Beard Resonator Molds and Bending Forms

[Darryl Young]

Anyone make and sell a mold and bending form for a squareneck resonator made from the Beard plans? I can always make my own but it would save some time if I buy them so thought it would be worth checking on.

[Freeman]

Darryl, it is really easy to make both a mold and bending jig if you have the plans. Make a copy at Kinkos, cut it out and trace on 3/4 MDF. Cut four half pieces (I clamp four together and cut at once on my band saw). If you are very careful with your cutting you will have both inside, which can be used in a Fox bender or a hot pipe, and outside, which you use for your mold.

I just did this for two Weissenborns (no one makes a mold for a weissie LOL) and it worked perfectly.

[Darryl Young]

Did you use a 1/4" blade on the bandsaw? I may try this if I stick to the Beard body.

[Freeman]

I use a 1/2 inch blade (don't remember the tpi but its pretty fine) in a 16 inch Grizzly. I have to work it slowly around the curves but it seems to work fine. I said I clamp the four pieces together, actually I bolt them with flat head machine bolts counter sunk so I can move the assembly around on the band saw table. You really want to cut all of them at the same time, then a little cleanup on a belt or spindle sander.

Here is the sides being bent



and I think this shows the sides in the mold (I am shooting blind because my work computer blocks pictures)




As I mentioned in my other post, I would seriously recommend NOT using your 00 mold - I think you want to stick with the stock size and shape pretty closely, even if it does mean building a mold and bending form. Dobro style instruments are enough different from standard acoustics - scale length, location of the cone and bridge, size of the cone, construction of the cone well, neck stick, yadda yadda - but whatever you do, post some pics.

[Darryl Young]

Thanks for the info Freeman. I'm not using a soundwell but using posts instead. Not yet sure if I'll use a bolt-on neck or not but I'm leaning that direction.

Did you say you used a 000 mold for a resonator? I've thought about that as well (and I have bending forms and mold for a 14 fret 000). Seems the 00 is closer to the size of the Beard body but I'll re-check that. Seems the trend is toward larger bodies at least by the custom builders. Some even make them the size of a dreadnaught!

Since I like the idea of a shallower waist to fit the body better.......and since I've wanted to build a "baby dred" (Dred shaped guitar with the size of a 000 body), I guess I could kill two birds with one stone and make bending forms and an outside mold for a baby dred and use it for this resonator and then I'll have it to build a baby dread guitar later on.

[Freeman]

All three of my resonators are very close to 000, including this one that I built



My metal body biscuit is what I would call an OM or 14 fret 000 body, it is exactly the same as a 12 fret 000 except that the shoulders have been pushed down to the 14th. Whether you build a sound well or post, you still need a rim inside the body to support the cone - if you do that with metal it can be pretty thin, but with wood you need enough top to hang it from - figure 10-1/2 inch for your cone, another 3/4 - 1 for the cone support ("well"), then whatever kerfing you'll use - you are getting close to 14 inches minimum for the lower bout. Now remember that the waist can't come into that area. I sincerely doubt that you can fit that into an 00, but lay it out and see what happens.

next, most reso's are 25 inch scale - locate the bridge exactly at that point (remember no compensation). That sets where your 12th fret will be. If you are doing a lap slider you don't need wire frets - just do some contrasting wood inlays.

as far as the neck joint, once again, you can only change the action at the saddle a very small amount - mostly by slotting the saddle. The spider, cover plate and break angle to the tailpiece dictate a lot of were the strings need to be. Most people adjust the action by shimming the neck stick (or mushrooms on a metal one). I did use a bolt on neck when I built the tricone but was very careful about setting the angle. On a lap slider you can be sloppy - uniform height off the fretboard is what you want (and completely flat).

Here is a picture of the insides of my 1932 Dobro - pretty funky I know, but you can get some idea of the general construction. This has the traditional baffled well, but the post design would be similar.



And for lots more information check the building subforum here

http://www.resohangout.com/forum/