Search found 31 matches

by mac007
Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:06 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Walnut bend
Replies: 12
Views: 1470

Re: Walnut bend

Thanks Taffy,

Yeah we routinely wrap foil/paper/wood.

I like your system of heating both sides tho'

MK
by mac007
Sat Mar 16, 2024 12:18 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Walnut bend
Replies: 12
Views: 1470

Re: Walnut bend

Thanks for all the replies- some interesting suggestions which I will try. 1/ Use an iron for the sharp shoulders 2/ try fabric softener 3/ Bend the outside curves first, then the waist I have one piece to practice on then my last 2 sides of walnut. I also feel that we (at my club) tend to bend the ...
by mac007
Fri Mar 15, 2024 7:54 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Walnut bend
Replies: 12
Views: 1470

Re: Walnut bend

Maybe some fabric softener???
Anyone had experience with this?
MK
by mac007
Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:59 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Walnut bend
Replies: 12
Views: 1470

Re: Walnut bend

Thanks Martin

1.8mm as per TG

But I hear what you say and I'm thinking I'll start on an iron where you can get a 'feel'
Ken Parker does a similar thing in his archtop vids.

Cranking down on a bender doesn't provide much feedback.

Chrs

MK
by mac007
Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:38 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Walnut bend
Replies: 12
Views: 1470

Walnut bend

Hi So this is the first time I tried walnut (straight grained) and for supposedly easy bend -it didn't work. The first sandwich was spritz water, paper, foil heat blanket and iron strap. Has worked well before. Heat blanket to 176 deg/off then start clamping. Heat OFF. Clamp waist then roll sides. C...
by mac007
Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:14 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Acoustic side height calculation
Replies: 3
Views: 1412

Acoustic side height calculation

Hi, Does anyone have a tip on calculating side height contour for various back radiuses? I have seen a spreadsheet (Dooling guitars) which is pretty tedious. Or is it common practice to approximate and then scribe the sides while the braced back is in the radius dish and fine tune with a block plane...
by mac007
Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:57 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Spanish Heel
Replies: 2
Views: 9949

Archtop Spanish Heel

Hi I am working on my first Benedetto style 17" carved archtop. Is it worth looking at a Spanish Heel neck/body join? They work really well in flat top designs to get a nice join if mortice and tenon is too challenging. Or is the neck angle too steep for this type of construction? Rod or anyone? che...
by mac007
Sat Aug 19, 2023 4:51 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Re: Archtop Back and sides

Thanks Rod,

I found some 60mm Bunya and Qld maple at a reasonable price so I'll go with your plan A.

That should get me going!

chrs

Maurice
by mac007
Sat Aug 19, 2023 10:04 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Re: Archtop Back and sides

Or if you can tilt your bandsaw to cut into two wedges about 30mm-10mm?
Am I reading this correctly?
If so, you wouldn't need as thick a billet.

A challenging cut though
by mac007
Fri Aug 18, 2023 7:42 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Re: Archtop Back and sides

Geelong and occaisonly Albert Park
by mac007
Fri Aug 18, 2023 4:47 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Re: Archtop Back and sides

Thanks Rod,

As it happens I have a piece of Fijian Mahogany (Matthews Timber) 40mm x 300 which I could split. Was going to make a Tele
by mac007
Fri Aug 18, 2023 12:48 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Re: Archtop Back and sides

Thanks Rod,

Do you use Luthiers Merc for the maple?
Carpathian?

chrs Maurice K
by mac007
Fri Aug 18, 2023 8:54 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Back and sides
Replies: 11
Views: 11138

Archtop Back and sides

Hi
I'm starting a carved Benedetto style archtop and intend getting some spruce top tonewood from a Canadian supplier.
Back and sides are traditionally curly maple but that is prohibitively expensive.
Any comments on using blackwood, Qld silver ash or similar local hardwoods?

Thanks in advance

MK
by mac007
Sun Jun 25, 2023 1:14 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mirotone 3220 buffing
Replies: 5
Views: 20990

Re: Mirotone 3220 buffing

Thanks for that
by mac007
Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:02 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Mirotone 3220 buffing
Replies: 5
Views: 20990

Mirotone 3220 buffing

Hi,

What is the preferred cutting compond after 1000 grit sanding to polish Mirotone 3220?
The books and others seem to recommend offshore products.

I assume car detailing compounds aren't suitable because they chemically soften the 3220?

Comments much appreciated

Maurice K
by mac007
Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:22 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitro finish
Replies: 7
Views: 4775

Re: Nitro finish

Hi Thanks for the reply, I know pro luthiers (40+ years in the trade) who have been using Mirotone exclusively on acoustics and electrics and who haven't recently mentioned issues like you describe. I'm currently putting 3220 on an archtop build over a Botecote fill layer. Probably not necessary sin...
by mac007
Mon Apr 17, 2023 8:18 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitro finish
Replies: 7
Views: 4775

Re: Nitro finish

Hi thanks for the reply,

My rep over East pointed me back to 3220!!

For info- did you grain fill the acoustics or just shoot the coats and cut?
Gravity gun?

chrs

mak
by mac007
Wed Apr 12, 2023 9:21 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Nitro finish
Replies: 7
Views: 4775

Nitro finish

Hi

I see references on this site to Mirotone 3220 as a topcoat for guitars.

Has anyone used the Mirolac 3150 Nitrocellulose?

I'm assuming it serves as a traditional nitro finish for purists who want to avoid the poly finishes.

Any comments appreciated

mak
by mac007
Thu Mar 30, 2023 7:34 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Truss Rod
Replies: 2
Views: 5028

Re: Archtop Truss Rod

Thanks for the reply.

I've ordered a 370mm.

chrs
MK
by mac007
Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:28 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop Truss Rod
Replies: 2
Views: 5028

Archtop Truss Rod

Hi, For the archtop builders- do you run your truss rod all the way through the neck extension ie the length of the fingerboard? Or stop at the neck join (14th fret)? The typical acoustic 2 way truss rods are 100mm too long and I can think of all sorts of reasons to not have up/down pressure on the ...
by mac007
Thu Mar 30, 2023 9:22 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: ES 330 style fully hollow
Replies: 3
Views: 3342

Re: ES 330 style fully hollow

Hi Rod, That's a pretty robust looking build for a 335. As I'm sure you already know- the Gretsch Streamliner (current semi) and Gibson ES 175 don't use the transverse brace up near the neck HB cavity. But Jim English swears by it in his book to avoid a potential buckle. Did you carve the back as we...
by mac007
Sat Feb 25, 2023 8:23 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Florentine tip binding
Replies: 5
Views: 4673

Re: Florentine tip binding

Thanks for that- seems to be the consensus
by mac007
Wed Feb 22, 2023 3:38 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Florentine tip binding
Replies: 5
Views: 4673

Re: Florentine tip binding

Many thanks, That's all good info and great detail. I did wonder about 'knocking the glued on option off" but then- you can always glue it back on or cut a new one, unless it tore out some wood as well. I like your option- I might need to practise on scrap tho' to get those beautiful clean lines. Th...
by mac007
Wed Feb 22, 2023 6:46 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Florentine tip binding
Replies: 5
Views: 4673

Florentine tip binding

Hi For my ES17! jazz build, is the preferred method for the Florentine tip binding- 1/ Cut a ledge into each face ie. from the side and from the cutaway as per Eric Schaefer and then build up a tip and glue in situ 2/ Flush cut the corner and make up a triangular corner from binding material and glu...
by mac007
Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:14 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Archtop plates
Replies: 4
Views: 2551

Re: Archtop plates

Hi Martin Thanks for the reply. Good luck with the 335 build Aside (I played Fender Stratocasters for most of my +35 year career in the biz and have only recently moved over to hollowbodies as age and tonal maturity advance!!!) I have found they all differ ,annoyingly, regardless of country of manuf...