Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)/FINISHED!!!

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Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

It's been several days and even though I work 8-12 hours per day on the guitar, I never seem to make real progress. All my time has been taken up by the mundane, such as making the mold, splitting the billets, thicknessing, and rough cutting the braces.

I took delivery of the top, bindings, and purflings Friday and I joined the top, and cut it out yesterday. I installed the neck and tail blocks, kerfing and the struts yesterday. I also got some 5 minute, 2 part epoxy and filled all the pitch holes in the cherry sides.

Today, I made the bottom wedge, and installed it. So, I officially have sides (and something to show for all this labor). Just days ago, these sides were in the form of a 5 foot piece of 1" x 6" cherry board.
bottom right.jpg
left with end wedge.jpg
left side.jpg
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I made the rosette out of curly mahogany (the same as the wedge), and installed it on the top, so I officially have a top. The rosette is made of 16 individual pieces of mahogany. The wood is white spruce, which is suppose to have the same tonal qualities of red spruce (adirondack). It certainly has a nice tap and rings.
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Last edited by Diane Kauffmds on Wed Sep 16, 2015 1:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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tippie53
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by tippie53 »

really enjoy the look of this. Nice
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MaineGeezer
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by MaineGeezer »

Those sides are spectacular! I think your "Badger Lumberyard Guitar" is going to be pretty special. How about a 3-piece back of the same wood, if it's not wide enough for a two-piece back?
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
RnB
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by RnB »

That's some pretty looking wood there Diane. No more dawdling...let's get on w/ it...! :>)
Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

The Guitar From Hell continues.

After replacing the bottom, I got the box made and routed for the binding. Unfortunately, the binding jig slipped, despite my kung fu twist of the wing nut on the carriage bolt. I ended up with a cut so deep that it routed through the kerfing. I installed a second carriage bolt plus the heaviest lock washers I could find in the city of Parkersburg. I think it's time to invest in binding bits with the bearings...

Luckily, I have a lifetime supply of very old cherry. I pulled out the big kahuna, a 12" wide x 1" deep piece of cherry that the lumber company didn't know existed. They had no prices for 12" cherry, so I was charged the staggering price of $4.35/board foot (the same as an 8" board) for the 32" board. We got the piece split, although this time the saw overheated to the point that 2 wires fused, shorting out the saw, because of the stress of trying to saw through a petrified piece of WV cherry.

Rather than jinx myself, I decided to get the box made and routed for binding before posting anything about my jig problems and the third bottom. Apparently 3X is a charm, because I finally have something to bind! While I was at it, I was unhappy with the original end wedge; one of the angles was slightly different from the otherside and it mocked at me every time I looked at it, so I replaced the wedge.

The routed channels aren't cleaned up yet, but that's what files are made for.
top after rout.jpg
back.jpg
new wedge.jpg
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Last edited by Diane Kauffmds on Sat Sep 19, 2015 3:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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Kevin Sjostrand
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Consider it all joy Diane...and a learning experience. Glad the third time is working out. That is lovely Cherry wood.
Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I've spent the last couple of days binding the guitar. I decided on using side purfling this time, as well as top/bottom purfling; what a joy-joy experience THAT was to install with the binding! Actually, it could have been worse. I installed each purfling and the binding separately. I ran into difficulty when I tried to install the side purfling, which is very, very stiff. It wanted to bend about as much as the binding did without heat or steam.

Big Note to Self; Self, the next time you get the idea to use bold maple purfling on the sides, glue it to the binding and BEND the stuff along with the binding before you try to install it!

Since the stuff wasn't going to cooperate in any shape or form, I decided to soak the side purfling in water, then use it. Hahaha! It didn't work. So, I decided to drag out the old hair dryer and heat the stuff into submission, which I managed to do, sort of... It was enough to get it in, but I had trouble with it twisting. It certainly isn't a stellar installation, but it will have to do. Overall it's not horrible, but it could be better.

I've sanded everything to 320, but more sanding is required. I'll start on it again tomorrow; I have to correct a couple of small gaps.
purfling from lmi.jpg
front.jpg
back.jpg
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Last edited by Diane Kauffmds on Sat Sep 19, 2015 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

This is what I was trying to accomplish. I wanted the side purfling to outline the sides, but not the wedge. The binding is curly sapele.

As you look at the photos, you'll see some small gaps. Tomorrow, I'm going to correct those problems. I'm too tired to do anymore today. I've been at it since 0330.
bottom2.jpg
leftside.jpg
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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MaineGeezer
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Re: Guitar #2 1/2 White Spruce/Cherry (Start Over)

Post by MaineGeezer »

The grain in those sides is unreal!
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
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