Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Can anyone confirm what will happen regarding finished instruments crossing borders containing IRW? There is heaps of conflicting information. Some saying finished products are exempt from needing paperwork, others saying paperwork will be required. Which is of concern for those like myself who have...

In 2 builds currently on the bench i've used what was sold to me as: "Australian Plantation Mahogany" for the necks. Seems pretty good, stiff, light (i didnt weigh it, but lighter then my QLD maple or honduras neck blanks), straight, carves and works easy. I bought it from Trend Timbers in sydney in...

Nice video, thanks Robbie. However I still reckon this is by far the easiest, quickest, least messy, and most accurate way for radiusing back braces- http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7372&p=80966#p80966 I recently shaped enough back braces for 21 guitars using Strato's method, 63 braces in t...

Hi Martin. I do have the books, and have built plenty of falcate guitars. Ive also made an all wood 5 fan flamenco, which after a few years has started to belly. Sorry i wasnt very clear above, more what i was asking is will i still get *enough* added stiffness by just putting the carbon fibre eithe...

I'm about to build a lightly constructed 5 fan braced flamenco. I was thinking of incorporating carbon fibre on the middle 3 fans to avoid any long term bellying of such a light top and and light braces. I call you you guys who are more versed with useing carbon fibre... What's your thoughts on plac...

After all that deviation from the topic, are there any more suggestions for a local rosewood replacement? So far only Queensland Walnut has been mentioned, but that is problematic. Something hard, heavy and low internal damping, and reasonably easy to bend should fit the bill. Dark colour would be ...

Im not so familiar with gidgee, but while we are talking about local fretboard alternatives. What about Mulga.? While not local, lately ive been useing brazilian bloodwood for fretboards, unsure of its sustainability, but its damn hard, has a great tap tone, not so bad to work with, looks great, and...

ummmm. how can anyone judge whether someone else is making a full time living making 20 guitars / yr or not?? I didn't see anywhere where Nick said he was selling his instruments for $5k. There's plenty of builders selling instruments at around the $10k figure, some more. But as Perry said, if your ...

Thanks heaps Martin, I guess im spending my arvo doing more bodying sessions then.
This time with oil / spiriting off.

This is the Meguiars stuff i just tryed.
http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/p ... XIO3Mds.97

Thanks guys. Hard to tell from photos but it looks like sanding scratches, ie: not going through the grits properly. Maybe post your sanding process, in grits from start to finish and something may jump out. I agree, it certainly is sanding scratches, as i said in the first post it is ON the finish ...

BWB purfling is pretty soft. You sure you want to use in on the part of the instrument that tends to cop the most knocks?
I'd re route and go for something harder on the outside of it.

Hi all. On my latest build i thought i would try a full body rubbed on shellac finish for the first time. Note im not calling this French Polish - no oil or spiriting off. Started on the back, many sessions of a very diluted Hard Shellac. Not rushed, a day drying between sessions. Waited 2 weeks for...

Jim wrote:The one thing I haven't found an easy/quick solution for is caps for the 4.5mm rods? Anyone have any bright ideas on this front?

The tips here: http://www.lmii.com/products/tools-serv ... bar-clamps
are 3/16 in inside diameter, which is 4.7mm

Horses for courses of course :) So true. but when it comes to cleaning up glue squeeze out.. much easier on a go bar deck than trying to get in around cam clamps. Using drinking straws cut off in a V shape I can get in under the clamps very easily to remove glue squeeze out, even with only 4mm high...

QLD Walnut is probably the closest to Indian Rosewood ive come across - not just looks, but: tone, hardness, density etc.

LMI have put their IRW prices up already.

Spot on Robbie. Also Perry hit the nail on the head (or the fretwire on the crown :x ) regarding the social media stuff. Although i do own a digital marketing company specialising in social media advertising so am a little biased. I recently ran a paid targetted advertisement campaign on facebook, s...

I bought some 100% spirits from them at 1:30pm thurs, received at 9:30am friday.

Speaking of clamps. I found a local supplier of klemmsia cam clamps (the ones LMI sell). Considerably cheaper then LMI too.
http://www.thewoodworks.com.au/shop/equ ... p-luthiers

For what it's worth.... I have one of these guys: https://sydneytools.com.au/makita-rt0700cx-710w-6-35mm-1-4-roumer-router With the extra plunge base: https://sydneytools.com.au/makita-195563-0-plunge-router-attachement-for-rt0700cx For less then ~$280 you get a variable speed trimmer, AND a plunge ...

blackalex1952 wrote:but the version only runs 64 -bit operating system...Ross

You're running a 32bit version of windows?

Both really. Dremel (along with the stewmac tool) is great for cutting rosette channels, a trimmer is needed for cutting binding channels (along with the bearing cutters). If budget doesn't permit you can get away with making a rosette cutter from timber and a scalpel/razor blade. But the dremel doe...

Depends what you call "luthiery". ... and then on the otherside, there's a local guy just west of here who does setups / string changes etc. He called me once asking for advice on how to replace a single fret on a Cole Clark acoustic. He had never done any fretwork before. He asked questions like "...

Nice work.... Go bar decks are a funny thing, I went to the trouble of building one, then realised I didnt need it :o . Instead I ended up cutting my radius dishes to the rough and slightly oversized shape of the plantilla i use, and found I could reach the middle with long reach cam clamps. Not onl...