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Back during the summer my wife, daughter and I went on a road trip. We went to Niagara Falls (side trip to RC Tonewoods) then over to Hershey Pennsylvania to see John at Blues Creek to pick up a kit to build for my daughter and then a side trip to the Martin Factory.

I picked out a beautiful Figured/bearclaw Sitka Spruce Top and some very impressive Padauk for the back and sides at RC Tonewoods (They had an amazing supply of woods, I was overwhelmed at the selection!). I had a small mishap with my sides and John quickly fixed me up with some Bubinga sides and a 3 piece back with a Bubinga center wedge ( I had been wanting a 3 piece back so perfect for me!)

I did not do well taking pictures on this build but this is what I have and were I am at now.

My first rosette design and install. I made a circle cutting jig with info out of the building tools section.

I have the top and back braces on. I really enjoy scalloping the braces on the top. It is almost therapeutic!

Top and back glue up! I picked up some used radius dishes from the classifieds in this forum. Wow, they made this a lot easier!

The box is together.

Routing for the bindings and purfling.

Installing the bindings, I used rope design purfling, I initially wanted to use mop for the purfling but I had a little shortage of funds so...

The tortoise shell bindings really pop with the Bubinga sides!

The Padauk has some pretty good pores to fill so I decided to go ahead and prep the body and start filling the pores. I sanded to 180 and used Behlen sanding sealer scuffed that with 180 and used crystalac grain filler. It is "supposed" to dry clear. After sanding it appears that the pore filler dried white. I sanded the heck out of it and then used the rosewood colortone filler. I scuffed that off with 220 and applied another coat of Behlen sanding sealer. This is how it looks now! Make sure you click on the pictures to expand them so you can get the full effect of the figuring in the top!!!!!

I'm really enjoying your pictorial. You have almost made me a fan of bearclaw... but not quite. Still, spectacular woods, and your choices in binding and purfling are looking great. Keep it up!