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While we await the fate the world, I'll post about my new build:

This time, I am focusing on a one build at time and integrating a few new tools.

Commission build:

This Englemann top stood out as the nicest one I've seen so will use it along with adi bracing.
Honduras mahagany neck, laminated with stacked heel.
Sapele back and sides. Rosewood back strip, fretboard, overlay, bridge, binding.

Big changes:

Doing one guitar at at time.

Added drum thickness sander. I was proud of my hand planed tops but this is just 100x better. Days faster, no body pain, and uniform thickness.

Switching from hand bending on an iron to the Blues Creek Guitars side bending machine.


I'll post updates on this thread at milestones but keep a running photo series at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CVo99iKTq8kLo8re9

Looking forward to seeing what you do.

I've added a blues creek bender to my arsenal as well. It will be after Thanksgiving before I can get my projects underway, so I'll live vicariously through others' updates.

Skarsaune wrote: It will be after Thanksgiving before I can get my projects underway...

That's what I was supposed to be doing. :)

jread wrote:That's what I was supposed to be doing. :)

Ha!

I took a part-time job teaching a couple classes at the local community college. It has seriously eaten up all my spare time. Last final is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and grades have to be in right after. Then I can get back in the shop.

Guitar content - I did buy myself a really nice guitar with the proceeds.

you can fill my thread with pics of your new guitar. :D I am an addict and don't care about admitting it.

My GAS story is that Diane sent me so many pictures of her builds while helping me learn, that just I had to own one of her guitars! https://countryroadsguitars.com/ I can't decide if I look forward more to inspecting it or playing it. It has a sound port. It is the beautiful Bee's Wing mahogany OM. The mrs. and I plan to take a road trip out to her mountains to pick it up when the all sorts of dust settles down around here.

Don't threaten me..... :-)

Martin D-18VS, early 2000's I forget the exact vintage Super cool you're getting one of Diane's guitars.

If dust ever does settle appropriately, her mountains aren't THAT far from mine. KitGuitars meetup, maybe? We can hope.

Skarsaune wrote:Don't threaten me..... :-)
KitGuitars meetup, maybe? We can hope.

we have a sweet camper.
\
your D18 is just like my 1st go w/ John's kit. It's the best sounding guitar I've heard.

One more post hijack. Here's Diane's soundport going in on 'my' beautiful CRG OM. She's posted about this one.

My shop improvements and focus on keeping things neat are paying off:

Big notes:

The Blues Creek Guitars uke/guitar side bending machine could be not more well engineered! I was proud of my hand bent sides but this is a very large improvement in my build. Of course, it was super fast. But the main advantage for me is the perfectly bent sides. Each of my builds has a lot of imperfect areas in the rim profile because I struggled to keep the side perfectly in the form. Having these come out just right made gluing on the blocks a breeze. I really look forward to the neck setup as that will be another area where this pays off.

Also changed was the sides were very uniform thickness coming out of the old Woodmaster drum sander I picked up. ( Thanks John for teaching me how to use it. haha )

The Wen air cleaner does a great job. That and my new dust deputy on a shop vac and my sawdust problem is gone. I read that a box fan with a furnace filter would work and yes, I bet it would! Not as nice but certainly more affordable. Keep those lungs healthy people and stay away from Covid. I bet working around dusty air would be especially painful and bad for you if you had that crud in there.


Here's the full photo series.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/CVo99iKTq8kLo8re9

@JR Shop and current build look great! Looking forward to seeing the progress.