Help with an LMI steel string

[darren]

Welcome, rev.

I think you'll be fine opening the box. You're just delaying the inevitable, meaning if the sides are going to spring back they'll do it now, or they'll do it later. Lots of builders use molds, some don't, and if you don't use a mold, it will require that those sides of yours are bent spot on. So find out now how they look.

I'm working on my 4th guitar and don't have a go-bar deck or radius dish. Ken (KMG, http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/contourtool.html) describes using a fanned out set of cards to match his radius, you can do that and glue up one brace at a time. just takes longer.

Kinkaide's book describes the building process very well, with lots of pictures, and he uses a mold, Cumpiano's book shows the process 'sans-mold'. they are both good reading but Kinkaide is always on my bench.

Let us know how things look!

[MuddyFox]

Well heck, didn't see you started two threads on this subject. My thoughts in the other thread, as it turnes out along the same lines as Darren's reply.

[Ken Hundley]

Hey Rev! Welcome to the gang, and I CAN"T BELIEVE YOU WAITED THIS LONG! 'kay, yelling done. I can't even get in the door when I have a box before its open.

There are a number of ways to build a guitar, using inside molds, outside molds, clamps, go bar decks, paint cans, vacuum presses, and anything else your ingenuity can come up with. I have no go bar deck, and have built several instruments (see em at http://www.nocturnalguitars.com) and still clamp each brace, a couple at a time. I do have radius dishes, but they are not necessary. You can do this with a minimum of tooling, though somethings sure make life easier. If you have a bandsaw, I would recommend making y our own exterior mold out of a few layers of plywood. If you are not a regular woodworker, this will help acquaint you with your tools, understand how to rough-in and then get precise, and get your hands familiar with working the wood before touchin the expensive stuff. You can do the same with a jigsaw, though it may be rougher.

Ask plenty of questions of all of us. We have a few resident pros, each with their own methods, but all are willing and able to advise and guide you through the process. The most important thing is to try best to understand the reasoning behind many of the geometries in a guitar, such as the curvature of a top and back, the neck angle/set geometry, and things of that nature. Once you understand the whys of things like that, you can start getting creative with your tooling. Take good notes and good photos through your process, and post as often as you can....we love to watch projects come to fruition. Good luck!

[MuddyFox]

Rev, I have virtually nothing in the way of tools and I've just built (well, almost there but the bulk of the work is done) an outside mold with a crappy jigsaw and some good blades.
Naturally a bandsaw would make a quick work of that but it's quite doable if you are short on tools. Just hang in there...

And also, what Ken said... :)

[MuddyFox]

I'm also curious about jigs. I'm brand new to this forum, and I am going to start researching all of this here, but I've been researching for years. Most of what I have seen requires a mold and a go bar deck. Can I glue the braces without the go bar deck? Just a little at a time?

I plan on doing a fanned-out cards method when that bridge needs jumping off of... I see nothing wrong with it, it just takes more time. Just do your homework and do lots of dry runs before wood starts slipping around for real. :)

I do not expect this guitar to be perfect, just like all of the other instruments I have built. I just want it to play and be mine.

If gazillions of forum posts I've read on this subject on this and other forums (fori?) are anything to go by, if you just take your time while building, the guitar you end up building will surpass your expectations many times over. Perfect, certainly not. But certainly way better you thought possible.

[David L]

I use a combination of "all of the above". I glue "all" of my braces using a gobar deck, built it myself for about 30 bucks. I disassemble and stow it away neatly when not in use. I glue up the back braces with the gobar deck and Ken's 15' "single" axis radius dish. I glue up the top braces using the gobar beck and Ken's index card trick (28' radius). I also use the gobar deck to close the box.

David L

[MuddyFox]

You will get plenty of both, fear not. :)

[David L]

I have nothing negative to say about the KMG tools that I have purchased!!!

David L