Search found 771 matches

by blackalex1952
Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:22 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitalele / Martin 5 Terz
Replies: 5
Views: 6686

Re: Guitalele / Martin 5 Terz

Alan...Would you think that a deep body on an instrument such as this would enhance the bass in a constructive way? I have been contemplating a build with soundboard offcuts which when joined make a larger uke around those dimensions, with my own body shape modelled a little on a scaled down LOO gui...
by blackalex1952
Sun Jan 17, 2021 10:06 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Red gum
Replies: 28
Views: 28263

Re: Red gum

back inverted to concave
..a custom build for a bloke with a beer gut and a skinny wife?-R
by blackalex1952
Sat Jan 16, 2021 2:23 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

Any random video...clearing the cookies worked...if it keeps happening I'll let you know, thanks for the replies gents. Cheers! Ross
by blackalex1952
Thu Jan 14, 2021 5:08 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

Robbie, I do a lot of research on you tube re guitar playing and accessing some of my studies. Every time I click on a you tube link at present , you tube defaults to a page advertising your webinar. Is there a workaround as I am a bit over it and it is an unsolicited distraction? Cheers Ross
by blackalex1952
Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Red gum
Replies: 28
Views: 28263

Re: Red gum

My experience with the sound absorbtion qualities of red gum is that I wouldn't use it for anything much,especially an instrument.-Ross
by blackalex1952
Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

What worked for me most efficiently. A light wipe with gunwash to soften the nitro then a Caruthers scraper followed by a sanding. Cheers! Ross
by blackalex1952
Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:46 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Yet another bracing issue...
Replies: 6
Views: 7023

Re: Yet another bracing issue...

Check your bridge rotation. 2degrees is ideal. Cap the X join if you haven't. I would be inclined to think about the X braces between the bridge and the soundhole, and if the top is too thin..... do you deflection test? The assembled, braced soundboard is the measurement to take. The calcs are out t...
by blackalex1952
Thu Jan 07, 2021 2:30 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

I tried the frequency meter and it doesn't give a reading? Which is probably why I haven' got into using it...re my resonant figures from the board I sampled, the long side is 89.5 low frequency at its node for the long grain resonance and 248hz for the top resonance. The short side is 88.5/228hz. I...
by blackalex1952
Thu Jan 07, 2021 2:21 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

I have another question. I have spruce boards which were cut from a 1.5 board. In order to achieve maximum yied of soundboard material, the shape 0of a cutaway was taken for each set of boards. In order to approximate a rectangular soundboard, I need some guidance re resonance testing, one half of t...
by blackalex1952
Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:37 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

Thanks Trevor...I actually knew the bit about the tabs at the top, I,just forgotten and haven't been in the habot of using them. Yes I might be going a little thin with sanding etc. But still curious re the thicker slightly heavier built sound...player who have played my guitars are used to sustain ...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jan 05, 2021 4:20 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce
Replies: 13
Views: 16677

Re: New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Cedar vs. Spruce

I have some questions for Trevor....firstly, what VA setting give that particular frequency display. ? Second question, I have experimented with and measured as well as played a few guitars which have rather thin soundboards. They tend to sound "banjoey" with low sustain, and ones where I have gone ...
by blackalex1952
Tue Jan 05, 2021 12:18 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

I have been wondering if gunwash thinners would affect the respray down the line....a hand build that I don't want to compromise, but if you have experienced a stable end result let me know....a much cheaper option but still lots of fumes, so I'll go with a scraper first then the thinners then sandi...
by blackalex1952
Mon Jan 04, 2021 2:29 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

The job has nearly been done on this repair...I found that using a scraper was faster then followed by the thinners to strip...that way less fumes and health issues along with saving a LOT of expensive thinners....nitro thinners are extremely volatile as well...cheers! Ross
by blackalex1952
Tue Dec 08, 2020 6:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: What Veneer for body
Replies: 6
Views: 7767

Re: What Veneer for body

It sounds from your last post re the quality of the timbers that you have available, that you need to investigate a decent re sawing set up with an accurate bandsaw fence and blade!-R
by blackalex1952
Tue Dec 08, 2020 6:30 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: What Veneer for body
Replies: 6
Views: 7767

Re: What Veneer for body

I have been veneering with vacuum bags and formers for a while now. I asked a fellow luthier who told me that the old way in factories was to use hot sand somehow with hide glue. Metal formers, male and female with HHG and a press would work, but it's all a matter of justifying the expense re turno...
by blackalex1952
Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:42 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

Thanks Steve, so glad that you chimed in here. We all owe you a debt of gratitude for your 'how to' series, which was also a very professional effort and quite unconditional. Hats off to you for your achievements in running you business as well. Thank you. Kind regards Ross.
by blackalex1952
Sun Dec 06, 2020 6:36 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

Steve, it certainly gets cold in the mountains here in winter, for Australia that is. Regular -3 to -5 degrees! With permafrost in the soil....it gets into ones bones! P robably the reason the finish crazed...pity the guy didn't want a retro "reliced" look! I would have been fine with that...can of ...
by blackalex1952
Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:41 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: What Veneer for body
Replies: 6
Views: 7767

Re: What Veneer for body

I have been veneering with vacuum bags and formers for a while now. I asked a fellow luthier who told me that the old way in factories was to use hot sand somehow with hide glue. Metal formers, male and female with HHG and a press would work, but it's all a matter of justifying the expense re turnov...
by blackalex1952
Sun Dec 06, 2020 10:12 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Re: Nitrocellulose issue

Thanks for the replies gents! I suspected that there would be a chemical solution to this problem, the article re the thinners was great. However, elbow grease seems to be the best option here. Does anybody have any theories as to why this occurred in the first place? The Claro Walnut was dried to 4...
by blackalex1952
Fri Dec 04, 2020 9:17 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitrocellulose issue
Replies: 11
Views: 12686

Nitrocellulose issue

6F50958E-D10E-40F9-8EBF-A8732F4F8FC8.jpeg I have a problem with respraying a guitar I sprayed a year ago. This build has dragged on and seems jinxed!!! There is a lot of crazing of the old finish, I sanded it back, perhaps not enough, applied a highly diluted flash coat then resprayed with my usual...
by blackalex1952
Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:44 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Movement at The Station
Replies: 7
Views: 8495

Re: Movement at The Station

managed to find 30 IRW back and side sets I didnt know I had
LUXURY! In my day all we had were bits of bark!
by blackalex1952
Thu Nov 19, 2020 11:20 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The Luthier Forum Admin who hasnt built a Guitar for 12 months.
Replies: 9
Views: 11041

Re: The Luthier Forum Admin who hasnt built a Guitar for 12 months.

Martin, how are to vents at the bottom of the walls connected to the inside of the building, ie, via dust extraction then dehhumidifier? cheers! Ross
by blackalex1952
Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:56 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Paint Booths
Replies: 7
Views: 7741

Re: Paint Booths

What?No proscutto or salami? :mrgreen:
by blackalex1952
Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:54 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: The Luthier Forum Admin who hasnt built a Guitar for 12 months.
Replies: 9
Views: 11041

Re: The Luthier Forum Admin who hasnt built a Guitar for 12 months.

ahh the advantages of a job well done and a real job for income support as a luthier, y'ol mad professor you! Cheers! Ross :mrgreen:
by blackalex1952
Thu Nov 12, 2020 11:49 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Guitar sides
Replies: 6
Views: 7408

Re: Guitar sides

I would refer to Trevor Gore and Gerard Gilet in the books...there is a distinct advantage in solid sides unless you are buiding Flamenco style where side leakage adds to percussiveness, Solid sides of any kind allow for the soundboard area to increase as available to modes t1,1 2,2 etc. no side los...