Gluing the rims to the blocks?

[D4NNY]

Hi all, After a long time researching building a kit guitar (this forum has been really helpful ) I finally bit the bullet and ordered a stewmac dreadnought kit (mahogany back and sides). After letting it all aclimatise for a week or so, today I started the first part of the build by gluing the rims to the tail and neck blocks.

I took my time dry clamping etc and ensured I followed all the instructions and things seemed to turn out pretty good. However, I have since noticed that on the tail block end that one of the sides is ever so slightly lower than the other, certainly no more than 1mm. Is this something I should be concerned about at this point or will I be able to address it further down the line for example when the kerfing is sanded using the radius stick to be flush with the sides. As this is my first build I'm not too sure how much margin for error there actually is, if any at all!

Thanks for taking the time to read through...

Danny

Hey Danny,
Welcome to the KGF. Have a look to the left of the page at the ad blocks.
Bill Cory's books on building kit guitars will be your go-to resource. Second
only, of course, to the KGF. Posting photos along with your questions
will be a big help in getting answers.

-tommy

[D4NNY]

Thanks for the reply, I'll try to post a picture today which will hopefully show what I am trying to describe in more detail.

[D4NNY]

On closer inspection this morning once the clamps had been removed things look worse than I thought. Unfortunately the sides did not but up together flush and there is now a gap in addition to the height difference of the sides on the rear block.

These were glued using titebond and I'm guessing it's not easy to free them now! Not the best of starts

The front block and sides appear fine...

Am I looking at ordering new sides and blocks!

[D4NNY]

It seems to conform to the cardboard mould pretty well. I'm wondering if because eventually there will be a tail trim piece installed which will hide the mistake and that the rims/kerfing will be radius sanded that I might just be able to get away with it?

Seems as though you came up with the solution to your problem. Exhale.

-tommy

[D4NNY]

Seems as though you came up with the solution to your problem. Exhale.

-tommy

Ha hopefully! Phew..

Note to self for future reference, when you think you've taken enough time dry clamping things up, take some more...

[johnnparchem]

I agree, looks ok to me, the end wedge combined with sanding the rims while profiling will correct any perceived issues you have with your glue up. In the pictures it looks like the rims are square to the surface they are setting on, so maybe the glue up was correct but the tail ends of the rims were not cut perfectly square.

[D4NNY]

Thanks John, hopefully so :)

I'll not get to work on it for a few days due to working but I will post an update if it work out, or even if it doesn't...

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Hi Danny,
I will just chime in here to say that there is no hard fast rule that your guitar has to be "exactly" 4 5/8" deep at the tail land 3 15/16" deep at the neck...or whatever the plans call for, so if you have to shave off a 32nd, or even a sixteenth to get those sides properly profiled, flat, etc. this is not a problem for you. My first guitar build was a kit from LMI. I discovered right away that I could not just start assembling the parts without first checking them for correct dimensions, square, etc. You are fine, but as you proceed, check your stock, and correct those obvious things that need to be right before you continue cutting, gluing, etc. Don't rush, and enjoy it. Dry fit before you glue to see if things are correct.
Enjoy the process. We are all here to help as we too continue to learn this thing called "building guitars".

Kevin