An EIR Dred in the D45 tradition.....

[Kevin Sjostrand]

John, I've also used the safe-t-planer to do the job, but this set up works with much less anxiety, and you probably know what I mean.

I made more good progress this weekend. I took the heel down by 1/8" and shaped it up, but left the width at the cap. I just like them with a little more meat. I pared away at the heel contact area with my scary sharp 1/4" chisel to leave just about 3/32" of flat to contact the body. Just a little more to do to transition the edge of the fretboard into the shaft and final sanding. Got the heel cap glued on, it is curly Koa.
I have Koa in three places on this guitar, the heel cap, the end wedge, and the headstock inlayed "S".
I also got the fretting done except for final polishing of the frets which I will do after the guitar is finished and polished out. All I have left to do is a little tweak at the fretboard extension fit over the top, drill the hole for the end pin and drill the tuning machine holes and I'll be ready for final inspection of the whole guitar filling any little voids, etc. There are a few very small areas around the binding and where the fretboard meets the mahogany neck. I always seem to have some of those no matter how flat and smooth I think my surfaces are.

I hope to be porefilling by this coming weekend.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

and a few more............

[Darryl Young]

Looks nice Kevin. Heel looks right!

[johnnparchem]

The guitar is looking good. Fun to move to finishing. I always check over and over for small gaps and think that I have found filled them but as soon as I hit the guitar with finish more pop up. Thank goodness for CA.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Last night I drilled/reamed the 1/2" hole in the tail end for the end pin jack as this guitar is getting a pickup. I also drilled the tuning machine holes. I drill a very small pilot hole, then come in from both sides with the 3/8" brad point bit, meeting in the center. This way I get no chip out. Then I drill in from the back with a 24/64" bit in about 2/3 of the way to accomodate the tuner. I knew my headstock inlay was not quite on the center line, even though I tried so hard to get it there when I glued on that plate. I didn't look too far off until I drilled the tuner holes, then it did. I measured and it is 1/8" to one side of center....arg. Not the end of the world, and I will not point it out to the owner, but it is frustrating. Another place for improvement in my measuring techniques!! Also, my tri-focal glasses don't help me out when doing this kind of thing either as I get a "curve" to surfaces when looking at certain angles.
Anyway........I am basically ready to do a final gap search and fill, and final sanding in preparation for an initial spray of sealer, followed by more pore filling...which I hope to begin this weekend.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Yesterday I got the bridge made, 3/8" thick came out he perfect height. I've got about 1/32" over the bridge at the saddle.
I also did some gap filling as I could find them around the bindings and neck shaft/fretboard join. I always seem to have some slight ones there.
I sanded over the whole guitar, located the bridge with pins and masked off the area. Today I plan on spraying a coat of vinyl sealer in preparation for pore filling this week. Almost there!

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

Looking forward to seeing new pictures with the finish.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I am remiss about pictures lately, sorry. I'll take a few tomorrow night and post.
I sprayed one coat of sealer on the guitar this afternoon....it was 100 degrees, yikes, but it was just to seal the pores before pore filling and the sealer will be sanded off the surface before starting to spray again. I did some pore filling with Timbermate on the indian rosewood. This stuff is so easy to use, I love it. I mixed about 50/50 of the rosewood and ebony colored filler. The stuff when dry in the pores and sanded back looks very greyish, but when the finish goes on it becomes dark like when it was wet. It gives a nice depth to the grain. As this stuff dries so you can sand it back in about 20 minutes with as hot as my shop is I should finish the pore filling tomorrow night. Then Tuesday I hope to put up my portable spray booth, and I should start spraying nitro on Saturday morning before the day gets too hot.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I now have the body of the guitar pore filled. A little final inspection and clean up, and a light sanding on the top and it is ready to start getting the lacquer. Tonight I'll pore fill the neck, again using Timbermate in the rosewood color, and I'll put up the spray booth on my back patio.
Also see the pic of the bridge I made for this guitar. It is Madagascar Rosewood like the fretboard and the head stock veneer, although the headstock does not have the same appearance with the lighter color and black streaking. It has more of a light dark mottled look, different, but I still like it.
My previous bridges have come to a point at the bottom. This time I rounded that lower apex a bit and I think I like it more, not so abrupt.


Kevin

[johnnparchem]

Nice looking bridge. Are you ready to start your next guitar? You will need something while waiting for the lacquer to sit.