Recomendations for Body Mold type

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Omar_8200
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:07 pm

Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by Omar_8200 »

Hello all,

New here. Picked up Bill Cory's "Building Martin-style Acoustic Guitar Kits" book recently and he got me inspired to build a flattop guitar. Just bought my first flattop guitar kit from Blues Creek, a maple dreadnought with Sitka top. I am excited to get the kit and actually begin building.

I am new to flattop guitar making, but have built a Benedetto 17" archtop guitar, a Less Paul electric clone, and mandolins including an electric, 1 F-5, and three A-5s over the past several years. Plan to build this guitar and at least one OM in the future. I used a go bar deck put together by John from Blues Creek to glue the 17" archtop and F5 mandolin and made a body mold out of MDF for the guitar.

1. What do people recommend for body molds for the Martin style guitars?
2. Have people had good luck using the tracing in the Martin plans to build a body mold out of MDF?
3. How about using something like the Multi-Style Guitar mold from KMG? This seems to offer some advantages for building multiple guitars, but I am not sure how I would use this with a go bar deck.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Omar
Omar
- Mandolins and guitars constructed in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains
David L
Posts: 1319
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:04 pm
Location: Slidell, La

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by David L »

Welcome to the forum Omar. It seems you have a leg up on a lot of newcomers with your experience, you should be a shoe in!
As far as molds go, I choose to purchase my molds from John (Blues Creek), several folks here on the forum use molds from Ken (KMG), also several people build thier own molds out of various materials, I'll let them speak for themselves. An observation that I have made is that most people use an outside mold as opposed to an inside mold. You should hear from others.
Looking forward to seeing your kit when you get (you will post pictures of it?). Post often as you build, with lots of pics (I want to see that maple go together).

David L
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by tippie53 »

here is the mold that will match that kit you got .
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com/shop/i ... cts_id=206
this link will get you there and then select the mold in the menu D-14
again thanks
john
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
kencierp

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by kencierp »

Not sure why you'd put our Mega Mold or Multi-style mold in a go bar deck? They have provisions to secure the top and back with simple #64 rubber bands. We use these molds in our shop to build every thing from parlor size to J200's. The on line instructions show how easy it is to use these molds the guitar's back or top contours are non issues. The mega Mold takes things a step further and is used to make a perfectly contoured rims without the need for radius dishes.
Darryl Young
Posts: 1668
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:44 pm
Location: Arkansas

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by Darryl Young »

If you are like me, the nice thing about buying a mold (as opposed to making it yourself) is that you get the exact body shape you want which I like as you know it will fit a standard case. However, you can trace a body, make a template, and do it all yourself......just a lot more work if you are only making a mold/bending forms for yourself.
Slacker......
Omar_8200
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:07 pm

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by Omar_8200 »

Thanks for the info. Like so many things it sounds like IT DEPENDS on what is a match for my skills, tools, experience, and approach to things.

The main difference that I see between flattop guitars and mandolins / archtop guitars related to the mold is that archtop instruments have parallel sides while flattop guitars generally have profiled sides. With parallel sides you use a mold that is 1/4" shy of the sides thickness. You can flip the mold over easily and slide the mold down 1/4" or so to install linings, sand linings / blocks flush, and the glue top and back. I use a carving cradle (works as a caul) on the opposite side of the instrument when gluing in the go bar deck to accommodate for the arch of the instrument and provide a stable surface to clamp against.

With a flat top guitar it is the back of the sides that is profiled so the top of the sides fit square (within a 1/32") to the head / tail blocks. What I don't understand is how the geometry works if you flip the traditional mold over and work on the top of the rim. I guess with the solid mold you 'schooch' the mold down a little bit to enable you to glue the lining and then radius the rim top. With the KMG mold I guess that you can put blocks under the rim to keep it stable, but if I push the back of the rim / blocks flush to be KMG mold it is going to stress the sides...

It looks to me as if there is clearly no 'right' or 'best' way to assemble sides / blocks.
Omar
- Mandolins and guitars constructed in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains
tippie53
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Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by tippie53 »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHPCeVRUA4
this may help you . I use a parallel to set the mold up so that the mold is parallel off the table. I can then use the mold as a datum point for critical measurements .
The key is to find a technique that works for you and gives you repeatable results
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
kencierp

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by kencierp »

"With the KMG mold I guess that you can put blocks under the rim to keep it stable, but if I push the back of the rim / blocks flush to be KMG mold it is going to stress the sides... "

HUH?

The shimming simply makes the rim level -- nothing has to be forced at any time during assembly. And of course the rim in any style mold is going to have to take some stress when you assemble the top and back no matter what clamping method.

However, we at KMG clearly understand that there is more then one way to get the job done that is why we offer several different styles of molds including the traditional style is three, four and five layer versions -- some like the mold to be deeper then 2 1/4"
kencierp

Re: Recomendations for Body Mold type

Post by kencierp »

Custom maker Scott MacDonald has a very cool set-up for his Mega Mold


Image
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