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Finished gluing in my Fan Braces last night, and tonight got them carved down to what seems about right.  Now gluing on the neck patch and the two side strips on each side of the sound hole.  Here are a few pictures of the Fan Brace carving.

Before carving
 



All done!
 

Thanks for looking.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

thats really looking great waddy. youre making some real progress dude.

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sweat the small stuff.

Hey Waddy,

Great looking work! Did you get all your knowledge of the Romanillos method from Courtnall's book or do you have other sources?

Best regards,
Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

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Max Bishop
Brighton, Michigan

WADDY this is some masterful work, very nicely done.

Who is your photographer?

Isn't this a bit lightly braced for a steel string?

And where is your x brace?

Just kiddin'!

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Nice work Waddy bro.

I am curious, I find carving braces to be the most relaxing part of building for me - how about you?

Thanks, everyone!

Max, I learned a good bit from the Courtnall book, but I also learned a lot here, from Shawn and Dave LaPlante, both of whom have been very generous with sharing what they learned at the Romanillos Class.  I had also already read the articles in American Lutherie about him.  I always, from the time I read the article in AL #25, liked his philosophy, and felt that I would like to use his style of building.  The raised lower bout and the double wedge neck joint, I learned from Shawn.  I am like a sponge when someone mentions how he does something.  I also learned an amazing amount from the Claudio Meneghelli Website that has a little slide show of his process, which is contrived from Jose's methods.  Those six slides give a ton of information.  I also read Jose's book on Torres, which gives you a feel for his high regard for Torres' work.   All part of the learning process.

Bruce, I thought I'd keep it limited to Mediums.  Re the X brace - Dang I knew I'd leave something out.  Boy OLF sure keeps you on your toes.

Hesh, it was a very  therapeutic experience. It was jus over too fast.  I thought it would take longer.  Guess I should have gone slower!   I like taking a sharp chisel and getting those tiny little curls of Spruce rolling off the tip.  I discovered that I prefer using a 1/4" chisel for this process, since the braces are so small.  I'll probably go larger when shaping the  cross braces.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Cross Braces?

You mean it will get the X?   

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Outstanding Waddy!

I'm soaking all of this up like a sponge. Keep the pics coming!

Ken

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Reguards,

Ken H

Nah, Bruce, they are straight.  Ladder Braces, I guess.  Here they are sitting in place
 

Ken, yours will not have the closing braces, but, other than that , the lower bout will probably be similar.  Barbero braces may be a little less fanned, and more parallel with the grain of the top.  I can't remember the drawings off the top of my head.  With some luck, I'll get my sides profiled and bent this weekend.  More pictures coming.

Thanks for your comments.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

You're going to love this guitar.  Building it, playing, it, listening to others play it.  You're going to love it so much that you'll have to build another, and another...

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
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