Starting #24

[BEJ]

WOW, some great work, amazing how perfect the book match on the back turned out. Did you have to do a lot of trimming/shifting to get that look?

Bruce,

[jread]

Super nice and clean work. Beautiful build

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Stewmac had that EIR book matched with the straighter grain as the center. I liked this better. All I did is true up the edges on the jointer thing maybe 1/16" or so away and the match turned out like this. I didn't want to break up the look putting in a center strip.

The rosewood came from Stewmac. In the summer they had a big sale on sets, under $70 each. I got 3 sets. Wish I could have bought 20. I love working with EIR.

[Darryl Young]

You are a machine Kevin! Very nice.

[rcnewcomb]

I didn't want to break up the look putting in a center strip.

That was a good choice.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I hope to be installing the frets and porefilling pretty soon

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Okay after being sick almost 2 weeks in January and then again in February, I'm just now getting back on this one.

I have the frets installed but not yet leveled. I made my fretboard extension screw down. The pics show pretty much how I do it. I have a simple jig for routing out the pocket in the top which goes down 1/2" into the neck block extension. Then I make a block that fits the pocket and drill a hole through it for truss rod access, then install T nuts that will accept machine screws installed inside the body. When everything is set and tested for fit, I glue that block onto the fretboard. An Bob's your Uncle!

I drilled and reamed the end pin hole.
Then I pore filled the rosewood with Timbermate black. I used end sawdust and shellac to pore fill the neck.

Then I started working on my bridge blank which was cut out, slotted and drilled years ago when I set up and did about 15 of them. I have it now shaped and sanded the way I like. Next is to fit it to the top. Once that's done and the area raped off, I'll be ready to spray on the sealer coat.
The weather the next 10 days is high 60's to mid 70's, perfect for spraying. Hope to start tomorrow afternoon.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

all the pics didn't load

[Kevin Sjostrand]

2 more, arg

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Its always a good feeling to get the guitar to the finishing stage.
I sanded the guitar to 320 grit. That was too fine for the top so I went back over it with 240 and I liked it better.
Yesterday I sprayed 2 coats of vinyl sealer. Today I got 4 wet coats on there. The rosewood always looks so nice.

Tomorrow I'll do a couple more, than Monday I'll level sand, and Tuesday I'll spray 2 or 3 more. Last coat a 50/50 mix lacquer and thinner to let it flow out a bit.
I'm hoping that will do it. I'll have to evaluate it at that point.

I'm trying to be more conservative with the lacquer and keep the final thickness less than I used too.
I just bought a gallon of Mohawk stringed instrument lacquer....$100 with shipping. The last time I bought lacquer, it was about $130 including shipping for 3 gallons. CRAZY.
And today I ran out of thinner so I went a git a gallon...$25.
NUTS!