Official Luthiers Forum!

I've taken to calling the OM "The Blackheart" Back braced. And, after going around in circles for awhile--literally and figuratively--I came up with this rosette. The soundhole still needs to be cut out, but the innermost BWB line will remain as a sort-of bound soundhole....Hope to brace the top tomorrow morning, and start putting her together soon after that....happy daze...

I really love the rosette pattern, Nick. I may want to borrow that idea, but will be sure to give full credit to my Aussie "friend" if I do! It's looking really good.

Thanks Beth.....I felt like I had my old spirograph out....

Feel free to use the idea. I'm pretty sure I saw it somewhere, and would give credit if I could remember....

Meanwhile, yesterday also saw some progress on the Tenor. Inlays done, Tuners dry fit, bridge mostly done, pending saddle shaping, and stuck the tailpiece on to get a better idea what it looks like. I would have put these pix up yesterday, but my iPad app only lets me reduce 3 a day....

Maybe frets today, then a quick set up during the week, then break down for final sanding and finishing....

Rosette finished. Hope the picture is good enough so you can see that the inner BWB ring is cleaned back to show the black, as a bound soundhole effect. It's just shy of the back of the top, as the purf was only 2.5mm deep, but a little easing of the top edge will disappear the spruce....

I learned a valuable lesson. I need to plan better. By not having any idea where this would end up, I have a few of the sharp spruce corners that chipped out, and look like dark bits.....I'll fill them and they should go away, but better not to have to....


Anyway, thanks for looking...

Oh, did I mention? This top is absolutely brilliant, and rings like the bells of Notre Dame(wel, ot relly, but...) and I thought I had stuffed it with my first run at the rosette......

Started bracing the top of the Blackheart today... X-braces in. Tomorrow, the rest, and hope to have a body(guitar, that is) by Sunday night.....

Loving that rosette, its given me a few ideas for future builds

_________________
Nick

Follow my musings on getting started in luthiery http://www.tredwellinstruments.co.uk

Thanks Nick. As I said, I don't think I can take credit for it, bit I quite like it. I've received the aniline dyes I ordered to make up a turquoise.....I'm debating, very strongly, if any of it gets used on the guitar. I'll experiment, but if I dye the inner sections of the rosette, it's there forever, and I'm more than a bit worried about destroying the top after all this effort.....I think Mariann gets this one with no turquoise....

I'm sure it could look very nice, but I would be concerned about it too......I don't remember where you are in the fretboard part of the build, but LMI used to carry tourquoise FB markers and other inlay pieces you might be able to try...so it would be the real thing, but just a little of it

Thanks Beth. I had looked at Stewmac, but not LMII....I've ordered up some markers and a blank of faux turquoise. I want to put her initials at the 12th....This is actually a gift for my wife's cousin's wife-to-be.......(sheesh).....and will cut those myself....

I think I'll try the dye/stain on some offcuts before having a crack at a nice top. So, while I too think it could look great, the potential for disaster outweighs the possible benefits at this point.....

General lack of experience....

Yesterday saw the top bracing finished and the top fit to the sides. I ran out of time in the morning, so popped down after work and glued the top on so it could dry over night....

ALso a note to the owner to be. Mariann will be marrying my wife's cousin at the end of the year, and this is her wedding gift from us....well, as long as it gets finished in time....

Now, am I the only one? I read all the time folks waxing poetic about how they love carving braces. I don't. I find it a chore, and get thru it, but don't love it......

And, got the back on the other day. Cleaned up the overhang since this shot, and trued up the sides and am ready for some binding work. I think I'll bend the bindings tomorrow. Then over the weekend, I want to build a binding jig, and have some ideas about incorporating a few elements from the many out there. I've got a couple guitars to try it out on when done, this one and another dreadnaught I started. The Dread is a paying job, so the OM will be the guinea pig....

First rule at the moment is to make it work with what I have on hand, so a minimal investment is being contemplated, mostly hardware..

Anyway, here's where we are today....

The Blackheart, ready for bindng. Also a sister Dread that is at the same stage....Bindings and purfling bent and waiting in the moulds for the ledges to be cut....

Very, very nice, Nick! You're scary productive. Those Australian woods are so beautiful!

once again, thanks, Beth. I wish I could take credit for the timbers, but it's what we got. Problem was, we had to find timbers to use down here that don't actually cost a kidney....

I can source all the usual suspects that are cheap and plentiful in the US, but the postage generally kills the deal, often costing more than the timber itself. So, down here, we have to use local stuff more often than not--well, I do--It's not too hard to suffer with the local stuff....

Anyway, I was going to wait and build a new binding cutting jig, but my lack of patience got the better of me, and I made a little mod to my StewMac Dremel jig to help make it more stable in use, and cut the binding ledge on the OM. Today, I'll cut the ledge for the purfling on the front, and decide if I want one on the back...... ....but probably....

Just a quick shot of the top binding and purfling. I skipped the purfling on the back, and installed the binding this morning. This top is the best I've done so far, just 2 tiny gaps, and being on the black purf, I can fill them easily with a bit of dust and CA....Sorry for the bad pic. I use my iPad, and it's either brilliant,. or awful....

Cleaned all the bindings flush top,back and sides this morning. Here's a shot of the back. Still a couple small gaps, but by far the best binding result for me.....

Having arrived at the point where I need to rout the neck and body for the dove tail, i retrieved my jigs from storage, and had a good hard long look at them. Once I determined that I had virtually no idea how they worked the last few times, I set out to create another pair of Jigs that, while possibly easier to use today, will become just as incomprehensible down the track....

Just kidding, this time, I wrote directions for myself and took pictures, so I have a slim chance of actually making them work next time. Took a lot of headscratching and "figgerin' " to get the routs to match up, but we got there....

Jigs. one body, one neck. attached to the workbench with 4 screws each......


Result on the blackheart OM....

Ought not take too much fitting to get the neck just right. Already fits the body snug as you'd like....

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who experiences this phenomenon! It takes me long enough to build that, when I get to the point of needing a specialized jig, I often have to search through notes or pictures to remember how to either set it up, or actually use it. Thank goodness for Robbie O'Brien's online courses....I re-watch many of his lessons each build

Well, I WAS only going to build one....

Now, in the middle of 4,5,6,7,and 8, I have to admit that I just may use some of this stuff again....

Been busy with other stuff, like work and family, lately, but did install a tailflash on the OM. I wanted to leave it out, but had a bit of a slip from the back on glue up and the lines didn't line up as nicely as I'd like, so, I flipped the body over in the neck jig, took the plexi off the top, and clamped it in. Turns out the body part may well be very handy for working on the awkward to reach body bits. Still, after sussing it out, I ued a combination of laminate trimmer, chisels and netsuke carving chisels to take out the heel, then slowly fit the tail flash. Pretty happy with the way it turned out. Hope to get some progress this weekend.....

Happy Daze......Neck is mostly fit. Centre line is perfect. Just gonna work the neck angle in the morning, then glue her up.. I've rough shaped the neck to a c-d profile. The intended recipient is coming to visit in a week or two, so I'll get her to help me finalise the neck then....I do love a dovetail that goes together easily..

I've gotten a bit more done, but have spent more time getting another one up to the same stage, so I can spray a few all at once, as they'll all get lacquered....ANyway, the OM neck is set and glued, the fingerboard is radiused and slotted, and ready for sassafras binding today. I've fit the bridge blank to the top, and am ready to slot it and start shaping.

Just so YOU don't get all lacquered up
Looking great, Nick

I love the tail flash! I think it highlights the beauty of the sides. Well done!

Love that rosette, Nick!
Everything is looking fantastic.