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Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 12:42 am
by nkwak
Oops! I forgot to add pictures of the roughed out neck blank:



I intend to reduce the mass of the heel a bit further and clean up the heel cap and top it with maple. The threaded inserts also need to be epoxied in. The headstock is a tad thin and I'm contemplating on adding a ziricote back plate on it. I'll need to bend it to match the volute.

Things are really starting to take shape:

9/22/2016 - Top Bracing

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2016 12:53 am
by nkwak
Yesterday I completed glue up of the majority of the braces on my Carpathian spruce top. I have yet to glue on the bridge plate though because I have still have questions which I will pose in another thread in the Beginners' Questions section.


While the top was not floppy, it had lost some of its stiffness due to overuse of the thickness sander. Tim told me it needed to be braced rather heavily to manage the bass response and reclaim trebles. Going with a double X was my choice but he offered input on dimensions and drew the placement of the bridge plate in relation to the bridge itself.

As it is now, the top seems to be much stiffer and the tap tone is higher in pitch and with more decay yet doesn't sound like cardboard either. I won't attempt to do any sort of voicing until I've got it glued to the sides though.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2016 9:06 pm
by nkwak
The polar vortex is here and the furnace is running frequently. Woodworking is suspended until either spring comes or Santa brings me an Aprilaire 600. In the meantime, all I can do is play with the pieces:


The rims still don't have either the top or back glued on. I want to put some spruce side braces on first and abut them to the ladder braces on the back. I don't want to make a boat this time so the top will be glued on first so that I can voice it.



I'm still conflicted on the bridge plate though. I don't want to go with an oversized bridge plate, nor do I want to make a maple plate of the same size. The rest of the bracing is ready for voicing but I am considering on putting a small lateral brace on the back edge of a normal sized maple bridge plate. What do you all think I should do?

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:17 pm
by nkwak
I've been preoccupied with other things but every so often I'll take a look at my work with this and feel like I need to do several do-overs:

1: I tapered the back braces too shallow at the ends. I did this with my first build and it made fitting the back kind of tricky with nothing to lock it into place. I'm tempted to chisel off the braces here on #2 and start over.

2: I've got reservations about the double X on the soundboard. I may chisel it off and attempt to fashion some sort of lattice. I'm still going to use a maple bridge plate with a curved edge though.

3: I planed the headstock too thin so I need to install a back plate. I'm thinking of getting rid of the volute though. I've fallen out of love with it because I did the same thing on my first build and it feels "clunky."

4: there was also some tearout and chipping on my rosette when I routed for the Zipflex, which is also not well fit into the channel. There are gaps that I intend to fill with a mixture of rosewood sawdust with gel CA.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:27 pm
by johnnparchem
One of the problem with having it sit too long is you start focusing on what is wrong. The back braces look ok to me. It seems as they narrow down to an 1/8" or so which looks OK. I would leave on the double X, just give yourself the freedom to play with the height of the inside X until you get a nice sounding tap tone from the top.

I thinned the head stock too thin a few times. In those cases I added a back strap. Sometimes with a volute sometimes without. Overall the backstrap always made for a better looking guitar.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:18 am
by John J
Neil- I agree with John. Leave the x and play with tapering/shaping.

"getting rid of the volute though. I've fallen out of love with it because I did the same thing on my first build and it feels "clunky"

I agree with this one form a personal point of view. I just don't like the way any kind of volute feels. The look nice, but they get in my way on an f chord. I like the look of a backstrap and also the benefit of strengthening the scarf joint.

Each build I'm learning what I like and don't like.
I enjoy your detailed posts.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 10:56 pm
by nkwak
OK, I will sand the volute away. It's pretty much useless on a laminated neck anyway. I have more zirocote to match the backstrap with the headstock faceplate.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2017 8:24 pm
by nkwak
Apparently my Photobucket account requires a nurse to clean the sheets. Sorry.

Anyway, two weeks ago was the annual gathering at McKnight Guitars. Tim gave me some pointers on the top bracing which I really appreciated. I'm finally getting close to closing the box. I just need to put in some side braces and am considering on a soundport so i need to find some suitable scrap to reinforce the area on the inside. I'll be putting the back on first.

I'm also starting to formulate a plan to do the binding. I have a Harbor Freight laminate trimmer but it has the disposition of a Tasmanian Devil. It doesn't have a tilting base so I'm thinking of picking up a cheap router table instead. I'm also working on some recessed panel wainscoting in my house so any tool expenditures won't be completely self indulgent.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:28 am
by nkwak
Sorry about all the broken image links. I'm transferring all my images to Google+ but it would be too much work to fix each link.

Re: 2nd scratch build - Carpathian over EIR

Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:10 am
by nkwak
goodbye Photobucket. My photos are now on Google+. Here's a pic of things as of this morning:

https://goo.gl/photos/W2uQDi7bTnkhvY589

Image

I still have to figure out how to properly embed the URL. Sorry. Let me describe what has been going on:

I have tapered the ends of the braces on the back and routed slots for the back braces in the sides in order to "lock in" the alignment of the top so that the backstrip is straight. The problem is that I didn't account for the 15' radius in the plate and rout the slots at the waist deep enough or taper the ends of the brace short enough. I think I'd like the brace to remain tall at the ends though to reinforce the rigidity of the area. I also routed out the opening for the tenon. The block was pre-mortised. It's not ready to start fitting the neck by a long shot though. I need to close the box and install/level the binding first - probably the most intimidating part of the build for me. I don't trust my ability in handling routers at all.

After talking with Tim McKnight (who had done a deflection test on my soundboard before I glued the bracing) I went ahead and installed the oversized spruce bridge plate and stuck with the secondary X brace. The top was borderline floppy and now it seems to have regained some sustain when I tap it. Tim explained the reason for the curve and the beveled edge as means of countering bridge rotation and splitting/peeling of the plate. To reinforce the soft bridge plate, he recommends bullying in a small
Rosewood sub plate after I glue on the bridge.

As for the neck, I'm still refining the area around the volute and need to flatten the back of the headstock which still has a slight angle around the low and high D string tuning machines. I'd also like to further refine the heel and need to add a flamed maple heel cap.