Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Steve.Toscano wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 15, 2019 7:07 pm

Snap from its own weight??? Whats the grain configuration in the bindings?
Im assuming theres heaps of run out.

Yeah the grain runs on a 45 and has a few swirls
in it.
Would use a dark Jarrah but the rosette and headplates are mulga so I really want to keep that theme if I can.

Joseph

Hi all, Build #1 is well and truly underway now. I’ve got the sides bent (courtesy of John Maddison). Top and back are joined, with the rosette and backstripe done. Neck started... Today I thought I’d bend the binding, as the sides did really give me any strife. But the Mulga I’ve got seems to snap ...

Thanks Robbie,

I’ve just put the rosette in my first build the other day. I used a medium size router and a 3mm spiral bit. It worked, but no where near as quick and easy a in the video!

Do you recommend using a circle cutter in a drill press? Just wondering your thoughts on that method.

Joseph

Yeah about $200.
And that’s before post and all that.

Joseph

Hi all,

Still looking.
Turns out Mathews don’t ship to WA.

Joseph

Think theres a guitar making school in Fremantle...

Joseph

Thanks everyone,

Mathews is the place to go, they’re selling it for $35 a Lm.

Joseph

Sort of chasing the mahogany if Im gonna pay for timber as it would suit with the b/s.

But here’s the Sheoak I’ve got. Don’t know if it’s any good for guitar necks but if not I could get some more I suppose...
Joseph

demonx wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2019 4:16 pm

Where are you located, I have a tonne of it I need to clear out at bargain price.

Lots of other timber that has to go too.

I’m near Ballarat.

Hi Allan,
Would be happy to take some off your hands.

I’m near Albany in WA, don’t know how keen you are to post.

Joseph

rocket wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 25, 2019 4:09 pm

Mathews have Fijian mahogany by the shipload

Rod

Thanks Rod,
Mathews’ looks promising, will do some research on the price...

Joseph

Ok, thanks Ken.

Was wondering about Sheoak as I love the way finishes so that’s good that it’s stable enough...

But it’s getting difficult to get a nice clean piece.
So is it an issue if it’s twisted a bit from quatersawn to 45 degrees off?

Joseph

Hi all, After what seems like forever I’m finally starting my first guitar! Well ive made and inlayed the rosette anyway. Bending sides is still a little while away. However, I cannot afford to buy a stewmac mahogany neck blank. Does anyone have some mahogany they would like to sell me? Would like e...

Nicely done.

I noticed your endgraft has a curve to it.
Do you have separate template to cut that or....?


Joseph

Nice.

But just a casual question:
Did you play with shape for tonal reasons or comfort.

Joseph

Never used indian r/w, but this works for me when certain timber keeps burning...

I set the feed belt to top speed and run it thru taking off the smallest amount you can. I often run it thru 4-5 times before changing the height again.

Hope that helps you somehow,

Joseph

I use Wattyl lacquer,
Very temperamental to the weather
And I’ve found that no matter how much thinners I flush with first, it always spits out little strings onto my project. Might be the $60 gun? Don’t know.

Want to move to mirrortone as I’ve heard it dries harder than wattyl....


Joseph

Okay.

But I must say I’m a bit confused what you all mean by “Practice Sets” isn’t that a expensive... or do you mean from any hardwoods I have lying about??

Joseph

Thanks Fisherman,
I think I’ll go with wrapping it like Allen described.

Will definitely make some formers up though...
is there any harm in making just one, doing one side, and then cutting a cutaway shape in it for the other side? (I plan to make a solid shape from laminated marine ply)

Joseph

Thanks guys, I’ll more than likely scrape the cutaway section thinner... Also like the idea of some practice sets but I can’t see that becoming a reality. Post some photos shall I? 12AF1685-088A-428A-9B23-05741B92200E.jpeg Probably not what you guys call figured! 9FA3625C-F319-435A-BCBD-038C3DA28166...

Thanks Allen,
I find that very easy to understand.
I’ll be bending some figured mahogany for a 00 acoustic cutaway, so 2mm thick?

Video looks simple also.
Thanks Martin.


Joseph

Hi all,
Can anybody point me towards some posts that describe in detail how to bend sides with an iron?
Thanks
Joseph

Love that back!

Regards Joseph

Hi Pete,
Can’t give you advice on experience but I’m following some YouTube videos by “Blues creek guitars” for mine and I’ve found these very clear and straight forward. Worth a look.
Joseph

Some photos...

Here’s what I’ve ended up doing. 1hp Carbetec extractor shoots straight thru a hole in the shed, which I flanged with some pvc fittings. I actually decided to buy a table saw before a drumsander but the ducting I used to go from that to the dust extractor is an aluminium semirigid thing that I would...