New Dreadnaught

[John Reid]

Ok, I feel like I’m getting back on track working on this dreadnaught.

I’ve posted my initial problems under “Warped Rosewood”. I was wondering if this project was cursed. After dealing with the issues of the bent wood, I was gluing the braces on the back, but I assembled my gobar deck incorrectly (T-nuts were facing the wrong way), and in the middle of gluing, the top of the deck sprang off. Ahhh! Cleaned everything off and got it fixed and glued.

Outside of the back still needs some sanding, but I think it will be ok.

The top has gone really well. I’m very pleased with the rosette and the bracing.

[John Reid]

Sanding Question

I made a cut on the mahogany endblock. After the cut I sanded with 120, 220, 320. I also cleaned with naptha. The issue is that the cut surface is now much lighter than the rest of the mahogany (see picture). Is there something I can do so that the cut surface isn’t so different?

[phavriluk]

And how, exactly, would that be noticeable?

[John Reid]

Yeah, I know it just a tailblock. No one will see it. I’d like to learn something about working with the wood. I’ve had similar issues with sanding the mahogany on the necks, where it does show. I just don’t know how much to sand and how to sand. Tail block is a good place to experiment, I figure. Any tips?

[jread]

Probably not recommended but a coating of baby oil on that tail block would darken it and even out the color. Just don't get it on the gluing surface or it will interfere with the glue. On a few of my builds I cleaned out the interiors and rubbed with my go-to french polish lubricant, baby oil to make the interior a bit cleaner. I don't do this anymore because well, Martin and other guitar makers don't finish the inside surfaces at all.

Time will even out the coloring in that wood and that's my recommendation. I don't sand my blocks either. Just straight off the miter saw and into the body on that diagonal cut you show perhaps maybe I'd soften the edges with 80 grit paper on a sanding block but nothing much.

[jread]

Is that the neck block or tail block? If it's the neck block those cuts might too deep if it's going to be a dovetail joint. That won't leave much wood at the top where the dovetail slot is widest. I did that once and had a neck block crack when I was fitting in the dovetail. Sure I was probably forcing it but you see my point, I'm sure. If it's the tail block, it looks pretty thick. Mine are usually much thinner than the neck block.

[John Reid]

Thanks for the tips!

I cut the miter with a bandsaw, which left it pretty rough. So, I sanded with 80, 120. It was then so pale I wasn’t sure what to do, so I sanded more with 220 and 320. That did help some. Again, I know no one will see this, but I’m trying to learn more about sanding. I’m guessing that sanding kind of folded over the end grains, and that’s why it’s lighter??

[John Reid]

I misspoke. It is the neck block. I was worried that I might have cut too much. I didn’t intend to cut that much – just screwed up. Here’s a view from above.

How bad do you think this is? I can glue some wood back on…

[jread]

Likely seems fine as long as you don't clamp down the dovetail too hard like I did once and it wedge open the block. Looks nice and clean and even. Regular guitar string pressure won't break that. I'd go for it just be aware not to clamp too hard when inserting the neck or wrack it back and forth. Good advice for any size neck block. I wouldn't worry about the color, it'll darken over time.

Some people don't cut that angle off at all but I like to as well and I use little stamps to pound in some lettering. Here's an old one that I had oiled. Now that I think about it, I do this on most of them after it's installed just to make the name pop out a bit. I draw in pencil into the stamp marks, and oil the face. People really love having their name on there.

[Diane Kauffmds]

It looks great. I also used pencil to make the letters readable.