1st build; time to stop dillydallying!

[BEJ]

1st time I used it, seemed to work ok, had to go through 2 different sets of rubber bands to get some that worked best, sort of trial and ERROR. This was another good idea I got off someone else's website.

[BEJ]

Got some more work done today, started out flush trimming the binding top/sides. I've been trying some different ways to do things that take less energy , when you get to 74 you want to save what you have if possible.

I like to use belt sanders, one I really like and use the most is a 3"x18" Ryobi, it's small and light weight so one handing is possible to do and control it. I gave it a try today on cleaning up the bindings, started out well but soon turned to crap. I gouged the top in a few places and got some brn/blk spotting/streaks on the top. It looked bad, thought you just FU what was looking to be a nice build. Not sure what to do, so I went ahead with leveling the bindings figuring it's going to be a what not to do guitar to add to that collection. Got the bindings leveled out both top and sides and they looked real good, but the top while looking better was still a POS.

What to do, decided to try to sand it out with the belt sander, noticed some res nibs on the belt got rid of the every so often and this seemed to help clear up the surface. Switched to 120 belt and things got better, had to keep clearing the res nibs (must of come from the ebony bindings) after I got it looking better went to sanding blocks with 150,180,220, and 320 grits. The top cleaned up real NICE, might be the best looking one I've so far.

As I been trying to build a guitar I've ran into a lot of problems that ended up resulting in something not acceptable to me. I looked at some mistakes as too built in and just moved on to the next build and slacked off building for long periods. The problem is once this guitar building bug gets in your blood it's hard to get rid of it or ignore it. So I'm back at it again.

I try to not be someone who is trying to reinvent the wheel or guitars either. One tries to see what others have done, see how it is right/effective and how one might be able to proceed. But(always a but) one still has to make things work for them, it's not what to do but how to do it for me. The past few months after restarting to build has been solving some problems that I had in the past or finding a better way to do something, that's one reason I was trying out the belt sander thing. It's been great to work things out and this keeps me interested enough to go through the BS one has to go through building guitars, it maybe a lot of fun and games but there is some really hard unpleasant stuff that goes with it. A few pics...2nd box of 3, the top looks better than the pics show

[banjopicks]

I would get that machine far away from any guitar building. A simple scraper would have done the job with little effort.

[BEJ]

You maybe partly right, but holding a scraper is hard on someone who has some arthritis in their hands and is a lot of work if you left the bindings high or sticking out too far. Like I said I'm pretty good with the belt sander just got a little sloppy with it and almost paid a big price, guess I dodged a Bullitt as they say.

I do have a scraper with a nice holder coming from Lee Valley and will give it a more serious effort to master.

[Stray Feathers]

I'm in the same age cohort and share some of the same entropy. I have sometimes resorted to a palm sander to ease the strain on old body parts and it's more forgiving than a belt sander. If I have to use it, I go with finer grit, or old paper, to reduce the oops risk. But as others have said, scrapers and hand sanding are essential in the end. Bruce W.

[BEJ]

A little progress, got #2 to about where #1 is, about ready for finish. Tried Z poxy for the first time on this one for pore fill. Not sure I like it though, a lot of sanding even though I wiped it down tight or so I thought. Might look for something else possibly with less sanding. A few pics some with unsanded Z.

[Diane Kauffmds]

You maybe partly right, but holding a scraper is hard on someone who has some arthritis in their hands and is a lot of work if you left the bindings high or sticking out too far. Like I said I'm pretty good with the belt sander just got a little sloppy with it and almost paid a big price, guess I dodged a Bullitt as they say.

I do have a scraper with a nice holder coming from Lee Valley and will give it a more serious effort to master.

I've had multiple surgeries on both hands and I'm going to need more. I have a very hard, painful time sanding. I have a hard time using a scraper too.

May i suggest a Black and Decker, or similar, Mouse? I have a hard time with even a palm sander. But the Mouse, which i think Ryobi makes an equivalent, is very lightweight and easy to handle, even with my damaged hands.

[BEJ]

Another good suggestion like most of yours, I think I may even have one somewhere. Funny how ones' mind doesn't see something right in front on it.

Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your hands, somethings one can work around but not so much with hands.

[Diane Kauffmds]

You're guitar is looking very good. You did a good recovery.

[BEJ]

Not a lot done today, did get a bridge made. Funny how when you are making something you look at it and rework it and rework it until it looks pretty good. That was the case with this, brought it into the house to take a pic and as I was starting this post I had the bridge in my hand, I'm kind of a strange bird after I make something I like to handle it for awhile get to feel it know it, after awhile this urge passes and it's just another thing I happened to make.

After looking at it for sometime I began to see how not so perfect it is (as IF it ever was) you try like hell to make something close to perfection and yet again fall so short. Some things don't line up, a little out of balance from side to side, etc. Sometimes you wonder if you are ever going to be able to build the guitar you envisioned when starting out on the journey. I guess in the end one has to live with how far their talents takes them and strive to do it better the next time.

Maybe some of this comes from looking at other's builds, you look at some work and wonder how it could be so fantastic and WTH did they do it. But there is also the great pleasure from looking at the amazing guitars and celebrating vicariously with the builders and owners.

a pic or 2...or 3- threw the last one in for the hell of it, a fantasy of mine that she might play one of my guitars some day, not.