Official Luthiers Forum!

The newest Luthier Tips du Jour instructional video is on Youtube. The topic is the heel block and end blocks. Subtitles are available in both English and Portuguese and you can translate them into any other language by using the CC option on Youtube.
As always, comments and discussion are welcome.
Enjoy!

Thanks Robbie.
How do you like those new style of molds?

I like them. They work very well.

Great video Robbie. With those type of spreaders I would guess you need to take off before closing box? Or is there some magic way they come out through soundhole?

I use reverse kerfing on my guitars so the rims are pretty stiff. I leave the spreaders in while gluing on the back. Then I remove them when the top goes on. There is no way to remove them through the soundhole.

I wish people wouldn't call the neck or head block the heel block. I feel disoriented when I see that.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Looking good Robbie. I just glued up an end block today. Seems like I did ok. Must have had a good teacher!

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

Could you talk about grain orientation for the blocks, please.

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Wisdom is justified by her children

Bah 5 days too late for it to help with my first build but I've made mental notes for number 2 .

The grain orientation of the blocks should be the same as the sides. In other words the grain in the blocks runs parallel with the side grain.

'The neck heel will cover any gaps'.
So, do you extend the neck heel clear to the back of the guitar? I guess you'd have to to cover any gap.

On my guitars the neck heel comes flush with the binding where it meets the side and then I add a 2.5mm heel cap. This makes the total length of the heel come about halfway into the binding but not flush with the back. So, when cutting the sides and gluing them to the block if you have a slight gap it will be covered.

As in the past another great contribution to the available resources for newcomers to this great hobby.

Keep up these great videos Robbie

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Another great vid thanks

Thanks so much for posting these vids. They are truly great. I have learned many things that I didn't have to learn the "hard way". I don't know how to thank you other than offering a HUGE THANKS

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Always remember you are unique......just like everyone else.

And there is another great video Robbie.
Thanks a lot for one more addition to my growing collection of video tutorials.