Stephen Kinnaird SJ BRW/Italian Spruce build just for me!

[Nemoman]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

Finished:

Really love this shot showing how the rosette and the soundport tie together so well! Getting exciting now, eh Tom?

[Marcus Wong]

Grrrrrr. I know I have my Michaud "Lucky Tree" but I still hate you because this is such a beauty!!! I can't wait till it is completed and starts making music with the amount of love attention Steve has put into it, it is bound to sound beautiful.

[invguy921]

WOW! Tom, this guitar ROCKS without any finish!!!!!!! When this gets a little shine, oh my goodness!! LOVE THIS!!

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Really love this shot showing how the rosette and the soundport tie together so well! Getting exciting now, eh Tom?

Thanks Nemoman, I feel the same, I think that is going to turn out to be a great feature on the guitar...yes very exciting, but then I think soon I will be in the same boat as you, the long wait for finishing....anguish.

Originally Posted by Marcus Wong

Grrrrrr. I know I have my Michaud "Lucky Tree" but I still hate you because this is such a beauty!!! I can't wait till it is completed and starts making music with the amount of love attention Steve has put into it, it is bound to sound beautiful.

Thanks Marcus, I really think so as well. It will be a looker for sure, but I think people may underestimate the great sound from Steve's guitars, I expect a powerful bass and sustain for a week with wonderful overtones.

Originally Posted by invguy921

WOW! Tom, this guitar ROCKS without any finish!!!!!!! When this gets a little shine, oh my goodness!! LOVE THIS!!

Thanks so much. I agree with you, I can't wait to see the paua accents explode with some shine!!!

[TomB'sox]

OK, here we go with what I find to be a very interesting sequence of photos that really made me understand the amount of delicate work involved with the arm bevel. The guys did a great job of getting it in pictures. I for one am amazed at the accuracy of the work all done by hand especially the purfling channels around the arm bevel.

Anyway, I guess you can decide for yourselves if you agree. ON WITH THE PICS...

It starts with a template to draw the lines for the borders of the bevel...



Here is the bevel prep with the face marked and the tools of the craftsman laid out and ready to go....wipe nurse, please...



OK, the next is not for the feint of heart. Look at the size of the teeth in that rasp! Steve is holding it that way to allow for a down cut to avoid splintering of the expensive Italian Spruce top, some of which is turning to saw dust under that rasp!!



Now this is amazing to me...look how smooth and accurate that bevel looks all by hand. The lines on the face are to mark for the purfling channel which will be cut next:



Steve, again all by hand, is using a 1/4 inch file to channel for the purfling. How do you get that so clean by hand!!!! Artistry, craftsmanship, experience, whatever you want to call it.



Now, for the inside curves Steve said he needed something flexible to make the corners, why of course, an emery board, why didn't I think of that:



Finished arm bevel contour and purfling channel. Now seriously folks, it looks absolutely perfect, how do you do that all by hand?....I am truly impressed and I am not just trying to flatter my luthier.....he doesn't need or want that!!!



AND, last but hardly least, here is a picture of the BWB lines which is the beginning of the purfling borders:



Thanks for looking, I am very impressed with this phase, never really seeing it in complete steps like this....

Tom

[Daveac]

Wow, it is amazing to watch craftsmanship on this level! This is truly a handbuilt guitar. EXTRAORDINARY!

[Nemoman]

Very cool to see this process--I was remarking on my build thread earlier that I had no idea how these guys do these bevels and that the craftsmanship is just such a high level of quality that it's mind-boggling. So now now that I've seen these pics on your build thread, I see now how they do it, but I still have no idea how they do it!

[Steve Kinnaird]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Actually my method evolved along the lines of personal comfort zones. I go about this in the way that least terrifies me, and I suppose it's that way for every luthier on every job.
It was our pleasure to visit with Kevin Ryan and pick his brain on his methods. (This will be a Ryan style bevel.) I can assure you his comfort zones are much different than mine.
Actually I find this enjoyable--now. And stay tuned, the tricky part is still before us.

Steve

[invguy921]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

Actually my method evolved along the lines of personal comfort zones. I go about this in the way that least terrifies me
Steve

Steve, I love the wisdom here....not to mention, this makes me chuckle. Frankly, after seeing what you do I also understand why I am having my guitars built and not building them myself...the WHOLE process terrifies me. Heck, I wouldn't want to be within 50 yards of that guitar with a rasp in my hands...

[theEdwinson]

Originally Posted by Steve Kinnaird

Thanks for the kind words guys. Actually my method evolved along the lines of personal comfort zones. I go about this in the way that least terrifies me, and I suppose it's that way for every luthier on every job.
It was our pleasure to visit with Kevin Ryan and pick his brain on his methods. (This will be a Ryan style bevel.) I can assure you his comfort zones are much different than mine.
Actually I find this enjoyable--now. And stay tuned, the tricky part is still before us.

Steve

Hey, Steve, isn't it interesting to find that there are so many ways to accomplish these tricky feats of woodworking? I appreciate you sharing your process on the arm bevel, because it looks so clean and well thought out. But your method is totally different from mine.
I have a friend who used to be an aircraft toolmaker/machinist, and he said, "If you haven't completely figured out at least three different ways to accomplish each job, you are only a half a craftsman..." So true!
When I made my first bevel, I couldn't find any YouTube videos or other published material to see how other people do it. So I invented my own method, and it works great. But seeing how neat and clean your process is, is making me re-think some of my methodology.
Anyway, thanks for the guided tour of Tom's guitar build. You and Ryan do great work. Cheers, -Steve

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Daveac

Wow, it is amazing to watch craftsmanship on this level! This is truly a handbuilt guitar. EXTRAORDINARY!

I agree!

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Very cool to see this process--I was remarking on my build thread earlier that I had no idea how these guys do these bevels and that the craftsmanship is just such a high level of quality that it's mind-boggling. So now now that I've seen these pics on your build thread, I see now how they do it, but I still have no idea how they do it!

LOL Nemoman, hey any word on the finisher yet?

Originally Posted by invguy921

Steve, I love the wisdom here....not to mention, this makes me chuckle. Frankly, after seeing what you do I also understand why I am having my guitars built and not building them myself...the WHOLE process terrifies me. Heck, I wouldn't want to be within 50 yards of that guitar with a rasp in my hands...

Too funny, I think with the size of those teeth, put me down for 75 yards!

Originally Posted by theEdwinson

Hey, Steve, isn't it interesting to find that there are so many ways to accomplish these tricky feats of woodworking? I appreciate you sharing your process on the arm bevel, because it looks so clean and well thought out. But your method is totally different from mine.
I have a friend who used to be an aircraft toolmaker/machinist, and he said, "If you haven't completely figured out at least three different ways to accomplish each job, you are only a half a craftsman..." So true!
When I made my first bevel, I couldn't find any YouTube videos or other published material to see how other people do it. So I invented my own method, and it works great. But seeing how neat and clean your process is, is making me re-think some of my methodology.
Anyway, thanks for the guided tour of Tom's guitar build. You and Ryan do great work. Cheers, -Steve

Hey Steve, thanks for checking in...I find it interesting that you both do bevels that come out great, but in two completely different ways!

Well, on to todays changes.

Steve worked on the channel for the side purfling to go around the bevel. It needs it own recess. Again all by hand with that handy little 1/4 inch file, thank goodness for that tool...

First, line marking the width of the side purfling channel blending in the corners:



Next Steve with his handy 1/4 inch file and loops making the ledge for the side purfling to fit around bevel:



Completed ledge:



Thanks for watching!!!

B'sox

[Steve Kinnaird]

Thanks again for the kind words guys. And your nod, Steve, is most appreciated.
I have thought of other ways to do this, but as I said, this one shivers me timbers the least. I am sworn to some secrecy about Kevin Ryan's approach, but I will say this much, and angle grinder is involved.
Not. On. Your. Life.

Steve

[Nemoman]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

LOL Nemoman, hey any word on the finisher yet?

Naw--no word yet, but it's only been 2 weeks. I'm trying not to pepper Joel with e-mails and just give him a weekly reminder at this point! Alas, your finishing wait period is rapidly approaching...

[TomB'sox]

Originally Posted by Nemoman

Naw--no word yet, but it's only been 2 weeks. I'm trying not to pepper Joel with e-mails and just give him a weekly reminder at this point! Alas, your finishing wait period is rapidly approaching...

yes I know, not a good thing!!!

Angle grinder huh Steve? Thanks for doing it by hand!!!

Here are some more pictures from yesterday's progress...

After the ledge was made with the file, koa bindings were glued in....



Here is an end view of aforementioned koa bindngs...



And lastly, the purfling goes onto the back....Steve says back bindings should go on today and that will almost complete the box!!!! Oh BTW, that Brazilian don't look half bad eh????

[cigarfan]

Thanks for the lesson in bevel construction. Phenomenal to see the process in action. Incredible steady hands and focus. Steve must be developing nerves of steel.

Your purfling and binding scheme looks wonderful. And yes ... That BRW looks schweeet. Can't wait for what comes next. Enjoy your journey. I know I am!