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I am considering a sound port for my next build. Not sure when in the process to do it and how to reinforce it. Anybody got a tutorial or a thread on how to do it? Thanks

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Drop into the Archives and look up the tutorial on soundport installation and binding by Paul Woolsen. I've used it and it works very well.

Ray

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Guitar Building = Continuous Improvement Process

The way I do it is pretty simple I make a .03-.04 thick veneer and laminate to the inside at the port a 3/8 larger all the way around the port. But I cut my ports after the bend and this is conveniount for me.

I belive Tim McKnight has some info on his web site.

Looks like the Archive didn't survive the move very well.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

I'm pretty sure this is an issue with Search as I've commented on before. Hopefully it should be ironed out at some point. As I've stated before, "koa" returns no results, so somethings wrong. The archive still works on the old site. I use that to do searchs.

I got 15 pages of hits on "Sound Ports" (two words). No such word as "soundports"!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

ya but you have to wade through 15 pages of discussion to find the info on how to do it. Just thought someone had a tutorial.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Try this link. http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=1598&hilit=+Sound+Ports+part

There was a 2 part tutorial by Paul Woolson, but I can't find it in the archives. Not sure what the title was, exactly. But the above link has lots of discussion. If you do a search on "sound port part" without the quotes, you'll get about 2 pages of hits with a couple of pretty good ones.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

A-HA! I found it. Tried to post the pictures but could not (only the text would copy?) so you will have to do the search.

I went into archives and searched:

Cutting Soundports--How do you do it?



Here's my method:
First, I glue on a cross grained patch of spruce. You can use anything but I like the interiors of my guitars to be light in color so all of my braces and linings are light.

From that point I cut the hole. I just use a simple template with a pattern bit (spiral to prevent chipout)

Now these next steps are not necessary but it's something I do. At this point I bind the soundhole. I wish it was half as easy as it looks. It's very tricky to get the ends to work out the way they should.

And the bound soundhole:

From this point I go to the bender. I have a little plug that goes into the soundhole to help prevent the binding from pulling away during the bend. Other than that, it's a traditional bend.
Hope that helps.

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Guitar Building = Continuous Improvement Process

The instruction text above is from Paul Woolson's tutorial...Still can't download the photo's that go with it sorry>

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Guitar Building = Continuous Improvement Process

Boy, I would have thought that cutting the hole before bending would be begging a break. What do I know? Anybody cut the sound port after bending? What tool do you use?

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

I do it after the sides are bent and glued together. All done by hand with files and sandpaper.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I use an electric drill & a file, making sure there's an extra lamination of wood where the soundport is.

Saw a picture of Mario's (Grumpy on the OLF) soundport, that featured a number of laminations; when filed and sanded into the soundport there were laminated stripes bordering the hole, a great design idea.

I would show you the pic if I could get on the MIMF........

Tony Karol had a post about a jig for cutting the soundport on a closed body. The same jig (with variant) can be used to cut end wedge recesses.
After a few 'no results', I got the search to find it:
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=13827

Cheers
John

I cut the ports after the sides are bent and the liners are in. These days I'm using an inside patch of cross grain wood, such as cedro or willow, also fitted and glued before drilling. I made a pair of blocks that fit the curve of the sides, inside and out, and clamp them in place. I drill the hole through the blocks and the side with a Forstner bit. I've been turning a trim ring on a mandrill, and wrapping it with layers of veneer. It is slightly conic on the outside, and I wrap it with sandpaper to trim the hole to get it to fit, then glue it in. I like to have a 'finished' look on these things.

John, thanks I like Tony's sound port jig - real cool

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA