Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Pine flooring ply for the top. The light colour contrasts with items like small drill bits. I think mine is 24mm thick. Waist high or a bit higher is a comfortable working height. Ideally, anchor the base to the floor so it doesn't move at all but you can move around it as necessary. Mine is fixed t...

A few months ago I mentioned in a post that we were planning a holiday on the NSW coast South of Coffs Harbour where we have a 9 acre property. Uke builder, Michael Connor, kindly offered us a workshop tour on our way South from Coolangatta (our point of arrival), but that didn't work out: he was he...

That A grade set seems too cheap for BRW. Warning bells! You get what you pay for. If your mate has the $$$ and is prepared to part with them maybe the higher priced set would be the way to go. Hand built in BRW - a few hundred dollars extra hardly seems an issue.

With Lutz spruce (can't comment on Sitka - never used it.) I don't get those shellac grain ridges. Maybe I've been lucky so far. Surface prep might have something to do with it. I progress through to 1500 grit. On the first guitar I used the True Oil sealer but switched to shellac after the bottle r...

Thanks for posting that bracing pattern Alfred, all good things to consider. This top is Engelman and is .110 right now, and it'll get thinned around the perimeter of the lower bout. Do you have the legs of the x-brace exiting the sides of the bridge, or out the back. The Norman Blake model, and al...

Hi Allen, Thanks for posting about this - a very interesting topic. I've built 3 guitars - another one on the go - based on the same or very similar idea: 13 frets to the body, bridge set further into the lower bout and more distance than usual between the bridge plate and X brace joint. I got the i...

I don't suppose it will help Shane to know the surf at Byron Bay is like a warm bath at the moment. That does it! We are definitely going back for a visit near the end of February. Friends of ours live just up the coast at Ocean Shores. i'll rent a car in Brisbane and drive down the coast from ther...

Its a good product but very expensive. I managed to get two rolls of 120 grade before the local home center stopped stocking it (i'm not currently in Oz). Since then I have been using good quality paper + double sided tape and found that worked just as well.

Cheers

Colin posted a thread last month about a redwood / Cuban mahogany OM that he had just finished. It was really impressive. And his playing is equally impressive. For those who haven't had the pleasure of listening to this very fine guitarist, check out this recording of Colin playing the recently com...

Choice of bridge plate material is said to influence tone. Rock maple is said to have the least effect. i.e. it does not add any perceivable quality to the tone of the instrument. Martin guitars used it, then switched over to IRW for a while in the 1960s or 70s, and then switched back to maple. IRW ...

Bloody Hell!!! Thanks very much for the warning. James and I have something in common. I built a yacht once upon a time. The steel hull was a bit rough so after sandblasting and and layers of epoxy undercoat I faired it with west system epoxy. Lots of sanding required - me covered in epoxy and fill...

I've built a Size 5 Terz guitar. Used Scott Antes plans for the basic dimensions, but lightened up the bracing considerably. You can see the finished instrument in this thread. Size 5 Terz Wotta little beauty! That gets my vote. one of these years I would love to build a wee little guitar like that.

Ditto to Dave's comment. That scolloping is really extreme. There's no need to scollop the top half of the X braces. There's not enough meat below the X brace joint to support string tension either. I also scollop braces, but not to that extent. Industry standard for sitka tops is 1/8 inch (3.6mm). ...

That's a lot better than my first attempt. The rosette is beautiful. Overall, a fine looking instrument. Isn't it good to know that on your first attempt you can build a guitar that sounds as good or better than a $2000 factory built number?

A question about the belt sander, I assume the tilting table setup is for smaller pieces, it doesnt look like its big enough for backs, sides etc. Sebastiaan quite right, but I use the belt sander with that tilting table to thickness pegheads in exactly the same way that Taffy shows in that photo a...

This doesn't compare with Craig's beautiful set up. Hope the photo helps though. The drum is home made - a bolt epoxied through a wooden block. Nothing flash but it works. Changing the cloth backed abrasive is a PITA. http://www.anzlf.com/phpBB2/userpix/149_IMG_0136_1.jpg This might also be helpful....

Much appreciated
You have just solved a problem for me.

Thanks for posting the photos and soundfile. The guitar is gorgeous and the soundfile says it all. Superb work! Good to see a departure from the bracing norm. Obviously it works. I was surprised to hear that the trebles sound full and sweet even though you use parabolic bracing. I tried it once and ...

Well that's a most worthwhile pilgrimage.
Wish I had half your luck

All in good time

Thanks for that Alfred . You say you just pad it on ( not french polishing ) Could you explain that technique ? Make a batch of one pound cut shellac by dividing a jar into quarters. Mark each 1/4 on the side of the jar with a felt pen. Fill the bottom quarter with dewaxed shellac flakes then fill ...

Just a word to those using Tru oil . I have found it reacts when using it over Zpoxy Finishing Resin. There is a thread on the OLF at the moment covering this. Tiny crumbs appear on the finish . I have micromeshed them off , and it's seems to have finally stabilized .I haven't tried the Tru oil sea...

Hi Alfred I never bother buying pumice, I just pick it up at the beach. To process it into powder just give it a rough crush then wash it out in a bucket. Take the floating pumice from the bucket, let it dry then grind it down to a powder (hammer in an old breakfast bowl does the trick). I put this...

It depends on what exactly you're referring to as "silica powder". What exactly is the product? Pumice is basically silica dioxide (Si02). I use Behlens 4F grade pumice for my pumice pore filling. System three silica thickener from lmi is the stuff I ordered to thicken up Z epoxy. The label calls i...

What I was happiest with was a combination of pumice and egg white. The best and easiest result I got was to use egg white with 400 grit wet and dry with just a little dusting of very fine pumice. It filled much quicker with the pumice in the mix. Would silica powder mixed in with the egg white do ...

Simply beautiful
Looking at that I was thinking how difficult it must be to properly finish a slotted peg head.
No doubt about jarrah. Made some very classy looking bindings from it but haven't used it yet for a fretboard.
If its at all possible, please post a sound clip.