Official Luthiers Forum!

This is what I have on the go at the moment. I'm pretty happy how the cutaway mitered join worked out , especially considering it being a fairly light coloured wood where you can't hide much and also because it was pommele figured ,,,,,,,and Mahogany .

No visual glue line ( even with my magnifying glasses on ) and all the figuring lines up . No sandpaper used , just a very sharp blade
Craig's a happy camper

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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DES - Farwell, MI

Very nice Craig !

Very nice indeed Craig. I've not yet tried a Florentine cutaway. Can I ask how you do that? When you say: "Just a sharp blade", a sharp blade on what? How do you get the angles on the two sides to meet so perfectly?

Thanks,
Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Beautiful!

I would love some detail as well. Want to do my next with Fl. I checked out Sylvan Wells and subscribed to his private articles and if I am reading right his approach is to cut the Florentine after the standard body is built and then ben a piece of wood to replace the cut out. Maybe I mis-read.

Any chance you would provide some details to approach ?

Thanks and Beautiful Job

Well executed! I do mine like that too, I really like to see the continuity of the grain.

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

Really ? . .Crickey !,,, I haven't even told you how I do it yet !

G'day Peter , thanks for compliment. I've often admired your masterful work.

Cheers Jack , Darin, Pat , Edward and Rich.

Rich , no I certainly don't cut out a cutaway piece from a standard guitar like you've described . Hope your getting better advice than that for your $25 .

I haven't the time at this moment to describe the method I use as it's quite a lengthy process .In the middle of glueing and too many other little things on the go in the workshop .

I will reveal all when I can grab some time

Thanks fellas !

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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Very impressive, Craig!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Lookin Good I'm also curious how you pulled it off.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Well, better luck next time Craig.

Actually, that's aboot the best one I've seen, mate.
Well done you!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Appreciate that Todd , Steve and Steve

I'm flat tack again today so it might be easier to give you this link to our Australia/N.Z. forum where I have described my method

http://www.anzlf.com/viewtopic.php?t=2166

I'm happy to answer any queries you may have later

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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WOW Craig, stellar job on joinery. Some of the best I've seen!

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

Cheers Bill . I only wish the whole process wasn't quite so tricky .

I've heard it said " the more you do the easier it gets ",,,,,, hoping so anyways ..... But then again , I'll probably dream up some other idea to test my skills,,,,,,, and on it goes .........

It's all good though ain't it

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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Very nice, Craig. Definately worth gloating over!!

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http://www.casperguitar.com

I know what you mean Craig,

It does get a bit easier because as you do it more, you develop techniques that work best for you and enable you to repeat the process over and over. Over the past 3+ decades I've developed techniques as a pro woodworker that some would consider a bit unorthodox. But they work for me. And if I've learned anything over the years, it's that I'm never too old to learn something I never knew, or be taught a new way to do something to simplify tasks I had previously mastered. I reckon the only way I'll ever stop learning is to stop breathing.

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Bill Hodge


One does not simply, own enough guitars!

That is awfuly nice Craig,

I would have put money on you using a shooting board to get those results. Never thought you would do it before bending.
I do have a question. Your sound board looks quite thick and hairy. Are you thicknessing after installation? What about the rosette, are you installing that before or after installing the soundboard?

Steve.

" Hairy Soundboard " ? In Australia we'd call that "Manly" cheers Steve .
My camera appears to have made the soundboard look rather thick , but it's a 3 mm. ( that's under 1/8 " ) Sitka top . I do thin it down later on in selective areas as part of my voicing proceedure. The hairyness is just the rough edge of the spruce from trimming the overhang. No hairs when I've finished binding,I promise .
Yes , the rosette is in . It would be quite a job inlaying it after the top is glued on I'd imagine.

Agreed, A join prepared on a shooting board and sharp plane is like no other , and the only way I could think of making it invisable.

A small warning here : The side bending proceedure can often distort the sides a little . Enough to maybe upset that perfect miter you established prior to bending. In fact there are a number of steps where it could all go wrong. Just so you're aware !

I like most Florentines , but there are some that just don't float my boat . This time , I pulled in the upper bout ( on the treble side ) a little from the template line . This asymmetry has the cutaway have a more ' tucked in' look . In fact , I've been calling it a " Tucked Florentine ".
To me , it appears to flow into the body shape in a nice way . I love the curvature . For want of a better term , I think it looks rather 'sexy'

Keep up with the breathing Bill !

Ken, a little boo boo I made this evening, and will have to fix tomorrow , ceased any form of gloating I may have had . Thanks mate

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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The angle of the picture threw me off there.
I thought maybe you being on the other side of the world you might do things different. Like build the guitar and then cut down the tree?
Until I saw your "Tucked Cutaway" (copywrite and trademarked to KiwiCraig 2009), I couldn't figure out what bugged me about them. Yours looks like it follows the line of the body shape while the ones that follow the body shape look like there pointing off into oblivion.
Keep up the good work.

Steve

Yeah , we probably do things a little differently down here Steve. It ain't easy when you're working upside down on your head,,,,, , fighting off the Flys ,Mosies ,Snakes ,Spiders ,Crocs, Emus, Drop bears, Cane Toads ,Tasmanian Devils ,Camels, Wombats, Koalas ,Kangaroos and Wallabees . Not to mention the humble Kookaburra . Oh !,, A Dingo took one once Too !

The more I look at this "Tucked Florentine " , the more I like it .
Your description of why it is so pleasing to the eye is better than I could have put to words . You're right , some seem to point off to oblivion. I think you hit the nail on the head with that one.

Yes, I have the patent/copyright for the " Craig Lawrence Tucked Florentine " underway as we speak

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CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
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