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I was thinking after the first one that I wasted a lot of time switching tasks during building.  Seems to me that I should brace 2 or 3 at once, bend a few side sets, make 2 or 3 necks at the same time, etc.  I mean for the hobby builder, who isn't necessarily set up with everything laid out with jigs and templates ready to go, etc. 

Do you see any harm in doing this, besides the fact you may end up with 10 half-built guitars? 

Laurie

 

 

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

I have had 21 in a batch and I was pulling my hair out. Now I limit it to 8 maximum and find that 6 is the number that I am most confortable with. That said I have 7-1/2 in process now.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Lately, I seem to be doing a couple of guitars at a time, with components for more laid aside if I am milling parts.

However, I think that many builders like to get the 'box' assembled fairly quickly after the bracing is shaped on the top and back.

I've seen 20+ joined backs and tops (many with rosettes) hanging in a couple of shops I've visited over the years. I think Gurian used to hang joined tops out on a clothesline in the sun- I recall seeing a pic of this.

The only thing that keeps me from getting 'too far ahead' is the sure knowledge that I'm likely to make changes in what I'm building- and I can't afford to have 'dead inventory'- I've got enough wood around the place as it is!

Cheers
John

for me, it's pure hobby, in a 10' x 10' shop and with 3 in various stages i think i'm maxed out. i'm prepping some parts (neck and bridge) for the third as i go, but am focusing on two om's and will get them done before i bend and brace the third. sort of a variation on hesh's approach i guess.
because i take parts out to get thickness sanded and i borrow someone elses bandsaw, there really is an advantage to taking along wood for more than one guitar. i also did enjoy gluing all the plates and doing the rosettes in a batch.
don't know how i'll feel about having two on the go when it comes to finishing though. it's always been my frustration and this could double the frustration.
phil

it depends a bit on what you mean. i know a chap who does most of his assembly work in one room of a house where he has climate control. his bulk wood storage and machine room are separate. i have seen ten closed bodies in his shop awaiting being joined to necks.

i have had at most 5 in the works at one time, but prefer to have no more than 3.

i do not spec build, so pre-commission work is limited. i like to to rough carve a few plain, non-lam necks at time, slot and radius fb's, join tops, and so on; that is to say generic, non-commission specific work. i like clients to personally select their b&s set, so joining backs is not done till the commission is formalized. similarly with laminated necks. not the most efficient way of doing it, but works ok for me.

I build 2 at a time.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Laurie--My suggestion would be to build one at a time, maybe a couple, in spite of the time required for setup changeovers. Learning the many setups and "getting them down pat" is part of the challenge.
Nelson

I'm fairly new to this such as you are.
I am still building one at a time but I think I'll start #4 when #3 heads out for
finish work.

The other thing I do is make my bridges in small batches, usually three at a
time.

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Christopher C. Cordle
North Muskegon, MI

http://www.yardsaleunderwear.com
http://www.facebook.com/christopher.cordle

I'm trying to build two at a time - same design but different wood choices, to get a feel for how those choices affect the outcome.

Although, the next time I do a steel string, it's going to be the same woods but one with parabolic braces and one with scalloped braces.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I used to do 4 at a time, but it got to be a nosebleed. After a "year off" to get healthy, I build one, put it into finish, then start another. This should keep me sane a bit longer.

I do "mass produce" braces, bindings and other miscellaneous parts when I'm set up for those processes, but I thin the backs, sides and tops as needed or selected by the customer.

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Hank Mauel

The last ones I did, I did 3. This time I think I'll limit it to 2.

One at A time is perfect for me !
BUT I usually do 8 .
I make necks 10 at a time .
I cut braces years ahead and enough for 30 guitars.
I install roses 5 at a time.
I thin backs & sides in batches !
.100 for backs .085-.095 for sides.(150 grit)

I thin tops very carefully by hand for each guitar !!

But one at a time is perfect !!!
Your mind is able to concentrate JUST on that guitar!

Mike

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Mike Collins

[QUOTE=Mike Collins]One at A time is perfect for me !

BUT I usually do 8 .

I make necks 10 at a time .

I cut braces years ahead and enough for 30 guitars.

I install roses 5 at a time.

I thin backs & sides in batches !

.100 for backs .085-.095 for sides.(150 grit)



I thin tops very carefully by hand for each guitar !!



But one at a time is perfect !!!

Your mind is able to concentrate JUST on that guitar!



Mike [/QUOTE]

SMART ALEC!!!  

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

3 Last batch, trying 5 on this one

Mike

Out of three starts, I've only completed one, so I'd say 1/3.

Hoping it will soon be 2/3!

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I did the first one mostly with an instructor, although he allowed me to make mistakes. The second one is "mostly" finished. Each will have been done from start to finish.

To be honest though, I see exactly where you're coming from. I think I'm also going to attempt a few economies on the next builds...things like making additional braces, joining a couple of tops and backs, cutting out bridge plates, laminating and bending binding, thinning headplates, cutting rosette channels,etc.   I don't think this will really harm the concentration part of building, but it might make the jig/tool setup and takedown a bit quicker.

I don't really think I'll ever have a few bodies sitting around, but I can definitely see where some builders would.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

I built #2 and #3 at the same time, and am currently building #4 and #5 at the same time, but I have 10 bridges made and 4 necks nearly finished. Anything that requires a lot of set up, I mill until I get tired. It's really nice when you need something like a bridge and you already have one cut and shaped.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

    I've built groups of 16 at a time for years, but am going to drop that to
2 at a time as I'm getting back into my shop. I never had a vision for my
building to become a small production deal and was heading in that
direction with those larger batches.

    I do this thing because I love to do it and when the commissions stack
up in your shop, you can easily be distracted from that.

    My time off this year has really made me examine my direction and
methods and motives for them so I'll be getting back to a more intimate
and personal pursuit of the craft.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

I am building one at a time, but if something requires setup I will do a few of that item. i.e. make 3-4 neck blanks and slot them, make a batch of braces, slot 3-4 fretboards at once, etc

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

I've been building one at a time, because it means I won't make the same mistakes on all of them at the same time. I will be starting a pair of new guitars soon, though (acoustic), and I've currently got 4 electrics at various stages of construction.

I like to have at least 1 electric and 1 acoustic going at any one time; right now, I've got two electrics and 1 acoustic going, and two electrics that are pretty much done, but need finish sanding and spraying; since they're mostly going to be getting clearcoats, no tinting, I figure a batched approach to finishing will save time; setting up and cleaning the spray gun is a bit of a pain, and I have enough space to do 4 guitars in one shot, so I will.

Problem with starting on new projects before the old ones are done is that it drags things out more. At least, for me; finish-sanding is satisfying, so is detail work, but taking a hunk of raw wood and processing it into something more instrument-shaped, just generally, is even more fun.

I do tend to do several neck blanks, several fingerboards, several sets of braces at any one time, though. Fairly standardised items, after all.