I have started #4, the Macacuaba cutaway drednaught.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Ken Hundley, you are correct, this wood does smell like coconut when you cut it.
I don't have the pictures ready to post, but I have made a start on this guitar. The back is joined and braced. The fretboard is slotted, tapered, and bound, but not yet contoured. The neck and end blocks are made, and the neck is started; tenon cut, truss rod installed. I also cut out my top braces on the table saw this afternoon.
So there you have it. I have a long way to go. I'll put a picture of the back up later. It sure is purty.

Kevin

[Ken C]

Very cool, Kevin. Did you bend the Macacuaba for the sides yet? How does it bend?

Ken

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Ken,
I haven't bent the sides yet. I am thinking that might be this Saturdays project, ya know, I do it by hand!
Here is a pic of the back. When wet the reds pop, and the tan becomes a golden yellow...it is going to be striking under a finish.
More to come later.

Kevin

[naccoachbob]

That's pretty, Kevin. Keep sending pics.
Can't wait to see this back and the sides after they're bent.
Bob

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I managed to get the sides bent and end blocks glued in yesterday. Bending was a job, this wood wanted to cup. I found that bending it dry worked the best with just some steam coming off a wet rag draped on the bending iron. The cutaway was a challenge too but I stayed with it, using a 2" steel pipe with a torch to bend the cutaway portion. It took me almost 4 hours total to get it right!!! But hey, it was still fun. Today I'll start glueing in kerfing.

Kevin

[Kevin Sjostrand]

This past week I got the kerfings glued in. Today I notched the rims and glued on the back in my gobar deck. I also joined the top and started planning the rosette. I used my dremel and circle cutting jig to route out a 1/4" wide wood rosette of the same wood as the b & s. It will be trimmed inside and outside with BWB purfling, pretty typical. I like this simple style of rosette. I am thinking of lining the sound hole edge with bloodwood; same as the binding on the body and fretboard. I have to see if I can bend it into a 4" diameter circle. Anyone have a suggestion on the best way to do do that?

Kevin

[darren]

Kevin,
Go slow with lots of support around the binding. I did mine with EIR which is probably significantly easier than bloodwood. Did you already bend the binding for the box?

Are you inlaying the soundhole binding before cutting the soundhole out? That's what I did and it worked pretty sweet.

[Ken Hundley]

Nice job, Kevin! As far ahead as this project is for me, I am quote excited about how it will sound. THis is hard, dense wood, I am thinking much like a rosewood. Yours is looking good! I need to finish the padauk, as well as the "Black Beauty" for Christmas, then I can concentrate on the Mac. I will be constructing the mac will finishing the Mango. I have also already bent the sides as well as constructed the top and back for a padauk 12 string...maybe I can do that and the Maca together.....they are really only a week apart by construction timeline...anyway, keep us up to date...I am curious to see what the difference will be in yours trimmed dark and mine trimmed in light (maple). Lookin great so far!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Ken,
How did you match up the back plates. Can you show a pic? I'm curious to see if you did it the same.

Today I thicknessed my top, routed for and glued in the rosette. This week I can work on bracing the top, I have the brace blanks already cut out.

Onward ho!

Kevin

[Ken Hundley]

I did it the same way, though the red in mine is not quite as well defined as yours. I have a picture, but it is not hosted anywhere yet. I'll get it on the site one of these days.