First Build - 12 Fret

[Darryl Young]

TJ, no experience with double sides.......but would sure like to see an update on your project. It was looking soo good!!!

[turnertj]

Thanks Darryl...

Actually, I got a bunch more done...re-did the rim, got the kerfing installed, put in the soundport, etc...I just need to post the photos. Got hit up with the roto-virus that was going around, which took me off me feet for almost two weeks! After the holidays I'll post some more on the progress!

[turnertj]

Well I've made a little more progress so I thought I would post it up here. For those of you who might have seen my other soundboard post, I've been torn about which top to put on this guitar. I have a nice sitka spruce top, and a sikta BearClaw. I had decided on the Bear Claw, but I started work on the other with the intention of it being a little practice which might turn out a decent top to use on my next build. But then when I got going I decided I REALLY like this top, so I think I might stick with it. The Bear Claw won't go to waste, I'll use it next!

I was actually planning on using a different purfling design, but I had problems bending it in my bending machine. This was before I discovered John's video on YouTube about bending purfling, which I believe will solve my problem! Thanks John! Anyway, I ordered some more from LMI, and by accident they sent me the Herringbone instead. They fixed the order and let me keep the Herringbone, which is now going on this first build!

Anyway...I still need to take pictures of my finished rim, but here is a quick look at my new soundboard. The photos aren't great, which is a good thing because it will help hide my flaws! There are a few, like how I broke the Herringbone in the rosette, but it is almost not visible unless you know where to look and take a magnifying glass to it. The slight gaps between the purfling and the Koa ring are more easily seen (although they don't show up on the photos). There will be no mistaking the fact that this is a homemade guitar, but that's alright with me. I want a all around playing guitar that I made myself.

[johnnparchem]

Looking good.

You can fill though gaps between the Koa and the purflings. I would fill them with a white glue and koa dust. Any gaps left around the purfling will turn into dimples under finish. Ask me how I know :0.

[turnertj]

Since I had my camera out I went and dug up my rim. Here are the few shots of it. I took John's advice and used some fabric strips instead of wood for side reinforcement/crack arresters. That worked pretty well, but they are a bit discolored from the Titebond. Any suggestions...hit them with a coat of Shellac?

I used the A4 Kerfing from AdvancedShellTech.com It may be a bit pricier, but it was SO nice to work with. I got the Spanish cedar variety, and it smells outrageously great. I hope that lingers inside the guitar for a while at least.

I cut the pockets in the kerfing for my back already (not the top yet since it is not braced). That took a night to get the back to fit, but listening to Ken's advice it fits without ANY pressure, just sits on the rim and closes up everywhere. Cutting the pockets in this kerfing was very easy, but the kerfing tended to chip easily, making it possible to control the width of the pocket only to the width of each kerfing cut. I hope that's okay. All of my pockets are a little wider than they need to be becuase there was no way I could find to cut any tighter tolerances. I did not cut into the sides to make the pockets, so maybe next time I will do that with a dremel or some other similar implement of destruction.

The inside of the soundport is reinforced with a maple patch, bent in the bending maching to fit nice and perfect. I cut the soundport with a hole saw. Let's just say that I needed to bleach out my shorts after that operation!

[turnertj]

And here's a few more of the kerfing pockets. Do you guys think these will be okay, even if they are a bit wider than the braces?

[Ken Hundley]

Nice work, and I think they will be fine.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

TJ,
You are doing fine. The slots for the brace ends won't be a structural issue as long as you have them glued in well. Only the front two braces will be visible from the sound hole, and you may be able to cut some small pieces of kerfing and fill in the gaps to make it look better if you want. With the fabric, try scraping it lightly with a razor blade and see if you can make it look uniform, you can also scrap the side next to the fabric and remove any residue that way. Try it on the patch way in the back first in case it doesn't go well as that one will not show.
Keep posting, we like seeing your project progress. It is looking good.
Any like John P said, fill those gaps around the rosette, and anywhere else you may have them. The finish will sink in on those and show up later.....they are very hard to fill after the fact with finish.

Kevin

[turnertj]

Evening All...

I got a bit more done today and yesterday, although a bit of it was reinventing the wheel yet again. But I started by finalizing my soundbaord bracing design. I have a slightly different body style than the plan I've been attempting to copy, so I'm probably headed for disaster...but I had to make the bracing work for my Taylor 12 series body style using a 12-fret neck. I think I came up with a good overall layout. Then I went about making a set of x-braces out of Red (Adirondack) Spruce. First I made a jig to cut the radius right on my router, and then I laid out the braces and pre-shaped them. I just don't trust myself with a sharp pointy chisel trying to work a brace that doesn't have SOME shape to it first to follow as a guide. So my braces were preshaped on my drum sander/drill press home made table jig thingy...

BUT...I'm not too happy with the brace material. I posted over in the "Guitar Building Procedures" thread asking about the brace material. I'm worried about the Red spruce, it just doesn't have a lot of grains to it, and the wood seemed VERY soft. It sands when I blow in it! I did work on capping it with a piece of wood, a piece of soundboard actually.

[turnertj]

So I started over with a new x-brace, using sitka spruce. The grain is VERY tight on this material, and overall I think I'm much happier with it. I took a bunch of photos of the miter for the joint. I got it very tight. There is no wiggle room whatsoever in that joint now. Then I mitered a small recess on the top to put a patch/cap on. Once again, it's from the soundboard cutouts.