Starting #23 OM model

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I'll get some pics up in a couple days of my new build.It is going to be another OM.

Back & sides are Indian Laurel from LMI about 10 years ago.
The top is a 4 piece tight grained old Redwood that was part of a storage or processing tank that was torn fown over 60 years ago. This will be my first 4 piece top.

Sapele neck. Curly maple bindings. Not sure on appointments yet I have to see what I've got.

More to come and pics.

[jread]

Awesome. Let us know how it goes. I just started an OM cutaway today for an old friend I haven't seen in 25 years. I am also in the very early stages of the OM cutaway bass I mentioned a few weeks ago along the lines of the one John Hall did last year. Both of them Adi spruce over EIR from RC Tonewoods. Very nice sets of wood at very reasonable prices.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I've started. I joined the back and cut it out. Thinned to .120 will probably take it down another .010" and final Sanding should bring it to .100"

I glued up the 4 piece top and scraped off the glue squeeze out. Then cut out the shape and ran it through the drum sander down to .110"

I'll leave it until the rosette is in then final sand it to about .100"

I pre shaped the sides and thicknessed them to .080.
Today I bent the first side and will take it out of bender in the morning and then bend the second side

I have cut from some 1" wide strips and sanded my curly
maple binding to height at .270". Won't tickness them until I've decided what purflings I'm going to use.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Wellllllll
Change of plans. The first side cracked in 3 places. First time bending Indian Laurel. I spritzed with water but did not wrap. I knew it wasn't oily wood so thought no wrapping necessary. I bent at 275 I guess maybe higher heat needed. It did seem this wood was going to be more splintery along the grain. Oh well it happens.

So I think I'll do Claro Walnut. That I wrap in kraft paper and sometimes aluminum foil and spritz and for good measure I'll increase to 300 degrees and still bend fast.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Successfully bent both sides of Claro walnut. Yay.
I spritzed the sides got them dripping wet. Wrapped them in foil and bent at 300 degrees. Started the waist at 275.
The foil just helps hold in the moisture while the side simmers starting at about 225 degrees. I've always had good success doing it this way. I wasn't thinking clearly when I tried bending the Laurel... must be my old age.
Any I'm moving forward. Switching to a walnut bridge, Indian rosewood fretboard that has more brownish coloring than red do it goes well with the Claro.
Still doing the curly maple bindings...probably will bind the fretboard too. Probably a curly maple end wedge to match. Side BW purflings maybe, bur fir sure BWB purflings top and back.
Ebony headplate and walnut backstrap.
Spanish cedar neck.....because I can. 🙃

Joined and thicknessed the Claro walnut back.

[phavriluk]

Kevin, thanks for the picture of the sides in the mold. Never can tell when a picture lights up a solution to a problem. I made an outside mold and intended to use the interior cutoffs for spreaders and I wasn't sure how I was going to chop them up. Picture helped, also the turnbuckles. Onward!

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Glued in the neck and end blocks.
Next will be making some kerfing

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Got my kerfing made using mahogany. I made a VERY simple jig years ago for cutting the kerfs. And one to hold the strips at an angle as I feed then I to the drum sander to make the slanted shape. Takes a couple hours but i kind of fun to do. This is just enough for one OM with about 15" extra.

It's hard for me to make long like 30" or more strips so my jig for the sander only takes a 16" piece. My stock this time was 26" long so I kerfed them then cut them in half and that's why the pieces look short. It all comes out fine in the end.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Sanding the rims.....driving the bus in the radius dish

[rcnewcomb]

"Another One Drives The Bus"
to the tune of Queen’s "Another One Bites the Dust"

Oh! Let's go!

He walks warily into the shop
With machinery ready to go
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet
The tools are ready to go
Are you ready? Hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
The radius dish sandpaper slips
To the sound of the beat, yeah

Another one drives the bus
Another one drives the bus
And a millimeter gone, and another one gone
Another one drives the bus, yeah
Hey, I'm gonna sand rims, too
Another one drives the bus

How do you think I'm gonna get along
With the side rim sawdust gone?
It took all the energy that I had
And my shoulder’s makin’ me moan

Am I happy, am I satisfied?
How long can I stand the heat?
The radius dish sandpaper slips
To the sound of the beat

Look out!

Another one drives the bus
Another one drives the bus
And a millimeter gone, and another one gone
Another one drives the bus
Hey, I'm gonna get you, too
Another one drives the bus

Hey!
Oh, take it
Drive the bus
Drive the bus, yeah

Another one drives the bus
Another one drives the bus, ow
Another one drives the bus, hey hey
Another one drives the bus, hey-eh-eh

Shout!

There are plenty of ways that you can sand a rim
And curve it nicely round
You sand lightly, you can sand hard
You can spin one way or back and forth next round, yeah

But I'm ready, yes, I'm ready for work
I'm standing on my own two feet
The radius dish sandpaper slips
Repeating to the sound of the beat

Oh, yeah

Another one drives the bus
Another one drives the bus
And a millimeter gone, and another one gone
Another one drives the bus, yeah
Hey, I'm gonna sand these
Another one drives the bus

Sand down
Ay-yeah
Alright