Official Luthiers Forum!

OK, so someone please post pics of freestanding go-bar decks.

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, Ron has just what you are looking for.

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/view ... 02&t=10113

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Aoibeann

Thanks Lillian.

Mike

I just made my deck yesterday. The main difference between it and the ones pictured in the other thread are that I didn't use pipe around the threaded rod and only have one layer of ply on top. The purpose was so that I could have an adjustable upper deck height. I can move it to wherever it needs to be for optimal go-bar deflection (an inch in 3/16" fiberglass rod) whether I'm gluing bridge patches, braces, or the back and soundboard to the rim. I used it last night and it's plenty sturdy.

- 3/8" rod
- 3/4" gapless ply for both decks
- wing nuts and 2" fender washers on the bottom of the upper deck
- 2" fender washes and threaded knobs on the top of the upper deck

Mine is not free standing but it does do tricks......

It's mounted on a bench in the corner of my shop which limited my access to it. Dean, an OLF member read my comments one day and PMed me with an idea that he had - a great idea. Dean suggested that I purchase and install a mechanism that is used for TVs to pull out from an entertainment center and swivel as well.

So... I followed Dean's suggestions and installed a television pull-out/swivel that holds 240 lbs and swivels 360 degrees. I installed it to pull out from the corner at 45 degrees and now I have an excellent go-bar deck.

It pulls out into the room, swivels easily 360 degrees, has an integral spot light in the deck, an IPod jack, and makes toast. Well I lied about the IPod jack and making toast but it is a pleasure to use.

The real bonus for me besides being super easy to use and get at my work is that it slides right back into the corner and does not take up any floor space.

Space in my shop is pretty limited, so I decided that the sanding bowls would do double duty and act as the bottom plates in the deck. I mounted the bowls on 3/4" mdf so that there total thickness is about 1 1/4" and there are outsid corners for the rods. I just got some 3/4" trheaded rod from the Borg and went for it. I usually set it up on my small bench which has access on all four sides. If you have your benches against a wall I heartilly recommend the lazy susan rig that Hesh has. It is really sweet.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

Here's mine-basic deck with 24" fiberglass rods

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I too am strapped for space in my shop, so I just made my Go-Bar-Deck part of my Solera.

It breaks down in a few minutes, and the poles store in the quiver with the go-bars.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy, that's brilliant. I may copy that as an add-on for the workboards we use when I teach my mandolin building course.

Rick, I would be proud!
I would also be glad to answer any questions or post a picture of any part you might have a question on.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I have space issues as well. My go-bar deck doubles as a shelf.

I use 36" fiber rods.

Glenn

Howdy Mike,
I am right in the middle of making my Go-Bar deck as we type. I got to looking at Heshes deck from a few pictures he posted earlier and liked how simple looking it would be to make. I PM'd him for all the measurements. He advised to use 1/2" threaded rod with T-nuts on the bottom. Well, I've been looking for three days now for 1/2" t-nuts and the largest I could find were 3/8", so today I come home from work and just welded a half inch nut to a washer. If you can't find the size of t-nut you need you could always do something like this. Here's a couple pics, by the way, don't mind my welding skills.

Hope this may help. Good luck with your project. Hope everyone has an OUTSTANDING Easter!

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Chuck buddy I should have told you that 1/2" T-nuts are hard to find and I could not find them at the Borg or Lowes. But I did find them at a great mom and pop, old fashioned hardware store.

Because of a lack of floor space I installed my deck on the corner of a workbench and use the top as a shelf. If I need to take it down it comes apart in about 5 minutes and goes up the same.

Cal

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Remember, there are no stupid questions, only stupid answers!

And you told us that you've never made a real jig before, clamping caul not withstanding.

Hesh, you lied. You lied to us. You have too made a real jig. You even made it from scratch all by yourself, with a really cool, thought out option. Good for you.


Now stop saying you haven't built anything but guitars.

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Aoibeann

Sorry Hesh,
Didn't mean to snitch you out like that

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

OK I admit its not pretty and it takes up a lot of space .But it cost nothing and definately fits into the freestanding catagory.

Made of some "dexian" shelving found in a skip, some left over ply wood and MDF .

I use 6mm fibreglass rods from a kite shop as go bars.

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Richard

Lillian my friend I didn't really consider a go-bar deck to be a jig. To me a jig does action hero things like turns and slides - wait - my go-bar deck does do these things....... Wow I guess that I did build a jig.....

Todd you are very correct.

My father was a tool and die maker (a very precise machinist). Early on in my woodworking endeavors, I made the mistake of calling something a jig when indeed it was a fixture. I received a very pointed lecture about the difference. Man, from the tone of his voice and the intensity of his words a bystander would have thought I had been caught smoking my mom's cigarettes or stealing. Some people get really passionate about things. To his credit, I've never forgotten the difference between the two.

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Aoibeann