Official Luthiers Forum!

I've spent the past several weekends scrounging, cutting and gluing, (man I need more clamps!) a toolbox together. It will never win any beauty contests. It stands as a testament to the philosophy of never work while you are tired. But that was the only time I had to work on it, so I'll tolerate its unattractiveness. For this means I can start gathering up all the tools that I've squirreled away so Sweetie wouldn't know I had bought something else yet again. (Gawd, I hope I can remember where I put everything.)



Next is a bench of some sort. The hard part is figuring out what I need as opposed to what I want.

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Aoibeann

Looks pretty cool to me too. Gots to have storage.

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Looks good, Lillian. I spent my weekend learning my new camera and Apple's Aperture software, and then thanking Lance for his X-bracing tutorial. I have one of Hank Mauel's nice redwood tops braced and ready to voice, and a few guitars worth of brace blanks prepped and ready to go. I can't wait to get to carving more this week.

I think it looks good L!
I like the layout a lot!

The old "need/want paradox", I hear that!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

It's a very ergonomic and functional chest of tool drawers Lillian!

I'm like you.....I have tools squirelled away so that when I bring them out into the "open", I can say to SWMBO "Oh, that old thing, I've had that for AGES!!"

This past weekend was a busy one for me. On Friday we all went up to Chico State University for my middle son's graduation ceremony early on Saturday morning. I'm very proud of Richard - he completed his honors degree in business in under 4 years (saved me a whole bunch of money!!).



Two down, one to go.

Sunday and part of today I worked on putting the finishing touches on the neck for my first guitar. I added a koa heel cap (to match the back/sides), undercut the heel face and fitted it more closely to the body of the guitar, and did the "CG" (Cambrian Guitars) logo MOP inlay:





I've been toying with different tuners. I think the black ones (above) look better than the gold ones on this guitar. I'm not settled for sure - I have the luxury of being able to put pretty much any set on there as a last minute decision.

All I have left to do on this first one now is a) make a bridge, b) make a saddle and nut, c) spray finish the guitar, d) set it up and have it ready to play just in time for the GAL Convention in June!

Cheers,
Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Lillian,

Your tool box looks quite superb. The design is just perfect for keeping all those 'need to be at hand' tools right where they are needed and your obviously no slouch in the joinery department either.

Well done


Ooops near forgot, James nice work on the shutter and the redwood looks sweet, Hank has some great wood. Dave congrats on getting another one of the boys through the mill and on the very unshabby inlay job.

Cheers

Kim

Thank you gentlemen. It felt good to get it done and start putting tools in it. I have short days this week, so I'll have time to get some inserts set up in the draws. A place for everything and everything in its place, or something sort of like that. I don't want edges being abused because things are tumbling loose in there.

Congrats Richard! Way to go. Dave, the guitar is looking good there. I have to agree, I like the black tuners as well.

James, if you keep this up you will end up being the photographer all the luthiers want doing their shoots. Magazines will seek you out, you'll be famous. And then what are you going to do with no shop time?

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Aoibeann

I glued and radiused the kerfed lining on my first. It didn't turn out immaculate like I hoped but I learned a few things; like dried fish glue squeeze out is no fun. I also leveled my soundhole rosette.

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Jeremy Douglas

The tool storage box looks great Lillian! You do very nice work.

I spent my weekend painting a porch and window trim, ugh!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

My youngest daughter graduates high school next weekend. reception at our house. I spent the w/e powerwashing the patio, then the driveway looked sad.... Once you start you cannot stop because the part where you end is clean and next to it is grime. Any way, I can hardly move. My back is stiff, my hands vibrate and I'm picking sand out of my scalp. Glad she's the last one!

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Thanks, you two I've really enjoyed my time with it so far. I'm trying to learn two things through practice each week.

Here is the assembled rim sitting on the back for my OM #2. Started adding and shaping the braces on the bearclaw top. This part is particularly exciting. It was a very productive weekend! Cheers.

Hi All,
I'm still new here, but this is what I got done this weekend. A new 3 piece redwood top glued up, also a new side bender made. Also received my heat blanket today from Blues Creek. VERY COOL it really helps the light box. See my tests pieces

Spring back from just the lights is much greater.



The new bender with the new heat blanket as well THANKS JOHN!!



and the new test top




and also got some more fill coats on the darkside guitar. almost ready to level sand and then put the finish coats on





Thanks for looking
Mike

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I'm outside looking in, just farther from the window than most.

Howdy Lillian,
I really like your drawers....lol

I need to make something of the same as I also have tools laying all about my house. Well, this past weekend, which is Monday and Tuesday for me. I work at a prison here in Illinois and have funky weekends off. Anyway, I refretted a mandolin and shaped a vintage bone saddle on a repair job I'm doing. Have tons more I could do, but sometimes I just like to lay on the couch and watch the air molecule float by.

Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your threads.

Chuck

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Why thank you Chuck.

You know you could have a pair of drawers for yourself. They are easy to put together and work rather well. The plans included a door to cover the front. I haven't decided if I'm going to add it or not. Let me know if want a copy of the plans.

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Aoibeann

Oh Man, It is drawer building season. I have mine slated for next weekend! This weekend I got some much appreciated help resawing a bunch of stuff I have been sitting on for a long time. The highlight was cutting into my brazilian boards and finding no cracks! I also got a lot of bracing done on my new small guitar and worked on a new system for linings and built a jig to make the perpendicular linings fit in perfectly snug. A very productive weekend! This is my biggest highlight:

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Well, I'm getting close with this one. I finished the lacquer,wet sanded
and buffed it. It shouldn't be long before she's ready to string up and Play!!
Great job on the toolbox Lillian

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Id say that tool box looks pretty darned good to me - compared to my caveman-style carpentry that I performed on anything I deemed temporary in my shop...

Keep up the good work!
Cheers
Charlie

Thanks Charlie.

Its good to see you around again. Hope the moving has been going smoothly for you.

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Aoibeann

That's cool Chuck! You must have an electron microscope? I've been meaning to get one of those! You use FEM? What do you use for a power source?

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

My guess would be Chuck uses vitamin B(eer) to power his molecule observation sessions!

I finaly assembled the box yesterday, I was worried i had made the back braces too small , but it seems to be resonating o.k., I know mahogany does not project like some of the other woods.but forward progress!~ Jody

Actually, that's what makes beer yellow is vitamin B2!
Taking his vitamins, I'll have to remember that!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Wow do I see some nice work here!

Lillian your tool box looks fantastic and I am sure that it will serve you very well for many years to come.

Congrats to Richard!!!!! And Dave too! - Good going Dad!

James buddy you will have to give me an opinion on Aperture - I have been considering it but as usual I am clueless.....

Steve and Mike your latest guitars look GREAT!

Dave that L-OO looks killer!

My weekend has been very busy and I am still deep into a bunch of new home projects......

First, yesterday we dug out the driveway and started staking the forms. Hopefully, weather permitting, this will get poured this week and then it will be a week before I can drive on it.



On the right of the drive I did a test patch trying to figure out how to get grass to grow in this sand. My yard is all sand....... so much so that I half expect to find Bin Lauden hiding out here....... It's been many years since I tried to grow grass......... but so far so good. I planted the right side of the driveway a week ago and yesterday it sprouted with authority.......



I am off to go put my new weed wanker together and that should be fun to chase Sony around the house with........

Very nice tool box, Lillian... It looks like a nice size... you should be able to move it from place to place as need be. Of course... building another the same size with larger drawers would be cool... they can just stack on top of each other... of course you'll need to get more new tools to fill up those drawers.... then you can make a third one with really little drawers to go on top........ then get more tools...

long

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"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus