A new build, Santos Mahogany, Maple, and Spruce Dred

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I should get the top on this week, backs already on.
Jim, that is bloodwood. It is .100" thick. Not heavy at all, about like EIR I'd say. I figure it has a nice solid ring, should make a good patch.
Yeah, I have always made them big like that, it gives a flatter surface on the top to glue to bridge to; less contouring to do.

I used the Macauaba for a bridge plate on the Macauaba guitar, and it made it sound fabulous!! :>)

I used madagasscar rosewood for a bridge plate on the Walnut/Redwood OM I'm building. I've also used EIR and maple on others.
Do they make a difference? Who knows for sure, but you do want a solid wood that will hold up to the pressure from the strings.

Tim, did you see the thread on how I make my rosette, in the building procedures section I think.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Hey Tim, if I can do a better job of explaining how I make the rosette, let me know, and I will give you more a more defined explanation.
It really isn't that hard to do, and do a neat job of it.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Okay it has been at least 2 weeks since I was in the shop. I caught the bug that is going around and just couldn't make myself work on the guitars while feeling lousy......but.........
This weekend I am almost over it, and I spent most of Saturday in the shop.
On this guitar I finally got the top glued on. I use the screw down clamping caul. The one error I'm making using it this way is that if too much pressure is needed....screws too tight, it just pulls the mold up around the rim. I do stop blocks to put on the inside of the mold to hold the rim away from the bottom of the mold - this way the rim can push against them and the mold can not shift upward. It worked okay because I had a good fit, but next time I'll use my stop blocks and do it right. Anyway, that is all I did on this one. The rest of the day was spent on the neck for the Walnut/redwood OM. Please see that thread.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

another pic of clamping the top

Kevin

[Darryl Young]

Looking good Kevin!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Forgot to take pics yesterday.......
but I now have the fretboard slots cut, the board tapered and maple binding glued on
The body has the the back maple binding glued on, and I'm ready to glue on the top binding and purfling.
The binding cutting tower I made worked great. I need to rework my sled however. It worked great for the OM but does not clamp the Dred adequately, so I will redo this part of the jig, but the tower is awesome for cutting the channels.
I'll take some pics tonight or tomorrow and post the progress. I've also got the scarf joint and the heel block glued up on my neck blank, and I'm ready to do some bandsaw work, shape the headstock and fit the fretboard to the blank.

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

I would be interested in seeing your tower again. I have been thinking of reworking mine or building a new one to get more control cutting the bindings.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I haven't been real good with pictures on this build, plus my camera was stolen from our home last week, so I'll need to remember that I can use my phone camera and take more pics.
Here is one my wife took. The body is all done now except for drilling an end pin hole and routing the mortise for the neck.
I have started the neck, it is a three piece with a scarf joint. I have the rough shape cut out and the head stock profile cut, the truss rod slot is cut, the fret board is slotted and bound. I started thicknessing the back of the headstock with my drill press safety planer, still have about a 1/8" to go. This works pretty good.
Okay, one pic...more later.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Some pics with the binding all done and sanded down.....
the neck and fretboard started.

Kevin

[darren]

Wow, the binding and purfling (and rosette) look really really good. What are you using for your rosette channels again?