Search found 235 matches

by nkforster
Mon Aug 26, 2019 9:53 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Back brace/linings jigs
Replies: 8
Views: 9008

Back brace/linings jigs

Anyone out there got a good jig for notching linings for fitting braces? I'm set up so my braces are in the same spot each time but I've never made the next step - a jig for routing the linings to fit each time.

Anyone out there made one?
by nkforster
Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:21 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Now more difficult to export
Replies: 12
Views: 16048

Re: Now more difficult to export

Who do you insure your instruments with when you ship Peter?
by nkforster
Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Veneer Softener
Replies: 5
Views: 7134

Re: Veneer Softener

There is always the cheapskate version - fabric softener. Pick a white one.
by nkforster
Thu May 30, 2019 8:46 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: relic lecky
Replies: 3
Views: 8433

Re: relic lecky

I didn't finish it. There is an old feller where I hail from who spent the last 40 years or so making "replicas." So he's pretty good at making them look old. He did it. But as far as I can gather, the tools of the trade are a freezer, a sandblaster and a bottle of bitumen. You'd have to look on the...
by nkforster
Fri May 24, 2019 1:36 pm
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: relic lecky
Replies: 3
Views: 8433

relic lecky

Every now and again I make an electric. This one was made right at the end of our spell in Germany - I made it in late 2017. Pine body, maple neck, Bare Knuckle P90s.


youtu.be/Dn6yXpk8NUk

Sadly, it was one of the ones nicked from the workshop about a year ago. Oh well.

Nice guitar though.
by nkforster
Thu May 23, 2019 9:54 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer
Replies: 9
Views: 15407

Re: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer

Make the time - it'll save you time. I just wheel this outside when I'm using it so the crap doesn't go all over the place. A feller on Gumtree made the rod for me - its a 1" hardened steel rod, just over 1000mm long. I had him turn a RH M20 on one end and a LH M20 thread on the other. M20 Nuts - RH...
by nkforster
Wed May 22, 2019 3:54 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer
Replies: 9
Views: 15407

Re: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IyAhTzf65iM/XOTjYYP6KWI/AAAAAAAAGA8/n4nVtBDJX5gmeFBzurJTIGYZeltiVk9EgCLcBGAs/s400/guitar%2Bbuffing%2Bmachine.jpeg Done! For about $400 including the buffs and menzerna. Its cheaper buying them from England and shipping it over...I bought a cheap drill press from Bunnings,...
by nkforster
Tue Apr 09, 2019 10:43 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Acoustical effect of back woods
Replies: 25
Views: 31880

Re: Acoustical effect of back woods

Yep, Nigel you are right. Rosewood guitars sell, other woods are harder to sell. Hopefully this study and the publicity it has received might start to shift that, but it is like shifting the Titanic with a tinny. I have not had the same problem with mandolins. Australian natives sell just as well a...
by nkforster
Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Acoustical effect of back woods
Replies: 25
Views: 31880

Re: Acoustical effect of back woods

A more useful study might be to see how easy it is to sell a guitar for decent money if it isn't made from traditional woods. And then to see how easy it is to sell 20 or more guitars a year made with non traditional woods for decent money. Spoiler alert: It's not easy. This experiment, flawed or ot...
by nkforster
Sun Mar 31, 2019 9:02 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Side bend question...
Replies: 18
Views: 21317

Re: Side bend question...

If you've never bent sides before, or haven't bent many, you do need to practice first. Practice on any pieces of wood you can get your hands on.
by nkforster
Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:24 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Side bend question...
Replies: 18
Views: 21317

Re: Side bend question...

Here are a few videos I made on the subject:



youtu.be/9jf8J6rt6ng

youtu.be/1NMxMO93v8s

youtu.be/nm420mtesnU
by nkforster
Mon Mar 25, 2019 7:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: shipping overseas
Replies: 6
Views: 9401

Re: shipping overseas

www.interparcel.com.au

They will give you a variety of options, and you can pay for additional insurance.
by nkforster
Fri Mar 22, 2019 5:17 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer
Replies: 9
Views: 15407

Re: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer

The local Brisbane distributor of 0.55 Kw motor $173 Sourced a 4110 hardened 1" shaft 36" lg, ends threaded, for $120 Bearing supplies $34 for P205 Buff wheels out of Melbourne $50 - $75 ea depending on cloth grade were to much for my hip pocket. So purchased buff wheels & flanges from Stew mac for...
by nkforster
Fri Mar 22, 2019 2:54 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Alternative to a Stewmac buffer
Replies: 9
Views: 15407

Alternative to a Stewmac buffer

Hiya fellers. Anyone out there got a homemade buffer? I'm looking for an alternative to spending $1000 on a Stewmac one.
by nkforster
Wed Mar 06, 2019 8:02 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Acoustic cases
Replies: 5
Views: 6033

Re: Acoustic cases

Hiscox it is then..

Ta lads.
by nkforster
Mon Mar 04, 2019 10:30 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Acoustic cases
Replies: 5
Views: 6033

Acoustic cases

What cases do you lads recommend here? When I lived in Germany and England I used Hiscox cases unless the customer asked for something different. What's the standard decent case here?
by nkforster
Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:20 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: HVLP set up
Replies: 5
Views: 8486

Re: HVLP set up

Ta chaps.

Now I've started reading up on this, I've ended up with more questions than answers - anyone out there tried LVLP guns?
by nkforster
Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:04 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: HVLP set up
Replies: 5
Views: 8486

HVLP set up

Well, my stuff from the UK finally arrived last week - including my Fuji HVLP setup - except I seem not to have packed the gun. Bah. Looking at the price of a new gun here I could probably start from scratch for less. I'm spraying waterborne top coats over brushed epoxy. Waterbourne lacquer tends to...
by nkforster
Mon Dec 31, 2018 10:04 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget
Replies: 14
Views: 19164

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

It only costs Stewmac if you click on the ad. Otherwise, it costs nothing. The ad shows because you've looked at the site in the past, or because you came up in a data list for people similar to other Stewmac customers. If you use remarketing you can choose between remarketing to people who have loo...
by nkforster
Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:40 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: AAAH! The internet....luthierie on a budget
Replies: 14
Views: 19164

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

It is something called "remarketing" Google have been selling it for some time. You look at a site, Google makes a note of this, then sells this info by allowing advertisers to advertise to people who have already looked at their site. Its good for advertisers as the click-through rates are very hig...
by nkforster
Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:27 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: American Lutherie 118
Replies: 2
Views: 4034

American Lutherie 118

Anyone got a copy of American Lutherie #118, Summer 2014? It's out of print and I'd quite like to read the John Greven article.
by nkforster
Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:17 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Compensated nut WIP
Replies: 19
Views: 40302

Re: Compensated nut WIP

Welcome Donny. Something is awry with your calculations, as 5mm forward on the bottom E is way too much. But the overall shape of the curve looks close. You can make the calculations with an accurate tuner and a new set of strings. But the rest of the setup needs to be right first - the nut/zero fre...
by nkforster
Sat Dec 15, 2018 9:06 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Go-bar rods
Replies: 13
Views: 15561

Go-bar rods

Where do you feller s get your fibre glass go-bar rods from?
by nkforster
Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:31 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Lathe neck carving
Replies: 2
Views: 3898

Re: Lathe neck carving

Yep, the first few hundred are fun! This is a batch of ukes - I'm making them whilst I wait for more of the stuff to arrive. One of the ways I keep myself interested in the job is to keep trying out different ways of doing the same tasks. Doing necks on the lathe is a bit of fun, but yes, it is supe...
by nkforster
Sun Nov 18, 2018 10:11 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Lathe neck carving
Replies: 2
Views: 3898

Lathe neck carving

I tried this idea out yesterday and it worked a treat - http://www.nkforsterguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/necks-on-lathe-3.jpg A pair of necks done in about 5 minutes flat. It took me longer to make the jig. Now, the jig size, or rather thickness, dictates the end result. I worked it out wi...