Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Take us through building your guitar step by step. Post pictures and tell us what you're doing.
Diane Kauffmds
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Kerfing is in; both sides are radiused and ready to accept the top and back.

The back is braced. I glued the transverse brace and x-brace on the top.

I like to make the bridge plate after the x-brace is in. I make a paper pattern, stick it on the wood with spray adhesive, cut out the plate, then use the disc sander to finish shaping it. This ensures a perfect fit. I prefer to use rosewood for bridge plate material; to my ear, it lends it creates a more rounded voice.

Tomorrow, I'll glue the back and finish the top bracing.
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

The box is closed. I made the fretboard today. Lots of photos.
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I spent a good part of the day making the Gabon ebony fretboard. When I was done, I looked like my husband used to when he came home after cleaning an old oil furnace. Lol!

More photos...
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Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Skarsaune
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Dec 03, 2018 9:12 am

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Skarsaune »

I like your halo system. I haven’t seen that before.

What are the clamping devices? Looks like steel rings?
Morecowbell
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Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:51 am
Location: Fishers, IN

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Morecowbell »

Thanks for the update and all the pics, looks great, please keep them coming. And ditto on your halo system....?
"Facts seldom sway an opinion." - John Hall
"The difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference." - Van de Snepscheut
Diane Kauffmds
Posts: 3246
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Diane Kauffmds wrote:I spent a good part of the day making the Gabon ebony fretboard. When I was done, I looked like my husband used to when he came home after cleaning an old oil furnace. Lol!

More photos...
PicsArt_01-20-04.31.53.jpg
PicsArt_01-20-11.21.52.jpg
PicsArt_01-20-04.33.58.jpg
PicsArt_01-20-04.35.41.jpg
PicsArt_01-20-04.37.00.jpg
PicsArt_01-20-04.38.00.jpg
Traditionally, luthiers use old bed springs. The springs I use are metal clamps for dryer ducts. I cut the ends off. I found a bunch of them on Ebay a few years ago very cheaply.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Talladam
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:43 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Talladam »

Thanks for all the details. I am about to radius my fretboard, and I’m back and forth on whether to try a hand plane to get rid of some of the initial waste. Have you tried using a hand plane? Maybe you can keep me from making a mistake!
jread
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Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by jread »

Wow Diane. Great stuff and just what i needed. I've been stuck on getting started on my fingerboards. Thanks for the detailed hows.
Diane Kauffmds
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 8:13 pm

Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Talladam wrote:Thanks for all the details. I am about to radius my fretboard, and I’m back and forth on whether to try a hand plane to get rid of some of the initial waste. Have you tried using a hand plane? Maybe you can keep me from making a mistake!
I use the hand plane on the sides to get the final shape. I have used a hand plane to get rid of the initial wood, but I found it too easy to go right past the radius, making more work later on. It really doesn't take that long to radius a board with a sanding beam. Generally, it takes about 30 minutes.

I have a 12" planer and a small thickness sander. I thickness sand them to about 9/32-10/32" thick (a little more than 1/4"), then I use the 20" long radius sanding beam that I bought from Philadelphia Luthier supply, to radius it.

I used to have an 8" long radius sander, but a long beam will get you there sooner and you won't have as much to level later. So if you're going to build more than one guitar, and you're making your own fretboards, I suggest you go ahead and pony up the money for a long beam. Stewmac carries them. Philly Luthier has them for $83; they're the cheapest I've found.
https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.co ... mm-length/

A plane is great for shaping the sides after you've radiused and leveled the board.
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
ruby@magpage.com
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Re: Highly figured Chechen/Bearclaw Sitka Herringbone OM

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Diane

The guitar is looking very good - you sure have mastered this craft.

I use a low-angle block plane to quickly get rid of the excess wood. I have been slotting the board first and this makes the shavings short - the length of the distance between slots - and I believe reduces the chance of anything going too wrong. Maybe 10 minutes of planing and 10 minutes of sanding with my home-made sanding beam with 80 grit on it. I agree that a longer beam gives a better result. You can see from the amounts of shavings and dust how most of the work is done with the plane. I printed the 16" radius gauge off the innerwebs and glued it onto a piece of left-over hardware store plastic window scrap.

Ed
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Ed M
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