Considering My first

[tippie53]

I make kits and can customize them for you and so may Ken . If you can think it up , we can make it
Blues Creek Guitars

[tippie53]

the practice kits were from Jimmie Hall , no relation . If you are coming up call first. We are here most time 7 days a week but will run and hide once in a while. Pottstown is about 1 hr 45 minutes. I used to work at the Wise store 40 yrs ago when I lived in reading.
Let me know so we can be sure we have what you are looking for ready
john

[Freeman]

Welcome to the wacky world of building your own guitar. My first was also a 12 fret 000. Mine happened to be from Steve Kovacik, but John can furnish pretty much the same pieces. The other source that I have used several times is LMI, their kit wizard is really fun (and can get expensive LOL)

Here is a very brief build thread from the old forum

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 25_0_6_0_C

and kind of a tongue in check one about my basic shop

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 46_0_5_0_C

Since that day I have built a few more, and maybe have a different perspective on tools, so lets go there first. Power tools that I would choose in order are a cordless drill motor, a good laminate router (I show a full sized router in my thread, a smaller one is better). I use a band saw a lot to make molds and fixtures (not much for kits but when you get to a scratch build you'll need one). You can get by with a saber saw for molds or even buy them premade (I make mine out of MDF). A drill press is handy but not necessary (I use them to press in frets believe it or not). A belt sander is really nice. I have a table saw and hardly ever use it, and when I want pieces thicknessed (again, not necessary with most kits) I just go to a local cabinet shop. If you are going to try inlay you'll want a good Dremel with a router base.

Thats the power tools. Lutherie and special tools that you can't live without - fret file, nut files, tapered reamer, binding channel routing bits (several options, I like the stepped StewMac ones). Flush cut router bits, bits for your Dremel. I didn't use a go-bar deck on my first ones, use it all the time now. Likewise a radius dish, you can work around it but they are sure nice. As I build more I've added a fretting caul, special nut measuring rule, a fretboard radius sanding block, setup tools - but again, you can work around. Recently I added a buffing wheel, it makes burning thru your finish much faster.

OK, a couple more comments. 1-3/4 is the standard nut width for OM and many 000, if you really need 1-7/8 you might be into a custom neck (and probably an extra wide spaced saddle). You would be much better off to stick with industry standards. I've built both dovetails and bolt on necks - dovetails are elegant but much more work and frequently give new builders problems.

Finishing is one of the things that also gives home builders fits, but it really isn't that hard. As you know, 90 percent is the prep, the rest is many coats of your product of choice and lots of sanding/buffing. The finish stages of my builds takes longer than assembly - figure 4 to 6 weeks minimum. I used rattle cans of nitro on my first ones (toxic, dangerous, stinky, but lovely finish) and have switched to water born finishes lately. My finishes aren't perfect but they are pretty darn good.

Final comment, I built my Kovacik 000 about 6 years ago, followed shortly by a John Hall OM 12 string. They are may daily players - my two very nice Martins just sit in the closet. Since then I've built a total of seven and have one on the bench and two more in the que. Just a warning.....

[Freeman]

There are as many ways to finish as there are builders - lots depends on the tools you have available and what you want for your final results. I've never French Polished (altho I thought about it on the classical for traditional reasons).

I spray everything. The first two were rattle cans of StewMac nitro in a home made spray booth in my garage. Nitro is, IMHO, the very best finish available to a home builder, but it is dangerous, explosive, toxic....

I then used StewMac's waterborn finishes, actually their complete system, and pretty much followed Dan Erlewine's instructions in his book. This included a sunburst on my mandolin - I was very happy with the results. Again, sprayed at home in a cardboard booth with a little compressor and detail gun. Waterborn lacquers have a very slight bluish cast, don't melt into layers as well and can cause witness lines, but it is safe, easy to clean up, doesn't stink or ruin the environment.

Here is the mando

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=309

For all of those insturments I would stain (necks on most guitars), pore fill with SM paste, seal with a wash coat of shellac, build with the non-gloss lacquer and finish with gloss. Somewhere between 16 and 24 coats usually, color sand to 2000 and buff (used a foam pad on my drill for the first ones, bought a bench buffer for the last few)

This is my John Hall OM 12 string finished this way

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 45_0_9_0_C

My last build was some exceptional koa and I did a lot of research before finishing it. No stains, pore filled with Zpoxy and a couple of dozen coats of KTM-9. No shellac and all the build was the gloss KTM-9. Based on a test of the SM paste, CA and Zpoxy on some koa scraps I am completely sold on Zpoxy as my pore filler and will use it in the future. Here is that guitar (not a kit)

http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/archives ... 73_0_9_0_C

My last comment is that while in the future I plan to use the zpoxy and KTM-9, right now I am refinishing a Martin OM and went back to nitro (because that is what it had on it from the factory). I'm now shooting in a commercial booth with full on respirator and I'm trying to achieve a factory quality finish.

My $0.02, opinions on this subject vary all over the place.

[kencierp]

There's been plenty of Martin kits assembled using this system some are in the old show it off thread -- you'll be surprised how simple it can be -- no dishes.

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/kitmanual.html

[Freeman]

Noticed that you addressed the radius dish in your last post when rereading. Did you make your own or buy one?

The first couple I just made radiused clamping cauls on a band saw. On the 4th or 5th I made a go-bar deck (instructions are at StewMac, you can buy all the parts at Home Depot or Lowes). I used Ken's little stack of cards for a couple of builds and that works just fine. I still use the radiused cauls to sand the rim, but a dish makes that easier too.

I thought about making my own dishes but it seemed like a real hassle to build the frame for the router (altho I did hear of some guy who just hung his router from a 16 foot rope in a tree and played Pit and Pendulum) so I bought a 16 foot dish from SM (my last two guitars have been flat top so I haven't bought a 25 footer yet).

Point is, you don't need either a go-bar deck or the dishes - they are nice. If you are only going to build one, find a work around, if you think there will be a second.....

[ixamnis]

I'll second the suggestion to buy a kit from John Hall (Blues Creek Guitars) or from Ken (Kenneth Michael Guitars). I purchased my first from LMI. Nothing wrong with the kit, but the instructions were ... let's say "minimal". Having John or Ken right here to answer questions is an invaluable resource, and they are always ready to help out with problems or questions. John helped me out of a bind even when I didn't buy the kit from hiim (Thanks again, John!!!).

[Freeman]

Take lots of pictures and keep us posted. btw - you mentioned 59 somewhere, that was my age when I built my first six years ago. I'd like to warn you about what you are getting into but you wouldn't listen, so let me just say to have fun.

and in general routers scare the hell out of me - I don't think they should be OSHA approved at all