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Well, I got my guitar out of the deck. Everything did not go as planned. Apparently I didn't get the back seated on the middle back brace after I applied the glue and re-set the back. I suppose I was "hurrying", and forgot to check that spot. Oh well "Operator Head Space" reigns supreme! At least it is beginning to look like a guitar. Before tackling the brace, I trimmed the sides down to the top in the lower bout. There are a few gaps in some spots, but overall, I think it came out OK.

It's hard to see, but I covered half the Spokeshave blade with green tape, to keep from accidentally gouging the top. Most of the top / side joint is very good, but any gaps will be covered with purfling.

I'm going to post the rest in the next entry.

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Waddy

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Now you REALLY need to work with patience. As it approaches its guitar like state, you'll find yourself more and more anxious to finish it! Be strong, Waddy, be strong.

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

Next, I trimmed the back down even with the sides. Mostly I used a chisel, but was not overly concerned with perfection, because it will all be cut away for the binding. Just wanted to make sure it was all at least flush with the sides, if not just inside. There were a couple of places where the grain ran over the sides a little, but it will be trimmed out for the binding and purfling, so I'm good to go. Here it is on the stand - several angles.

One more reply to finish up yesterday's work.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Looking awesome Waddy

I did not take a picture of the brace, where it was separated from the back, but it hung up on the back strip, and glued itself there. Using a pallet knife and working some water into the joint, I got it loose, and then I had to devise a leverage clamp to get pressure on the brace in the center to get it glued down all the way across. Also using the pallet knife, I worked fish glue under the brace all the way from the glued areas to the center, then rested my hold down clamp for the top, on the heel and on the brace in question. I put a block on top of that, and using the solera, and a large piece of Cork Floor Tile under the back of the guitar, put an 8" cam clamp from the bottom of the solera to the block in the sound hole. Because I couldn't get enough pressure with that, I added another bar clamp with screw down to increase the pressure, then cranked it down with the cam. I was getting good squeeze-out along the brace. I took it apart this morning, and I think I'm OK. I'll have to clean up the glue that is all over the inside, but at least I can get to this part of the inside - with my left hand only, though. My right hand will not fit in the sound hole, only my left.

I also glued some purfling strips to my BRW binding, and glued up a strip of rope, to laminate with maple/black on both sides to use a purfling around the top. On the back, I think I'll just use a maple/black, with no rope.

Once again, thanks for looking.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Lookin' great, Waddy! Nice save! All the real luthiers tell me this is real lutherie - just about anyone can build a guitar, but how well you overcome ANY and all obstacles along the way to end up with a great guitar, that's the defining factor.

Keep it coming!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Thanks, guys.

Dennis, I was devastated when I felt the little lump in the center of the back, after I took off the clamps. I didn't even have to look. I knew what I had done. Won't do that again. That's what I get for rushing through, and not making sure it was seated. Live and learn. At leas it went down. I'm glad I used Fish Glue to glue the back on. Otherwise, I might have had to remove the back and start over.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Good show, Waddy!

After a few more guitars, what seems like a big show-stopper now will become just a routine little hiccup.

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

Waddy - I'm sure you got it fixed up. Don't you love seeing the guitar at this point - this is when the fingers start to twitch from wanting to play it. Lot's of detail work left, though.

p.s. Another reason why I wonder about the process of gluing the braces to the sides first, instead of the back!

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Jim, I love this way. It was totally my fault. I had it fit, clamped the back on to make sure I could get all the stuff out from the inside, and checked to make sure it was seated at all the braces. It was perfect. I just didn't press down and wiggle a little at that brace after I applied the glue. Totally an oversight because I was hurrying. I'll be using this method again.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy I have thoroughly enjoyed keeping up with this build. Thanks for all the time it's taken to do this...but it's been nice following your work.

Bill

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

He said, thinking, "When is this guy gonna finish this stinking guitar. I'm getting tired of all these pictures. Who do he think he is?"

Thank you Bill! I appreciate all of the comments. I look at my build as a group project. Like most group projects I'm involved in, I, somehow, end up doing all the dirty-work.

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

It is looking good Waddy! I have got to where I dont post many of my mistakes..... seems like I am always doing something that I didnt intend to do. I am getting pretty good at fixing the things that went wrong and it looks like you are as well.

I am getting really excited to hear this guitar!

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Reguards,

Ken H

Waddy everyone says that a good Luthier nows how to fix their mistakes.I`m not sure if I`m worth a hoot,but I`ve had to fix a bunch of them.Your not alone.
James W B

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Thanks! I have been pretty lucky, really. Nothing, yet, that I couldn't understand what I did wrong. Most of them, "Forehead Slappers".

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Looking Good. Glad to see that you were able to catch things and get them fixed. You will have a great looking guitar soon.

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Greg Hatcher
North Carolina

Way to go Waddy, looking good. Nice recovery on the brace too.

An old mechanic friend of mine was talking to a doctor. He said, you get to bury your mistakes. I have to fix mine.

Keep at it your GLO is gonna be a GCG.

(great classical guitar)

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Duuude!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy, this has been an enjoyable show-n-tell.
Your work looks clean, and your results look great.
Thanks for letting us peek over your shoulder.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com