redwood 00

[ruby@magpage.com]

Stray

Must be an optical illusion as they are not scalloped above the X - click on the picture and it will enlarge and might be easier to see. I followed the plans taken off a 1934 instrument. Even though I have a Redwood top and that one had a Red Spruce top, I copied it knowing that there is no relations between the two. Maybe since they both have "red" in the name, there is some similarity

Ed

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) Now for the top - I fit the ends of the X and UTB into the lining and clamp the top onto the rim to check the neck angle. Placing my fretboard on the upper bout and my bridge blank at the final thickness where it belongs . . .

2) . . . looks like it is in the right neighborhood

3) Lay my extra-large bevel gauge (Stanley 1880's) on the top to get the neck angle and it is 2° - close enough

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) Now to glue on the top. Tape my extra donut caul on the back

2) Spread glue and . . .

3) Clamp it up

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) Wait an hour, take it out of the mold and trim the edges. Love that shape

2) The combination of the Redwood and Maple is lovely

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) Now to flatten the sides - this makes the binding channels more even and finishing much easier. I chalk the sides and then use my water pipe sanding block to check for flat

2) A couple of passes with the pipe and with the even removal of the chalk I can see things look good here

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) If I find a hollow or high spot . . .

2) . . . I use a fine cabinet rasp to flatten that area. I am getting better at bending sides on the hot pipe - I only found 3 areas like this on the whole rim

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) I love my $35 binding jig - I'm on my 9th without a mistake. It is handheld and very easy to control. Here I have shellacked the body to keep it clean (I am not very fast at this), to help keep the edge of the redwood from chipping from the router, and to keep the binding tape from pulling up grain

2) I have a nice sharp file with milled teeth and a safe edge for cleaning up both the face of the channel and the edge. The bent riffler file is used for the the tight inside curves at the waist. A couple of passes with my binding jig makes this a few minute job

3) Once the channel is finished, I coat it with shellac to keep the CA glue I use for binding from staining the end grain of the redwood

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) I use a minimum of tape to hold the ivoroid binding in place. Before glue, it is easy to perfect the fit. I use a caul at the sharp turn of the waist. Then I use a pipette on my thin CA to flood the top and side joints, then pull the tape and hit the areas where the tape was

2) Let it kick then use a scraper to clean up the top and the side

[ruby@magpage.com]

1) Another wash of shellac and it looks pretty good. The color of the ivoroid against the redwood is just what I was after

2) And the tight curve of the waist came out great

[Morecowbell]

So much fun to watch this one progress. That top with that rosette is just fantastic, really enjoying the uodates, thanks Ed!