Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

I have the Carbatec one that is open on one side. I do find it very useful when required..............HOWEVER: Changing the paper can be a pig of a job but after 4 or 5 years I'm almost improving. Furthermore, my overload switch will trip if I happen to look at the machine the wrong way. Would I buy...

Welcome to Oz, Nigel. I came here for a two year working holiday.........in 1984! There's Australian Luthier Supplies in Mount Tambourine, not far from you and a beautiful area. They'll be able to advise you tools and timbers. They are too pricey for me though. And I know there's a good house coming...

If the "old" finish is only a few weeks old then won't the new finish soon catch up in appearance?

Looking at it from your client's point of view: This was some years ago. I always wanted a hand-built guitar personally made just for me and I had a friend who was an astounding woodworker......I know because I am a carpenter........I had the cash, and constantly badgered him to build for me but he ...

I continually purchase new and different tools and recently got a Japanese Shinto saw rasp which I used on my most recent build. As well as the tools mentioned in previous posts, I also use scrapers. The StewMac Ultimate Scrapers are my favourites.

I've used jarrah on a few guitars, but mostly electrics.

I've found the Stewart MacDonald book "Guitar Finishing Step-By-Step" to be very helpful.

I love flamed/figured woods and can't bear to throw any away, no matter how small. So I built my "Harlequaster'' from various offcuts. The burl sheoak was offcuts from my Les Paul Junior, which was made from offcuts from my dining table. The flame maple, from 2 flame top Les Pauls. The cherry, from ...

Thanks Steve, I really enjoy these walk-throughs.
I hope you, your family and staff have a great Christmas.

That looks fantastic! Maybe now call it the DisHarmony?
Is that Tassie blackwood on the headstock, jarrah fretboard?

Here we go:
145 mm from centre of bridge (middle saddles) to centre of Precision p'up.
71mm from bridge to centre of Jazz p'up.
I hope that helps you.

StewMac have just released a new version of the Dremel router base. Looks neat.

I built a PJ bass a few years ago and I went in to Kosmic sounds in Osborne Park and measured the pickup placements on both Fender Precision and Jazz basses. I'll check what the positions were when I get a chance later and let you know. Or if you have a shop nearby you could do likewise? I used a so...

I built an OM acoustic a few years ago of sheoak back and sides with spruce top. The neck is cherry/sheoak/cherry and fretboard is sheoak. I'm very happy with that guitar. It's the only solid timber acoustic I've built so far and I'm close to completing a sheoak/spruce archtop, with maple neck. Like...

I often go to Austim in Lansdale in Perth, and they do stock blackwood. However, their stock range gets reduced constantly and I'm often disappointed to find that they no longer stock what I'm after. I like to use sheoak but that's not stocked now. I'm currently building a sheoak back & sides archto...

I think 'Simso', (Steve) posted a tutorial recently on this type repair job.

My only experience with vacuum moulding was when I did furniture design at Leederville TAFE many years ago...... From memory I used a formaldehyde glue and the press was heated and left running overnight. Worked a treat on a compound chair back. Graham Hawkes was using one recently, to form arched b...

Hi Rod,
I like your "Octigan" headstock inlay; do you cut them yourself or send off for them? If so where?
My wife reckons they look much better than the ones I cut (I agree) and our graphic designer daughter can design a new logo for me.
Cheers, Ken

You got good reviews because your work is totally awesome! You are an inspiration Rod.

Most of my planes and also some other tools are Veritas. I do have a couple of old Stanleys and Records which I bought new nearly 40 years ago. I still use them but even they have Veritas iron/cap irons in them now. I sometimes buy from Carbatec, but only go there as a last resort nowadays, and ofte...

And many heartfelt thanks from me too, Bob. I've drawn great and valuable inspiration from this forum!
And as a Scotsman I think you could call your new Tassie/Scotch whisky; "Totch".
All the best with your new endeavours.

I too would like to encourage you Rod. Your work is an inspiration to me. Sure, take time out and reeeelax, but I hope you come back to what you do exceptionally well.

I've got the Carbatec one and it has been repaired under warranty. Mine also trips if you look at it the wrong way. Changing paper is tricky. Don't know if I'd buy a Carbatec one again. I do find it a very useful machine when I need it and wouldn't be without a drum sander.

I suppose since you are the endorsed repairer you can't follow any gut feeling and just avoid the job? I'm totally self-employed and so can dodge anyone I think may cause me grief. I had a guy call me last year with what could have been a risky job that had my "intruder alert" going off. He said he ...

Probably worth checking your legal obligations before putting it up for sale.
I hope you have a friendly, ie FREE, lawyer mate. You'd only need a few minutes of their time.