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I am currently making a template out of plexiglass and it is a half section. The flat side of the template, which is the centerline of the guitar; How does one true up that side in order to have a straight edge? I know to cut outside the line from other post and sand down to the line on the curves of the guitar, but a straight edge (on plexiglass) is the issue for me at this time. Is using a hand plane the way to go?

Also if anyone knows of a quick and adequate sized plan for making a workbench would be awesome.
Sorry about so many questions, but hopefully once I get the basics down and get started, questions will begin to answer themselves. Right now, it is so darn cold in TN (global warming) that it is hard to get out and get started.

Kevin

You could take some sandpaper and stick it to a flat surface like a table saw and sand the edge .I use that stuff stew mac sells that has stickum on the back of the sandpaper.Or you could just tape the sandpaper down.Takes a lot of elbow grease,but that`s free.
James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

Kevin,
if you have a jointer, that will work great. If not a plane and a shooting board will work. Another option would be to attach the plexiglass to a board you know is true and run it through your table saw using the true edge along your fence.

Tim

That needs to be the first step in fabricating the template because that edge is the datum for everything else. but you probably know that but I thought I throw it in for others that may not know.

Sorry I forgot to answer the work bench question.You can go to the Borg and buy a solid core door and a few 2x4`s and make a pretty decent workbench real cheap.Mine even has a shelf below the work top for storage.You`ll realize that when building guitars you`ll come up with a ton of ingenuity to save a lot of money.
James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

A diablo blade and a table saw will also do the thick.
All kind of good plans here:
http://plansnow.com/
I made mine from modifying this one. Drawers on both sides and longer , wider and lower for my comfort. The top I glued up 2 X 8s. Well, you really didn't expect me to make it the same as the plan.
http://plansnow.com/wwrkbnch.html

Template? Were it mine, I'd probably take it to work and mill the edge. At home, I'd sandwich it between some wood and clamp a straight edge like a (24" steel rule) to the top of the whole thing and use the rule as a guide for my super-duper Hitachi router along with a spiral fluted cutter say 1/4" diameter or so. IMO planing it will just take too long and you'll need to check the cut with a straight edge anyway.

Work bench? there are many plans available on the internet. Google "workbench plans"

Kevin-
About the workbench:
You don't need anything very complex- just make sure that you have something solid with enough overhang so that you can clamp jigs and fixtures to the bench.
I took a building course with Sergei deJonge a few years ago and was surprised by how simple and compact the workbenches were- the students used the same-size benches as the pros (I include the 'apprentices' in the 'pro' category- they were v. good) in the shop who were turning out amazing guitars. (well, Sergei's bench was a bit bigger than the rest... )
I got some good ideas for my shop when I was at Sergei's.
http://www.dejongeguitars.com/about-myshop.html
Note the overhead shelf which is the go-bar top deck.
You can also get some good ideas from Warren Gash's pictures from the deJonge shop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj4_IIeGPHg

Cheers
John

Awesome John.
Kevin

I was looking at lumber at Lowes and ran across this workbench plan for anyone interested. Kevin

http://www.lowes.com/cd_Build+a+Workben ... -_-22617_3

I agree with Michael - the straight edge of a template is the first thing you should work on. You can use a plastic-cutting blade in a table saw to get it straight enough normally. If you want it super-accurate, you can clamp it in a homemade jig with an inlayed precision metal straight edge and then, using a pattern routing bit in a router table, with the bearing riding on the metal straight edge, route the edge of the template so it's the same straightness as your reference straight edge. If you've already cut the curvy part of the template, you could maybe rough cut the straight edge with a bandsaw, just outside the line, then pattern route it as above, otherwise your best bet might be to start over.

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"

I'll second that!

On the workbench side of things, I built this (wihtout the optional drawers) and it is a real workhorse. Solid as a rock. I have since modified the same design to build a couple 30x24x42 versions for assembly. It is simple, cheap, and works great.
http://www.plansnow.com/weekworexvie.html

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

That's the same as mine.
You can download the plan for $5 too.