Search found 174 matches

by simonm
Thu Apr 04, 2019 11:06 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Side bend question...
Replies: 18
Views: 21207

Re: Side bend question...

Noticed a typo in my last post above. It should read "any old wood" - not "an old wood". :-)
by simonm
Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:08 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: how thick should a Uke headstock be?
Replies: 2
Views: 4117

how thick should a Uke headstock be?

I am making myself a tenor Uke from left over bits and pieces. The neck is getting patched together from a leftover, broken readymade classical guitar neck. I need to attach a headstock. As I don't have a printed plan, and don't have tuners yet, I am in the dark about the correct headstock thickness...
by simonm
Fri Mar 29, 2019 7:32 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Side bend question...
Replies: 18
Views: 21207

Re: Side bend question...

3-10 minutes is pretty good going! although i havent bent mahogany before... maybe its a piece of cake!! im around the 15-20mins per side mark. a wet rag at the waist helps to avoid scorch marks. holding the shape after you take it off the iron so the bend holds is also recommended... The trick is ...
by simonm
Wed Mar 27, 2019 8:01 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Side bend question...
Replies: 18
Views: 21207

Re: Side bend question...

Any mahogany I have used (mainly Khaya) has bent very easily. I would advise you to make a bunch of sides from any kind of mahogany you can get your hands on. Thickness to between 1.8 and 2.2 mm and bent a bunch of sides. Thinnner is easier. In Europe one seller gets rid of reject wood this way. Som...
by simonm
Thu Feb 28, 2019 7:01 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget
Replies: 14
Views: 18944

Re: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget

Turn off javascript in your browser. Pretty much every browser will have a keyboard shortcut to get to "preferences/settings" (Mac = "cmd" + "," ). Some may even have direct kb shortcut for toggling js on and off. If you want to toggle js on and off, you will need to know the kb commands - using a m...
by simonm
Tue Feb 19, 2019 7:10 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Cupping with Mahogany
Replies: 9
Views: 8657

Re: Cupping with Mahogany

The older generation of German luthiers, pre-aircon, pre-dehumidifiers, were of the opinion that you prepared everything and then did all the bracing, top and back, and closed up the box within 24 hours. In other words, they locked everything in before the humidity could change much when there was a...
by simonm
Wed Jan 02, 2019 6:57 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget
Replies: 14
Views: 18944

Re: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget

You can't can't stop google or the others (1000's) from profiling you and buying and selling your profile, purchasing history, credit history etc ... Adblockers help against the irritation. Ultra simple is to switch off javascript in your browser. Again, does nothing about profiling but stops a lot ...
by simonm
Sat Oct 13, 2018 7:40 am
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: 3 piece pernambuco back
Replies: 10
Views: 18956

Re: 3 piece pernambuco back

Lovely looking stuff. I have never had it in my hands. The pattern reminds me of some cypress sides I have had. Jim Frieson has done a number of pernambuco classical guitars and has posted at least two with three piece backs on the decamp forum as well as at least one with a two piece back. I don't ...
by simonm
Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:46 am
Forum: Health and Safety
Topic: Respirator Trend Airshield
Replies: 6
Views: 40137

Re: Respirator Trend Airshield

I eventually got one of these a couple of months ago. I haven't used it a lot but it is quite good and I am glad I got it. I still keep the 2 cartridge half mask handy for some jobs. The respirator is nice for keeping my glasses from fogging up especially when the weather is warm. A funny issue with...
by simonm
Tue Aug 28, 2018 4:38 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Well, here we are, what now?!
Replies: 20
Views: 20253

Re: Well, here we are, what now?!

Hi Nigel,

Congratulations! I have only been to Oz once and loved it: my immediate reaction was that I'd love to move there. But alas I was way too old then to even think about it. And now … even older.

Good luck there.
by simonm
Wed May 30, 2018 6:22 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Reliable Hygrometer Calibration for the Luthier
Replies: 27
Views: 39507

Re: Reliable Hygrometer Calibration for the Luthier

A few years ago there were two threads on mimf about calibration. This is the second one started by, and illustrated by Mario Proulx http://www.mimf.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1701&p=15571 It demonstrates a very simple dew point method to calculate the relative humidity. All you need is a contai...
by simonm
Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:51 pm
Forum: Health and Safety
Topic: Respirator Trend Airshield
Replies: 6
Views: 40137

Re: Respirator Trend Airshield

Yet another question. I currently have a half mask with 2 cartridge filters. I have PP3 filters (what it came with) and PP1 and PP2 are available. The PP3 seems very effective. For example I was doing a bit of french polishing today and I realized that I don't smell the alcohol through the mask so i...
by simonm
Wed Mar 21, 2018 5:33 am
Forum: Health and Safety
Topic: Respirator Trend Airshield
Replies: 6
Views: 40137

Re: Respirator Trend Airshield

I have been considering that type of mask. Two questions about it. How bothersome is the fan? Obviously if you are using a router of something like that, the machine will be making a racket so the fan is irrelevant but it you are hand sanding for example, how noticeable is it? How do you find the we...
by simonm
Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:47 am
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: Flamenco build details from the book
Replies: 13
Views: 18614

Re: Flamenco build details from the book

As you have close contact with Roy, you can quiz him about the Santos plan in his book. If I recall correctly, I don't have the book (or "the books") to hand, the text mentions both classical and flamenco builds. However, pre-WWII the guitars hadn't really diverged into two genres - there were just ...
by simonm
Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:37 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bowed Back board
Replies: 13
Views: 14783

Re: Bowed Back board

For the next one, two thoughts. 1) If the wood seems to have any tendency to warp, use that to your advantage. Brace to take advantage of any "natural" tendency. 2) Don't brace either top or back until you are ready to close up the box. I aim to get the box closed within 36 hours and quicker if I ca...
by simonm
Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:43 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: osage orange
Replies: 4
Views: 6722

Re: osage orange

Alan Carruth, who is on both the Delcamp and Mimf forums for sure and maybe elsewhere, has mentioned building at least 6 instruments with it. Here (http://www.classicalguitardelcamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=114048&p=1214100) he suggests it is a "drop-in" substitute for BR in terms of measurable para...
by simonm
Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:07 am
Forum: Health and Safety
Topic: Respirators … PureLite Xstream
Replies: 1
Views: 18580

Respirators … PureLite Xstream

I am going to buy some sort of power respirator system. While enquiring about a 3M system, the supplier mentioned the PureLite Xstream Somewhat similar to the Trend type. I saw comments that the Trend is quiet noisy so I suppose the PureLite will have the same issue. Has any one here got experience ...
by simonm
Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:50 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: I'm retiring
Replies: 45
Views: 65213

Re: I'm retiring

Thanks Bob. I am quite flabbergasted but sounds like it is the right decision. Good luck with the new biz.
by simonm
Mon Jun 26, 2017 5:45 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Air filtration
Replies: 24
Views: 32513

Re: Air filtration

…. When I set up my backyard instrument workshop, I engaged Carbatec too fore fill some of my dirty toys requirements, 17" bandsaw, double drum sander, big boy sander, 12 table saw...with one 2 hp cloth bag dust extractor too service the lot...the headaches returned!! Mr Google & I became better fr...
by simonm
Mon Jun 26, 2017 7:03 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: GMC current tools - opinions?
Replies: 3
Views: 21503

GMC current tools - opinions?

I came across GMC the other day - never heard of them before. A friend has a GMC 710W router/laminate trimmer. It seems to be an exact copy of a makita - the only difference is the name and if memory serves me correctly the color of one of the plastic switches. My friend has the makita as well. Look...
by simonm
Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:36 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...
Replies: 5
Views: 6201

Re: Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...

Thanks Steve.

Very interesting method. Thanks for linking it in here.
by simonm
Tue Feb 21, 2017 9:40 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...
Replies: 5
Views: 6201

Re: Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...

Thanks guys.

The sissor jack is a new concept for me. Had a look at it over on stewmac. I have to admit I would be quite nervous cranking that up inside a lightly build guitar for the first time. I do have stewmac voucher at the moment. Hmmm

Simon
by simonm
Tue Feb 21, 2017 2:47 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...
Replies: 5
Views: 6201

Re-hydrated crack too tight to get glue in ...

Assume you have a guitar with a cracked top due to humidity issues (winter, central heating, icy weather, the white stuff on the ground etc). After humidifying for a few days the crack is almost visible and as tight as a tight thing. Do you have a strategy for getting glue in? Would cleating alone b...
by simonm
Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Falbo Intension Bridge
Replies: 92
Views: 93328

Re: Falbo Intension Bridge

I found his patent application for the design, but not sure if I am any the wiser US20150243262A1.pdf I had a look at this just now for the first time. The way I would summarize it, is a "new improved internal tailpiece-like string connector" except of course it is not attached to the tail but to t...
by simonm
Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:07 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Rosewood and CITES
Replies: 71
Views: 75644

Re: Rosewood and CITES

... The US suppliers won't ship international, period. They won't do it because it is uneconomic for them to pay the fees and spend time on the paperwork for small quantities. .... The Spanish sellers seem to be set up for this. Madinter in Madrid has a cites documentation price on its website for ...