Homemade kerfing, how I do it!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Tommy asked if I'd post how I've been making my kerfing.
I don't use any fancy made machines, but just a couple of really, really simple jigs.
I start out by dimensioning the stock for the kerfing. So far I've been able to use mahogany "scraps" that are already in my shop; left overs from neck billets, unused heel block stock (12" long), and the like.
It helps to have a band saw and a thickness sander. It is important that all your pieces are exactly the same size; thickness and height. You can make them any size you want, but remember we want to keep the guitar light, so don't make massively thick kerfing. Mine end up being about 3/16" wide by 7/16" tall, and are a triangle shape.

So I start out by getting my stock made. Then I use double sided tape to stick a piece to the edge of a flat and square edged board, which I will use to push the stock into the blade and make the cut. I set the block clamped to the band saw table so my depth of cut is just where I want it. Then I start cutting, advancing the stock lining up the previous cut with the indexing mark on the block. This is easier then you may think, and once you get the hang of it you can get going as fast as any machine I've seen on YouTube.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

When a strip is all cut, pull it off the board and place another onto the tape. I can get about 4 strips done before the sticky wears off and I have to put new tape on the edge. No problemo, only takes a minute.

So once I have all my pieces kerfed, then I want to sand an angle on one side to create a triangle shape. I made a carrier to do this which a strip will lie in, and is then fed through my thickness sander. I wish I could do it in one pass, but there is too much to remove. It takes about 4 passes as I lower the drum down to get my desired result. So I run all the strips through at one setting, lower the drum, then run them all through again, and do this about 4 times until they are done.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I found that I was limited to a 13" long strip as that is the size of my band saw. It takes about a 2 1/2 strips to do a side, and actually this length is easier to work with then the 30" pieces I was buying before, and some would break anyway.

I have some Khaya mahogany that I will be making into kerfing. At about $6 a board foot, it will save me quite a bit over purchasing the kerfing, and it is fun to make. In a couple of hours I made enough for 3 guitars and I was able to use wood I already have, and tools I already have....nothing to buy.

I've always thought it would be more difficult to make these then they are. My way is just one simple way of doing this, but if you have some extra time, you can make your own kerfing. I hope my little explanation and pictures inspire to figure out how you can make them too. Have fun.

Kevin

[tippie53]

it is fun to figure out how to make the simple stuff

Kevin,

Thanks for the great tutorial. Hopefully your method will get some folks going to cut their own kerfed linings.
-tommy

Anyone else have tutorials they wish to share? All are welcome!

[songman101]

Ha Guys
I always heard that a penny saved is a penny earned ,but now its a nickel earned thanks for the lesson on making kerfing what a saving in my future. . newbie Stephen

[sailor19]

Thanks for the kerfing post. I have tried several methods,and will give this a go next.I also have quite a bit of scrap wood from Mahog to Pecan,Hickory and some Alaska Spruce.Hope to post pics soon.Just glued in the braces on a D 17 Martin copy OM, prewar plans.Time to scallop tommorow.

[JEmory]

Plain and simple!!! Awesome!! Thank you.