My first Kit - A Modified D18 from Blues Creek

[mthatcher61]

Hello everyone. I am a brandy newbie. I am starting out with a modified D18 Kit from John at Blues Creek. I wanted to build a D18 with a 1 and 3/4 " Neck to match the HD-28LSV that I normally play. I am starting from scratch and figured first thing is to build a bench. I found this one that looked pretty cheap and should do the trick. It says $50.00 but I walked out of Home Depot 116.00 Lighter. I did buy a 4x8 sheet of pegboard, and a shop light as well though. I think I could have gotten cheaper 2x4x8's ( mine were $3.something each and I think I saw the $2.00 something stock as I was walking out ( whoops) I also used 3/4" pressboard for the tops instead of the 1/2 " plywood recommended. All in all its a pretty sturdy bench and I'm pleased with it.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/workshop/ ... h/view-all

[tippie53]

take your time and enjoy the process we are here to help

[mthatcher61]

Thank you John, I hope to.

[B Shuler2006]

The HD 28LSV is on my want list! :) Good luck with your D 18 build!

[MaineGeezer]

If you just want a guitar, it is clearly cheaper to just buy a guitar! But that's not the point, of course.

I haven't added up what I've spent so far on my guitar project, but it's "a lot."

[Diane Kauffmds]

Welcome!

By far, the greatest cost is in tools. I needed everything. I also found out the hard way that you get what you pay for. I started the guitar with a set of cheap chisels, which was a very bad idea. I ended up buying 2 really good chisels, a 1/2" and a 1/8" and my life got a lot easier. Also, you can never have too many clamps! LOL

I look forward to your blog. BTW, that's a really nice bench.

[MaineGeezer]

It is a great excuse to buy tools. I already had a large number of tools, but I found I needed more. Or I could at least rationalize it. :)

Let's see...In addition to what I already had, I've acquired:

A laminate router
Assorted carbide bits for said router
Two hand planes (or is it three?)
Two chisels
Material to make an adjustable circle-cutting base for the router, for doing rosettes
A razor saw, with multiple blades
A very expensive brush for putting on shellac
A ton of sandpaper of various types
Clamps
Material to make cam clamps
Bench cookies
...and probably more I've overlooked.

Then there are things like a thickness sander, radius dishes, and a bending machine, which fortunately I can borrow when required.

P.S. Yes, that is a nice-looking bench!

[mthatcher61]

Thanks for the compliments on the bench guys. I'm happy with it. As for the acquiring of tools - I'm already feeling the bite :) starting out with three chisels (1/4, 1/2, and a curved 1/4) Some Klemmsia Clamps, and looking at some Claw clamps from Grizzly. Questions about- radius disks. After watching John's "Bending and Setting Up Sides Geometry Video #3". I'm still trying to nuke that one out. For a dreadnought I'll need a ...20' radius? Now it looks like he used two seperate radius disks in the video. The one he used on the back had sandpaper on one side and did not have handles, and the one he used on the front did have handles and had sandpaper on both sides. He did say about the front one that one side was radiused and one side was flat. OK were they both different radius? Is there a separate radius for the front and back? Do I need two radius disks to build 1 Dreadnought? ( I tell a lie - I am most definitely planning on working my way up to a Maple D-28 kit. I do not forsee this stopping at one guitar :)

Pleasure to meet you guys.

[MaineGeezer]

I do not foresee this stopping at one guitar :)

You've already got that figured out, have you? :)

I'm building my guitar with a 28' radius top and a 15' radius back, in theory at least. The back and its braces warped due to humidity change and the back is ending up flatter than it was supposed to be. It will still work.

I believe Martins are built with a completely flat top, and other luthiers have their own ideas.

But to answer your question, yes, you need two radius dishes unless you plan on doing a flat top. The specific radii may be subject to considerable debate. I used 28' and 15' because the luthier I'm working with uses those radii for his guitars, but there nothing magic about that combination.

[Diane Kauffmds]

At least you're realistic about building more than 1. I was going to build "one", until I saw a set of cherry back and sides on Ebay and found myself thinking of the choice of top wood, brace wood, and design.

I don't own any radius dishes. John Hall was nice enough to radius the rims when he bent them for me. I've made a couple of tops and I've radiused the bracing without a dish. It involved drawing a correct radius, then sanding the braces to fit the curve of my drawing. It certainly takes longer and is probably less accurate. If you're going to build several guitars, I would get the dishes.

You'll find several of us that have had a hard time keeping the radius in our builds while building. The wood dries out. I've started storing my wood in a closed box, with an Oasis guitar humidifier to prevent the problem.