Finally starting the Walnut/Redwood and Koa OM.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I was not able to use my clamping caul that I used for gluing down the back for the top. The body just wouldn't go back in the mold easily enough...must have swelled up alittle, so I went back to the gobar deck. The fit was very good so it took little pressure to clamp it down.
The top is on and trimmed to the sides. I bought a new flush trim bit and nibbled away at the redwood in about 3 passes before taking it to the sides. I cut nice and clean. I sprayed some more shellac around the perimeter of the top to add some protection while this body now sits for a few days while I build my tower routing machine.
Here's some pics.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

So I finally got around to using my new home built routing tower and routed the channels. It worked great. I used just the right combination of rubber bands to take some weight off the router. It cut what I would call near perfect channels.
I realized now that I did not show a picture of the top, but it turned out great...no tear out or splintering or anything that I feared might have happened with the redwood top.
I also glued the BWB purfling in on the top and back. I wasn't going to do it this way again, but here I went and did it, and I had the same problem as I had the last time I glued the purfling in separately from the binding; I rolled some areas of the purfling forward under the pressure of taping it down.......so I've had to deal with that, but it will come out alright. I did start to glue in binding this afternoon but developed an awful headache as I was doing it so I just got one half of the back done.
Here's a couple of pics of the routing mess and the results.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

This week I glued up the purflings and bindings, and today got them all sanded down flush. It looks good. I did notice today for the first time(and I don't know how I missed it before now) that my lower bout on on one side is kicked out a little; in other words, not on a level horizontal plane with the upper bout. The other side is good. I did this on my first guitar too. I attribute it to not having the guitar in the mold when I glued on the top, which was done second to the back. It will be okay, but it sure makes me a little sick to see it now.
I keep hoping for the perfect guitar!!! Isn't going to happen, is it???
Here are a few pics of the progress. The body is ready for finishing, but that will wait cause now I have to make the neck.

Kevin

[johnnparchem]

The guitar looks great! btw what's perfection. If you take a ruler out and go over one of the most famous classical guitar plans, the 1937 Hauser you would find the sound hole and bridge 2mm off of center. The plan and a matching template I bought match the real guitars measurement. I found this out on my first guitar where I built it just to plan, using a template, and was trying to understand how I was off so much. It was not until I started measuring the the template that I found that I was just to plan.

The main point is that not one person has ever noticed the asymmetry. I found it when measuring the bridge to the side of the lower bout.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Finally got back to this guitar after almost 2 months to the day not working on it.
I had the neck blank cut out, marked off and planed flat on the face of the headstock and the top. Routed in the truss rod slot. Today I used my new tenon cutting jig and cut that. I "somehow" managed to cut into the side of the tenon pattern on the jig so I have a little divot to repair on the jig, but hey, it will not show on the neck, right! I had already cut the mortise in the heel block before I even glued it to the rims. It is 7/8" wide. I had planned to cut my tenon to match on my table saw as I have done in the past, but wanted to use the new jig. This tenon jig cuts a 3/4" wide tenon, so I cut two mahogany shims and glued them to the sides of the tenon and made a nice snug fit that I can play with.
I made a pattern for my headstock out of 1/2" plywood and pattern routed the shape. This is the first time I've done it this way, and It worked pretty well. I think I will do it this way from now on verses using my acrylic template, tracing the shape, cutting on the bandsaw, and planing and sanding down to the line. The pattern is quick and precise.
I got the walnut veneer glued on and trimmed too.

No pic but today I planned out he shape of the heel, made some patterns and glued them on the heel for the shaping process.
Got out my shooting board and trued one side of the fretboard. Now I'm ready to start cutting fret slots this week.
More pics to come of that process.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

.... a couple more pics.

Kevin

[Darryl Young]

Keep the pics coming Kevin! I enjoy these threads. Nice tenon jig.

[johnnparchem]

Looking good. Have fun carving the neck! Carving the neck as become one of my favorite tasks.

[RnB]

Carving the neck as become one of my favorite tasks.

One that I've yet to try...soon I hope?

Nice, keep it going Kevin. Watching all these instruments unfold is great.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I'm going to try something different, for me at least, this time. I'm going to use the drum on my belt sander to do as much of the "carving" as possible. I'll let you all know how it goes, and try to remember to take some pics along the way.

Kevin