher]

Originally Posted by canuck7

That's some fine woodworking, which I enjoy seeing in progress ... I really like the burlwood for the purfling with its color variation, really a beautiful look!!

Thanks canuck7. I’m enjoying this build. My client wants this guitar to have a “woods forward” look. My answer is “my pleasure!”

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

It was impressed by my Hatcher and didn't think it could be readily topped, but in the years since, have continued to be impressed by the directions you take and how you get there. Though I certainly know better, to see what you are doing now makes me feels like I play a v.I now. You set the bar to what seems to be impossibly higher with each new one - then proceed to clear it.

Thank you for your kind words. This guitar building is a journey! Guitars are just so complex and there are endless methods, tools, approaches, and skills to master. There is also the lure of adventure, no one really knows what goes on in the dark interior of these acoustic guitars.

Originally Posted by Zandit75

Well said!

Thanks for endorsing those kind words Zandit75. I’m watching your latest build, enjoy!

Mark

[Mark Hatcher]

Here are some pics of the guitar body with a wipe of Naptha to help show color:





It's a Naptha preview which gives you an idea, but it is duller, darker and doesn't show wood figure and grain nearly as well as an actual finish does. But hey, I think it's looking pretty good so far!

m