17" Archtop Jazz Guitar finally starting it 5 years late!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

No real progress here. Daughter and grandkids visits and....too hot in the shop in the afternoons to work.

I'll have a bit of progress pics shortly I hope

[TEETERFAN]

I understand the availability of time issue and the summer heat. I usually start anywhere from 4:30-6:00 AM and conclude late morning. I split my time with non-guitar projects, also. I do some french polishing and bounce to other stuff during the drying times. Mentally, I want to get things accomplished, but I don’t want to pressure myself. The randomness of interruptions does required patience. I do admire the nice variety of projects you tackle. They are interesting and inspiring to watch!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I got a little work done today

Cut out the top profile on the bandsaw and started making arching templates from patterns supplied in the Bob Benedento book.

After rough carving the top and bringing the edge down to around 3/8" I will take the top to the drill press and using a Stewmac safety planer I'll take the edge down to 3/16" going in about 7/8" from the edge....all the way around.

That 7/8" area will accommodate a carved "recurve" which will give the final carved top more flexibility around the perimeter.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Let the carving begin!
I made a big pile of shavings and got about half way on carving the outside arch. Still a bit of work to do. Hope to have it close to done tomorrow.

[TEETERFAN]

Looking nice. Do you have a beaver in your workshop?

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Beaver comes and visits occasionally.

After a few hours....yes hours.....I have a closely finished carved outside on the top plate.
WHEW!

Not sure I want to carve anymore for a couple days so I may joint and glue the back plate.
Then I might cut out the neck blank. I have a solid curly maple blank that is 2.5" wide. I'll have to glue wings onto the headstock that will be cut from the same blank to bring it to the almost 4" wide area needed for the design. Never done this before.
There will be of course a front veneer and also a back veneer that will cover any glue joints or mismatched grain.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Worked just an hour today. I refined the top arching a bit and marked off the inside area that will be carved.

I had already laid out the neck on the maple blank so I cut it out and two pieces for "wings" on the headstock to make it wide enough for my design, which is one of the ones supplied on the Benedetto plans.

Tomorrow I think I'll work on jointing the back plate (by hand with a hand plane" and see if I can get them glued up.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Made some more shavings holliwing out the top.

Today I jointed and glued the maple back plates.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Pic

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Today I made a template of an F hole on heavy paper stock. It's made so the edge of the paper aligns with the center line and the bridge placement. Mark one side and flip it over to do the other side.
Then I used a 24 tooth coping saw blade to rough out the holes after drilling starting holes.
I'll finish up using a carving knife and various homemade sanding sticks. Flat, curved and round.
These will be bound with plastic purfling same as will be around the guitar so the edges have to be flat and square.
Easier said than done!