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When I am carving something in my vise - be it a neck volute or a chair leg - and I get somewhere close to the final shape I put a little 2" tall statue of Buddha somewhere on the work. If I become a little heavy-handed, impatient, or otherwise thoughtless in my motions the statue falls off and crashes to the floor. This forces me to stop what I'm doing before I ruin something.

What is something unique that you do in your shop which helps you some way in your building?

I document everything with photographs. When I take a photo, I have in my mind's eye the image that I'm after. Not only do I have a photo story of the build, it slows me down as I compose. I might think, "OK, this will be a photo of gluing in the neck block. How do I show that?" This saved me from gluing the neck block upside down. Mostly it just makes me stop and think of what I'm doing before making a stupid mistake, like gluing the back reinforcement strip over the backstrip.

Go slow.

Think, but not too much.

This is about the sum total of the wisdom I've gained in two years of building.

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

I have some for you -

When gluing anything with CA, I like to glue my index finger and thumb to whatever I'm working on and to most of my other fingers.   

When working with really small tools, and some larger ones, I like to hide them from myself, often in plain sight, so that I can spend lots of time hunting them down.   

When working with very small parts, I like to place them near the edge of my workbench so I can accidentally knock them off and on the floor, so that I can spend lots of time on my hands and knees searching for them.   

When I make a special tool or jig to make a step easier for building, I put it in a special place to keep it safe for my next build. I never seem to be able to find that place on my next build, but it is probably safe....   

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

Steve,

I have all of those habits, and another which never fails.

When cleaning your shop, make sure you have a place for everything, preferably a place where you will never see it again, particularly when you need it most, causing purchaces of additional versions of the same tool, part, or plan.  This really keeps me from going too fast and making unnecessary mistakes, or any for that matter because I rarely am able to accomplish anything.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Very funny Steve...must be so because I'm right there with you!!

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

[QUOTE=WaddyT]  purchaces  [/QUOTE]

  OOPS! That would be "purchases".

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Lock the KIDS out of the shop!

Ill never forget drilling holes for fret markers - ONE FRET OFF - while talking to my Daughter and explaining to her what it was that I was doing

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I don't write in a journal anymore for each guitar I build. The early journals became more wordy and difficult to find info and cross-reference.

Instead, I now make a full scale drawing on a large piece of poster board and do the following:
1) Trace the mold on the front and back of the poster board
2) Draw in exactly where the braces will be glued
3) Measure & weigh everything and record the values right on the drawing.
4) Indicate where any scalloping is located and measure heights after final voicing is completed.
5) Try to describe voicing pitch, volume and sustain.
6) All other info is recorded for both top and back.

Neck info is recorded on a full scale drawing with all appropriate data as well.

Each posterboard record is hung on the wall for quick and future reference. I'm still refining this method. I'm sure as I make more of the same model, some analytical spreadsheets are in my future.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[QUOTE=LanceK]Lock the KIDS out of the shop!

Ill never forget drilling holes for fret markers - ONE FRET OFF - while talking to my Daughter and explaining to her what it was that I was doing [/QUOTE]

Lance:

I actually have a little Takehari Ladies Guitar with the 9th fret marker in the 10th fret.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I think, read, think, read, and visualise before I do any task on the guitar.

It's unprecendented for me to suddenly create things this way. Normally I'd just pick up the tools (paintbrush, whatever) and just "do it". BUT nowadays, like I said, I thoroughly prepare myself.

Mind you, I am only on my second guitar...

I also thoroughly agree with Jared's post.

Another thing has occured to me; Luthiery is very attention seeking work.....I make sure the kids are in bed before I get out the tools...

[QUOTE=SteveS] I have some for you -

When gluing anything with CA, I like to glue my index finger and thumb to whatever I'm working on and to most of my other fingers.   
[/QUOTE]



I've taken this one step further. The trick is don't go halfway and just glue your fingers to your workpiece. Glue them to your workbench AND your workpiece at the same time. And be sure your CA solvent is less than foot out of reach. This works real good if you're the only one at home.

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

I use 1/8" hardwood dowels to hold parts in alignment for gluing.

Ray

SteveS--very funny stuff.

JJ--can I send you my guitars for documentation?
That would surely save me a lot of time...don't care what the postage might be!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird]

JJ--can I send you my guitars for documentation?
That would surely save me a lot of time...don't care what the postage might be!

Steve[/QUOTE]

Heck yes, Steve...send immediately! I hope you don't need them back anytime soon!!! One can never have enough Kinnaird guitars lying around the house!

BTW...is there a better way of keeping track of what you did on a particular model such that you can compare it against results on subsequent builds? I'm a compulsive note taker and am always looking for better ways.

I actual fact, I now spend less than an accumulated hour in documenting as I described.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

[QUOTE=JJ Donohue]
BTW...is there a better way of keeping track of what you did on a particular model such that you can compare it against results on subsequent builds? I'm a compulsive note taker and am always looking for better ways.

I actual fact, I now spend less than an accumulated hour in documenting as I described.[/QUOTE]

Well, I really like what you are already doing. For example, I think it's great that you are weighing everything. The only things I've troubled to weigh have been tops and bridges. And I like the thought of turning each guitar into a shop poster. Before long there will be enough art in your shop it will look like the Louve.
But you know, John Mayes has a neat trick I saw on his advanced voicing video--a "before and after" recording of the top while it's being carved. He braces the guitar, taps the top, and records the sound, or pitch. Then he carves. And as he goes, you can hear the pitch change, and when he gets where he wants to be, he records that. I think that would be valuable info to store away with each guitar that you build. A simple recorder, a cassette tape (you might want to go digital?) and a naming of which guitar this "thunk" belonged to. Man--save that and you would know for sure how your next guitar compared to your last one.

$.02 for ya, JJ.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

JJ - Thanks for that post. I'm starting on my next one!

I've been using dowels like Ray. Terry's finishing nails would work great until I ran the first one through the band saw

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Here's a tip- Whenever I'm starting a step and have any
problems remembering something, I go to the OLF archives
and find the answer. 99.9 % it will be there !
If you can't find it...Post the question on the forum.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

NEVER, EVER, NEVER, stick your finger in your nose while you are using crazy glue.............................don't ask!

Amen Lance,
Been there and done that...but no kids as an excuse.

Tom Armstrong

Instead of using nails or dowells as locating pins, I use the drill I drilled the hole with. I put a little paste wax on the shank of the drill and use that as the locating pin. After the glue dries it'll pull right out.
Perfect fit every time.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com