Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Cheers for the tip Murray.
I've just ordered the uke manual and the mandolin project off them

Ando

Count me in Steve.

Love the head design
+1 for the 18 hole bridge

The answer to the bridge thickness is on page 20-8, second to last paragraph. "Sand material off the bottom laminate to get the required curve and thickness" but not quite put in those words. Searching old threads is not my idea of fun, bit there is a wealth of info buried in them, so it's worth the...

Cheers Martin, those are all good practical reasons, but if a CF saddle can act as well as bone it's worth a try. (My opinion only). First though, I need more experience. (I've yet to work with CF) Once I can build a 1/2 way decent guitar Ill revisit this. To get back to original topic, Richard was ...

The next one is a steel string parlour. The 1st one was meant to be a parlour but we won't go there. After this one I'm thinking of a falcate. If I'm feeling brave enough!! I'm a rank amateur at luthiery but you talking about bone, bridge weights and CF got me wondering if you could use CF as a sadd...

Hi Richard, NZ grown Aussie Blackwood, 9mm high 13mm to the strings, under 20gms without the bone(from memory )The top is mangeao which is somewhat heavier than spruce. It was made to Josè Ramonillos design. I can't really say how good the bridge is being the only guitar I've made. I had it in at a ...

I agree with Ken. They've got me out of more than one pickle.

Hi Laurance,
I use matai. Rata is a wee bit on the heavy side for a neck.
Ando

WOW WHAT A DIFFERANCE I got the plane mods finished, honed & fitted my new a2 blade, put the wood I going to use for the next uke on the table. 5 minutes, no ridges, no tearout. It used to take me 1/2 the night using the old elbow grease sander to get under the tearout. I'm wrapped with the results ...

Cheers for that bluefuzz. I'll get the grinder onto a spare blade this arvo! All the veritas bits turned up. I only ordered them from Carbactec on Saturday, arrived tuesday- no complaints about their service. The blade slot is a wee bit narrower. I'll turn up another follower for the squaring lever ...

About 2 hours up the road lol I learn by mistakes. I've learnt a lot about timber since I started building. The misses hasn't worked out the cost of this year's firewood yet!!! Here's a few other places to try NZ Native Timber Supplies Waikanae (04) 2932097 Last I heard he had some 200x50 black mair...

Thank you for your replys, Luckily it is a 3.2 thick blade I ordered,. So that should take care of any chatter problem. Hopefully the honing guide will sort my abysmal sharpening skills out. It is a veritas, so any issues will lie with the operator! As for the angles, to start I'll stick to standard...

Appologies all but just to move slightly off topic. I've just made a high angle Bailey No4 using Trevors method with the 12mm round bar. I'm waiting for an A2 blade and a honing guide to appear in the mail before I try it out. My question is what angle should the micro bevel be? I was thinking about...

Hi Pete, Sorry for the late reply. Thanks for for compliments about the uke - It was the 1st 1/2 way decent instument I've made. I'm just glad that the camera is very forgiving!! As for the circle cutters, working metals is easy- wood though, I struggle with. I envy those that can make works of beau...

I'm only an amatuer at this myself - and a rough one at that. The closer to the 1/4 the better BUT I work on the theory that until I can produce a well hand crafted guitar I'm not going to waste a good quality piece of wood. Having done that once already with a lovely piece of indian rosewood! If yo...

HI Richard, Have you tried Graham from Treeworx in Matamata. He's on Trademe under the handle of paratu2. Just make sure you are specific about what you're after, otherwise you will be disappointed with what turns up. I've always found him helpful, friendly and not to expensive. Last time I looked h...

Hi Martin,
As this thread is a complete stuff up could I get you to do the honours and delete it please.
Cheers
Ando

It's taken a long time. I started this without a clue. IMG_20190325_212132.jpg IMG_20190117_212324.jpg IMG_20190117_211438.jpg Here's how it arrived 20170425_163458.jpg 20170425_212609.jpg The neck join IMG_20190325_190427.jpg Not as neat as I was hoping but I had no matching wood and I was scared o...

It's taken a long time. I started this without a clue. IMG_20190325_212132.jpg IMG_20190117_212324.jpg IMG_20190117_211438.jpg Here's how it arrived 20170425_163458.jpg 20170425_212609.jpg The neck join IMG_20190325_190427.jpg IMG_20190325_190459.jpg Not as neat as I was hoping but I was scared of l...

This project is in no hurry - partly due to a needed increase in skills and confidence and also due to getting any of the promised $$$ out of my mate. My time he can have for the experience I gain - but the parts don't get ordered until I have the readies! The weekends project was to get the binding...

Steve If you like my fab skills you'll be impressed by these 2 :lol: :lol: IMG_20181022_164438.jpg I needed a 42mm soundhole cutter in a hurry and for the ultimate in purfling and binding routers IMG_20181022_164312.jpg just add 1 chisel!! Its a piece of 3/16 tool steel in a 4.5mm hole to give a bit...

Thanks for that Martin. But I don't really know how to interpret all that Here's my best guess Density is on the lighter side for a back. Tangential shrinkage is getting up - so if cross sawn there may be stability problems. Mor and Moe are max breaking and bending loads? Neither are that high. Conc...

Sorry some of those pics are a little out of order, but you'll work them out

Here's those cutting tools IMG_20181019_094515.jpg IMG_20181019_094801.jpg The one on the right is magic in both directions to about 2.5 or a little deeper. Flat on the face, 3mm to the back shoulder and tapers on the back from the tip to 1mm at the shoulder. Good for cutting rosettes but not so goo...