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Well I have screwed up ..again..perhaps big time..Looking for advise...when Sanding my rims in the dish I have managed to thin my overall body thickness too much..in fact when my box is closed I'm 97mm deep at the lower bout block and 83 deep at the neck block ( as I said this is with the top at back clamped in place, I haven't glued it yet.)...I don't know how this happened, but the TV was on in the shop and I was sanding my sides in the  the dish,  watching Haley sing on American Idol, last Tues when it happened!!

 

I must of got carried away...any way I was still planning on gluing it together...I know this will change my neck connection a bit and I will have to adjust my bolt positions because my heel depth is considerably smaller....Can anyone see any other disastrous effects this goof up may cause...and any other modifications I should impliment...Thanks.....should be a nice "quiet" guitar..

 

I always wanted a thin body guitar......

 

 

Oh In case it makes a differnence ..it was supposed to be an OM ...with end block depth about 104mm and heel about 89...I have 97...and 83mm

First of all, confirm that those measurements are your block dimensions and not your overall dimensions. If its your overall dimensions, you're only 1-2mm off, and thats probably not worth fretting about. Remember, you have 2-3mm in your top and your back BOTH to add to your overall dimension.

If those dimensions are your block dimensions and you are, indeed, almost a Centimeter short, and you want to keep to your original dimensions, you can laminate some extensions on your blocks so you're tall enough there. Then install your kerfing a bit taller (2-3mm) on each side, then radius. You can make up your lost height there. You still have to rout 5-6 mm out for the bindings on each side anyway, so you should be fine.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Irwin, is either the back or top glued on yet?

If not, you can always remove the linings (if they are on that is) and raise them up each by 4-5mm above the rims, than re-sand them down to 3mm and you've gained your thickness back.

Under stand??

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Oh ya, and what J said, add some height to each side of the blocks.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

..thanks...My top and back are not glued yet ..I got those measurements by putting the back down on the dish, adding the sides on top and then laying the top on . I have already cut the openings for my braces into the sides...so I think I'll have to go with what I have.....so my measurement at end block end( with top and back on) seem to be  about 103,, while my neck end depth is 83mm) ...If I'm not explaining it well , I'll try to take a few pics..I actually had to remove some of the kerfing and replace it because I sanded the sides low enough that there wasn't a whole lot of kerfing left to glue to the top and back..

Sorry not 103 but 97mm at the lower bout end...

I'd sue American Idol for the cost of materials for a whole new guitar.

Martin I like the way you think!!

Here are a couple of photos..

 

as you see my top and back glued on depths will be ( they are just clamped in the photos..)

end block...

  and

heel block ..

 

so pretty well a thin ( thinner) than planned OM...any other considerations for the rest of the build.do you think neck dimensions or anything else have to be modified...(obviously the heel of the neck will be shorter) because of the shallow(thin) body ...Thanks

 

next time, if I'm working on the guitar while Idol is on ,, I'll make sure I'll wait till that Chris fellow is singing.....

 

I'll be able to concentrate..

turn off the tv!

Irwin,
This happens a lot, and it really is an honest mistake.(especially since American Idol was on the tube) This is really not that hard to correct. Do as J. and Rod said. Chisel off the kerfing and add new kerfing leaving it 3 mm proud(taller) than the sides, and glue on another slice of mahogany on top of your heel and end blocks. Then radius in the dish again. This is only about a 3 hour set back, and well worth fixing it. With that thin of a body, you many not get the volume you want.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Thanks for hanging in there with me guys...

 

Tracy, I would replace the kerfing but I have already recessed(?) my bracing into the sides..(cut the little area out of the sides)

if I was to replace the kerfing to get the added height I need, wouldn't the binding on the guitar need to be quite thick to cover the now open area in the sides (that I cut to inbed the braces)which would now be a fair distance from the top?

 

Sorry I may be way over/under thinking this..

Irwin,
You are right, you will not be able to raise the kerfing very high or else you will have big holes in the side of your guitar. However, what if you raise the kerfing 2mm on both top and bottom. That will add a total of 4mm to the thickness of the body, and I think that will also cover those brace end holes with the binding. If you feel that 4mm is not worth it, then carry on and chalk it up to learning. There will always be mistakes, it is just how well you choose to cover it up. So don't worry about it. Good luck!
Tracy

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Tracy
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I vote to just assemble it. If you do not like the tone, put in a pickup and sell it as a acoustic electric.

Add a purfling strip on the bottom of the binding to pick up an extra bit o' height.
-j.

_________________
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Thanks again folks...I think I'll just close her up and hope I don't loose too much volume...kinda like the smaller box..maybe My calling is Ukes!!...Chalk it up to experience...all the advise has sure improved my knowledge of things..which is priceless..