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how do you copy your plans to make a template for the back and top. I'm guessing theres areally simply way of doing it but sadly i cant figure it out.

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" Blues is a low down achin chill, if you ain't never had it, I hope you never will."

Robert Johnson

Go to a copy shop that and make an extra copy, then use spray adhesive to attach the plan to the template material Naptha will clean up the spray adhesie when you done.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Make several copies. I do the same thing. You can also cover the wood in carbon paper (office supply) then lay the plan down and secure it. Use a soft, blunt tool to trace the template.

Mike

I traced the brace layout on to some kitchen greaseproof paper, as I didn't have tracing paper, then traced that onto the top

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Here's my lo-fi solution. When I needed a template for making an external form for building my first guitar, I opened a drawn image of a guitar top, using MS Word. I found the drawing online. Word has a ruler along the top and side of the screen, and if you re-size the image, when you print at 100% it'll come out accurately. Since a page is only 11" long, I created half of a guitar top in two pieces and taped the two sheets together. Then I glued the shape to a piece of cardboard using my son's glue stick from his craft table. Cut it out with scissors, and voila, a template.

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"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

if you are using a set of purchased plans as appose to self drawn plans be aware The were more than likely printed on a Xerox process type printer. The Xerox process very slightly distorts the scale in one axis and it heats the media as it is being copied to. Seldom will you ever fine a plan set that has been printed via Xerox process that one axis or the other is not out a tad in relationship to the other axis. this is the axis that the paper ran through the machine. Just be aware and it should not be a problem for you. Most plans sets you buy will place a notice on the plans telling you this is possible.

A good thing to know when following plan prints

Truth is a plan set, or at least most are really is not intended to be used as templates. but rather to provide required dimensional data in the form of published dimensions (the dimensions shown on the plans) if you ever look at a set of drawing from a manufacturing company like General Dynamics, Weatherford, Stewart Stevens ect; Almost with out exception there will be a written notice somewhere close to title block that says "Do not scale this drawing" This notice is not there because the drawing was drawn out of scale. It is there because the copy/printing process can and will distort the image. the manufacturing company does not want their employees to try to determine a dimension by means of laying a scale on the face of the image. Rather it is the Engineering/ Drafting departments responsibility to provide all pertinent dimensions required on the face of the drawing so that a fabricator never needs to lay his or her scale on the drawing.

Trusting the printed image is some what risky unless you confirm the image to the published dimensions in both axis first. In fact if one of our fabricators or machinist are caught scaling an image on a drawing for the second time they are subject to dismissal.

just a tid bit to store in the back of the gray matter

How do you make a template for a guitar top from a plan without tracing it? I've never seen a technical drawing that has enough information to do this from just the printed dimensions. I suppose it is possible if the curves of the top were generated from bezier (sic?) curves and the drawing had the layout points denoted but that would be awful to actually do. If the curves were made from arcs and lines it might be easier and I have seen some plans that had that information.

Well The i can say I know of some plans that have have enough dimensional data on them to LAYOUT side profile templates based of provided dimensional data.Body molds, Well that is another matter.

But that was not my point and I think you knew that. My point was that a copy made by heat transfer process leads to a small amount of image distortion in the axis of travel through the printer the longer the print the more the error. I was just warning that you should confirm know X and y axis dimension before usinng to trace off of.

Actually, I didn't know that body layout couldn't be done. I did know that I didn't know how to do it. I usually trace the outline from the plans and live with the error. I do check to see if it is close enough. I would never take fret spacing information from a drawing or any other dimension for that matter. Sometimes, however, the information is just missing from even the best drawings. For example, I can't find the heel block and tail block thickness on the OLF SJ plans. Not that these are critical dimensions. I did lay a scale on the drawing to get an idea of when the thickness probably was.

You can get some 4 mil drawing mylar from a drafting supply, or a reprographic shop. Often they will have the end of a 36" wide roll, from the large copier, they will give you. Trace over your paper plan with a lead pencil and cut it out, all you need is a half body plan, flip it over to lay out both sides, they will be symmetrical that way. You can draw just about all the top bracing on the half plan.

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I think the concept of plans one acquires not being to scale as acceptable is copping out...sure, the exact placement of a sound hole in relation to the end of a fretboard might be considered too fine of a line to exactly scale,and also the exact placement of the bridge (as both of those depend upon the exact length of the scale being used for the fretboard), but the rest of the drawings should be within a tolerance that allows for the making of body molds and acceptable placement of all the braces and bridge plate...I mean really, why even bother spending the money if you are going to have to for all intensive purposes draw it free hand on your own?

By the way. I've never heard a truly stupid question on this forum. Questions may be repeated from time to time but I still haven't heard a stupid one.

That's not to say that there is no such thing and over the years I've gathered some favorites:

• How far apart are the mile markers?
• How many tables does it take to make a bottle of table wine?
• Would you like some more chocolate?