Search found 594 matches

by Dave M
Tue Feb 18, 2020 10:19 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Carbon fibre splinters
Replies: 2
Views: 4805

Carbon fibre splinters

Right so which is most annoying: A discovering that there is bit of fibre sticking up, not glued down, by putting your hand in the box. B doing this by sticking the sharp point into your finger painfully. C having pulled out said sharp object, not noticing that the hole in your finger has left a tra...
by Dave M
Mon Feb 17, 2020 3:07 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Neck Carving
Replies: 6
Views: 8303

Re: Neck Carving

Rod and Martin thanks for that. Don't know what was wrong with me to cause such a brain fade - I have successfully done many other necks. Anyway I am now happily carving away.

Martin thanks for taking the trouble to load some photos. very Helpful

Cheers Dave
by Dave M
Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:12 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: How do I fix this wavy side..
Replies: 9
Views: 12919

Re: How do I fix this wavy side..

So how did it go? How did you treat it? I think that we all get this at some point. I have done the reinforcement inside and lots of sanding externally. I have also just left them. It is a hand built instrument I would say! What is perhaps a bit surprising is that these small blemishes don’t really ...
by Dave M
Sun Feb 16, 2020 11:03 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Neck Carving
Replies: 6
Views: 8303

Neck Carving

I am having a bit of a drop in confidence. Shaping a neck for a SS and I just can’t quite see the shape that I am aiming for. The statue is still hidden in the marble as it were. So I have been reluctant to take the big cuts with the chisels that are actually needed. I have been nibbling! G squared ...
by Dave M
Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:40 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Semihollow fifteen inch
Replies: 21
Views: 25724

Re: Semihollow fifteen inch

Rod that heel is interesting. Any chance of another photo or two? Is that a common thing to do on an archtop is is purely your design?

Dave
by Dave M
Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:33 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Extracting the bolt bar
Replies: 1
Views: 16253

Extracting the bolt bar

I seem to have to remove the brass bolt bar from the heel quite a lot. And I like to leave it until fitting the heel cap to trim it to final length.

So a small hole drilled in the end which a woodscrew just grips helps a lot. I know, you probably all do but...
by Dave M
Thu Feb 06, 2020 4:06 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: DIY plane blade query
Replies: 4
Views: 17924

Re: DIY plane blade query

The Chinese are making some better quality planes under various brand names, though I haven't got on very well with them. However I think their blades were quite good steel so you may be able to buy one reasonably cheaply. I have fitted all my old planes with thicker, better steel bades but it was a...
by Dave M
Mon Feb 03, 2020 4:12 am
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: cosed box Frequency response falcate OOO
Replies: 10
Views: 14066

Re: cosed box Frequency response falcate OOO

Well done Jurgen for getting there with analysis along the way. We have been following with interest. This is not easy stuff. I have a falcate braced box on the bench at the moment and have high hopes of it given that the others I have built have worked so well. I have not been nearly as conscientio...
by Dave M
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:36 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Classical Build (s) - Hopefully falcate!
Replies: 96
Views: 106188

Re: Classical Build (s) - Hopefully falcate!

BHS ...?. Fascinating thread Thanks
by Dave M
Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:35 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Qualities of Spruce
Replies: 18
Views: 28414

Re: Qualities of Spruce

Well kpcart I thought I had come across most of the Spruces but you've given me another on in omorica!

Thanks for sharing your experience with the various timbers. Dave M
by Dave M
Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:04 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Intonation and things
Replies: 1
Views: 12882

Intonation and things

We have all talked a lot about intonation and we all know how we are already fighting against the fact that the equally tempered scale is a bit of a problem for fretted instruments. So I was looking at a (wonderful) cello player the other day on the worldwide computer, and a couple of things struck ...
by Dave M
Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:55 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Qualities of Spruce
Replies: 18
Views: 28414

Re: Qualities of Spruce

You do not talk about Engelmann. Do you have any data on that variation of the spruce family?
by Dave M
Tue Jan 28, 2020 2:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Qualities of Spruce
Replies: 18
Views: 28414

Re: Qualities of Spruce

Dave that is a fascinating and important data set. It shows the variability very clearly. Those samples of Sitka are very offputing! This should be more widely publicised. As you say it would seem that Lutz is a clear winner for instruments. Since you are in the trade you presumably have a sound met...
by Dave M
Sun Jan 26, 2020 4:02 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Stop Loss bags
Replies: 5
Views: 8687

Re: Stop Loss bags

These look good. Just done a quick search and they seem have limited availability in the UK. Only one supplier who is charging about £50 for 4. I wonder if anyone else has bought in the UK?

Did you pay a lot Mathew?

Dave M
by Dave M
Sun Jan 26, 2020 3:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Qualities of Spruce
Replies: 18
Views: 28414

Re: Qualities of Spruce

From all my reading the message I hear from the people who actually know about this stuff is that the particular species, be it spruce or otherwise is not really important. What makes a good top is the highest stiffness (Youngs modulus) and the lowest density. Good values of these will enable one to...
by Dave M
Sat Jan 25, 2020 3:38 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: A few latest builds
Replies: 6
Views: 11888

Re: A few latest builds

Lovely builds Peter. That classical is gorgeous. Is it a well known outline or your own shape? The proportions really work for me.

Cheers Dave M
by Dave M
Sun Jan 19, 2020 11:49 pm
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Violins
Replies: 8
Views: 10031

Re: Violins

Ross it is my understanding that a huge amount of work has been done analysing violins and their modes of operation - far more than on guitars because there is so much more money sloshing around the violin world. A further search should throw something up. Dare one even suggest there could be books ...
by Dave M
Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:53 am
Forum: The Gallery
Topic: Torres Style
Replies: 3
Views: 6918

Torres Style

I was so pleased last year with a Maple/Engelmann braced like The Torres SE 114 that I thought I would do another to see if it was just a fluke. Well it wasn't. This one came out really well also, in American Walnut and Engelmann. They have a very similar sound with some just discernable differences...
by Dave M
Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:10 am
Forum: Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build - Trevor Gore
Topic: My Second Build
Replies: 15
Views: 20172

Re: My Second Build

David that looks great. Hopefully the bright red padauk fretboard will calm down over time! I have said it before but it bears repeating that Trevor's design for that steel string works so well that even we beginners can end up with a good sounding guitar given sufficient care. Good Stuff. The next ...
by Dave M
Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:03 am
Forum: Anything Goes
Topic: Spreadsheet and other Errors
Replies: 0
Views: 23313

Spreadsheet and other Errors

There has been some discussion of the problems with spreadsheet calculations on the forum - so called conditioning errors where the way that you frame a particular equation can lead to errors. Well I have discovered this book: Humble Pi by Matt Parker which describes spreadsheet problems and other p...
by Dave M
Tue Nov 19, 2019 3:58 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: packaging tape for binding
Replies: 12
Views: 13710

Re: packaging tape for binding

I use the pretty standard tape from 3 M. I am in the UK but I'm sure it will be available in Oz. Having recently bound the guitar in the pic it is probably the best I have done so far because the bindings were bent accurately. This I think is key. Unlike Martin I have had issues with some Engelmann ...
by Dave M
Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:45 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bending Sides issue
Replies: 17
Views: 28355

Re: Bending Sides issue

There is a useful current thread on bending on the OLF. -Bending Different species-
by Dave M
Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:34 am
Forum: Instrument Builders Forum
Topic: Bending Sides issue
Replies: 17
Views: 28355

Re: Bending Sides issue

This has probably happened to all of us at some time. Unless you are particularly good with the bending iron the most consistent method is with some kind of variation on the Fox bender, using those metal slats to fully support the outside of the bend. As has been said elsewhere you can do some sandi...
by Dave M
Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:48 am
Forum: Jigs & Fixtures
Topic: Bending Binding
Replies: 0
Views: 18677

Bending Binding

This is probably not original but I thought I would throw it up. I added a curved piece of Al to my bending iron help produce the vertical bend in the bindings, particularly on the back at the waist which I have struggled with in the past.