Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, I reckon I'm in.
I have a chunk of a Pecan log and my Mesquite should be dry in time.
I plan to make a simple electric.
The body face will be end grain, I'm still trying to figure out how to keep it in one piece.
Thanks Jay,
Dan

Oh yeah, This,will be my 9th electric.

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end grain face, one piece electric.... can't wait it see it...

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

Here's a picture of the Pecan slab, some Mesquite, and a thing I made to surface the Pecan.
I think I'll slice the slab in half and shove a piece of Mesquite between the top and back plates.
I'm afraid of the Pecan coming apart at the grain lines.

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Wow, can't wait to see that as a guitar!

My plan is for a short squatty look.

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I would be afraid, too, as I can already see some checks working their way in from the edges. The potential problem is this: You appear to have a log segment with the center pith right in the middle. This makes an interesting visual at the moment, but I worry that it won't be stable--that, as it shrinks and dries further, the inevitable checks and cracks will show up. I am not sure how to arrest this process, but I know that bowl turners have a method for doing it. I would go to some lathe and bowl turning sites and consult with the people there about how to capture a center pith and arrest the shrinking process before I went any further on the guitar body.
I would follow their advice. Seriously, please look into that. I don't think your worry should be about the grain lines separating. The separation will manifest itself as cracks radiating out from the center (the bull's eye) of that cross cut section.

Thanks for the advice!
I'll look into bowl turner's strategies.
I think the checks you are seeing are pencil marks I made around the perimeter.
I had a thought to insert dowels around the perimeter but have decided not to.
Dan

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Cut up a small Mesquite log last weekend.
Pretty amazing stuff. It can develop checks while drying, but it does not warp or twist at all.
I painted the ends and stickerd it up in the garage.
These pieces are nearly quarter sawn and should make nice fret boards.
A wet log 12" diameter x 4' long weighs close to 150 lbs. The sapwood must be removed quickly due to borers.

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Those are some pretty FB blanks, Dan. How much drying do they need to do from log to FB?
I'm looking forward to following your build, and how you deal with any issues with the body.
Keep us up to date!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Thanks, Alex!
I'm going to give them two months to dry and then slice one to see if they are dry. My garage is already up to 80F and I have a fan blowing on them. Kinda hard to slow dry stuff in Texas.
BTW, I made the router jig per your instructions a while back. It works great.
Sanding the end grain is going to be a long process.
Dan

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My Mesquite is dry.
I have not decided yet to go with Mesquite or Pecan fretboard.
Maybe a combo.

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After three weeks of being layed out with a back injury, I finally started back on the build.
I hated to do it, but I cut the body into two pieces so I can add a Mesquite core.
I am concerned about structual integrity. Good thing I have a sharp hand saw.
I have some awesome curly Ash from a backyard tree I cut, but I'm not sure how to use it and avoid gaudiness.
Dan

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I made a little progress despite the 100F temperature.
I cut out a piece of the body core that I will use as a "drawer" with volume knob and jack mounted to the outside edge surface.
I glued the outside body plates to the core. The core is curly Ash sandwiched between Mesquite.
I spent most of the sawing and planing logs to make the core and almost gave up on it.
I'm still working out the headstock shape.
Dan

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Sanding and shaping the body.

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I like the drawer , is that original or have you seen it before ? That pecan is beautiful!

thanks Jeff,
No, I have not seen the drawer before, but I'm sure someone has done it.
I wanted the volume on the edge rather than the top.

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man i love originality, wish i had more of it

Got a bit done on the neck and headstock veneer.
Don't know if I will finish in time.

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I just finished an unplanned Tele build.
Look's like I will not have enough time to finish the challenge build.

Dan

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