Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

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Greg Edwards
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Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:34 am

Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Greg Edwards »

Hello,
I am in the process of trying to get an initial tool and jig list together so that I can order my kit. The question tonight, so far is this. Would it be more logical for me as a first timer, to wait until I can get up enough money to go ahead and buy 2 dishes ready made. Or, make a couple of sanding sticks just to get me by with this first kit? I have been playing all of my life, and now that I have a lot of time on my hands I want to build my own guitars, as funds let me of course .. lol. I have a lathe, drill press, table saw, band saw, and I am familiar with my hand tools etc. and I am planning to make some of my jigs as well. I am just curious to know if some of you can tell me if you can hear enough difference in the tone of the guitars that you have built with to say that either of them were better tonally one way or the other (if that makes sense)?

I guess what I am trying to say is this, are the dishes a "got to have" first time item? Or, can I wait until the 2nd build or so? And, does anyone have a sound file that I can hear the difference between the two builds, dishes vs sanding sticks?

All help is greatly appreciated.

gke
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by tippie53 »

the kit you got from me can be made without the dish as it was prepped for you. You can see the back curvature .
Call me and I can tell you what you can do. I agree the dishes make it more accurate and will give you a better fit and finish in the joinery
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Greg Edwards
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:34 am

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Greg Edwards »

John, I haven't bought a kit from you yet. Everything is ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow sometime during the day, after everything settles down around here.

gke
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Greg

I have built 7 now and still use a curved batten instead of a dish. The batten/dish is only used for a minute or two and I could never justify the cost/time - but if I built a lot of instruments I would do it. I currently build about 2 a year. I don't have a go-bar deck either, but if I built more I would make one.

Here is a photo sequence on one of my instruments:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 029319394/

Use the batten just a bit on the sides in the mold, then lower the area near the neck to get your neck geometry, glue on the linings, use the batten again, use the batten to shape the braces, then glue the braces on against the batten. Note the bolt in the middle of the mold that supports the batten.

Good luck

Ed
Ed M
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Hi Greg and welcome to the forum. I think you are going to enjoy the guitar building process. In 8 years I've built 12 guitars. The first 9 I used radiused sanding sticks. It works just fine and you can make them for near nothing with 2 x 4's. I did bite the bullet and made my own double sided dish. It was a messy job but fun to do. I made the jig to use with a router to create it out of mdf. They work great and do improve the process some, but mostly just make some of the work easier to do. I also can put it I'm my homemade go-bar deck to glue in all the bracing, but again I used the stacked index card trick to accomplish this on many guitars.
Will you notice any difference in sound? Not on your life.
John is going to be there to help you along. Glad you've joined up here, keep us in the loop on your progress as you have time.
Greg Edwards
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:34 am

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Greg Edwards »

Thanks for the replies.

Kevin, can you explain to me what the stacked deck procedure is? I'm guessing maybe it is the radius that would be under the top or bottom while they are under the pressure of the go-bar rods while the braces are being glued. Is this correct?

"I also can put it I'm my homemade go-bar deck to glue in all the bracing, but again I used the stacked index card trick to accomplish this on many guitars".



gke
Greg Edwards
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:34 am

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Greg Edwards »

Ed, I have to run to Wally World for some clothes pins, and other stuff, and I will get back to you this afternoon about the sticks.

Thanks again

gke
Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Greg, sorry for the late response here.
Take a stack of index cards and fan them out, overlapping about half way or less and tape them together on the back side so you have about a 14" length of cards. Each one of these will be placed under your top (or back) where your radiused braces will be glued on. The cards will conform to whatever the radius you've put on the braces.
I do have two sets of cards, one for the back braces at about 15 degrees, and another set of 4 for the top X braces at 30 degrees. I can't remember how I determined the radius, but you can probably figure that out. They don't have to be exact. This really works quite well, and its pretty cheap too.
If I can find a picture I'll post it
Kevin Sjostrand
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Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

this is the idea
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Greg Edwards
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Re: Do I Have To Buy Radius Dishes

Post by Greg Edwards »

Thanks for the explanation, I appreciate the help Kevin.
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