| Official Luthiers Forum! http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/ |
|
| Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=39772 |
Page 1 of 2 |
| Author: | martintaylor [ Tue Mar 19, 2013 11:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Hi All, I am building a Blackwood dreadnought. Thought I'd post the progress here and am happy for comments/criticisms/questions etc Back and sides: NSW Blackwood Soundboard: King Billy Pine Neck: QLD Maple Fretboard: Mulga Bridge: Mulga Bindings: Gidgee Blackwood bookmatched pieces joined  Mulga Fretboard shaped to a 12inch radius  King Billy Pine soundboard (it is really similar to Western Red Cedar)  Sides 
|
|
| Author: | FishtownMike [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:47 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
I see you only build with all native Australian woods. I always wanted to do a strictly north American build myself. Finding an alternative wood for the bridge and fingerboard that equals rosewood is hard to do in America....Mike |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:37 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Hi Mike, yes I am sticking to local (Australian) woods at the moment. We are blessed to have a huge variety of timbers that are suitable as tonewoods etc There may well be a North American timber suitable but it may be unusual. There may be some luthiers here that know of something? Hope you find something. here's some updates Back bracing done (QLD Maple)  I like this NSW Blackwood it has a great tone so far. 
|
|
| Author: | douglas ingram [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Can't help thinking about a steel string guitar maker whose actual name is "Martin Taylor"! A couple of the biggest names in guitar making. Please don't tell me that your middle name is "Gibson"! |
|
| Author: | Don Williams [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
douglas ingram wrote: Can't help thinking about a steel string guitar maker whose actual name is "Martin Taylor"! A couple of the biggest names in guitar making. Please don't tell me that your middle name is "Gibson"! I was thinking along the same line...  That looks like it's going to be a nice looking instrument! |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
douglas ingram wrote: Can't help thinking about a steel string guitar maker whose actual name is "Martin Taylor"! A couple of the biggest names in guitar making. Please don't tell me that your middle name is "Gibson"! haha, yes, I cant help my birth name but it does seem I was destined to end up making guitars! And my middle name isn't guitar related (although it would be fun to change it). |
|
| Author: | Alex Kleon [ Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
martintaylor wrote: douglas ingram wrote: Can't help thinking about a steel string guitar maker whose actual name is "Martin Taylor"! A couple of the biggest names in guitar making. Please don't tell me that your middle name is "Gibson"! haha, yes, I cant help my birth name but it does seem I was destined to end up making guitars! And my middle name isn't guitar related (although it would be fun to change it). Please tell me that you have a daughter named Stella! That would be awesome, plus, its a lovely name! Alex |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:31 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
an update, been busy with real work so its been a bit slow but sides and bindings have been bent in my home made side bender. I made my bender with just parts I could get from my local hardware and I have no welding skills so had to come up with a way of clamping down. It works well.   Gidgee bindings are really nice. The observant out there may notice that I bend 5 bindings. It must be the old scout in me that makes sure I am ready for small disasters. Much easier to do it now rather than just setting up for one binding later. 
|
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:18 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
A few more pics for this build. The body is now closed! Back curve planed into the sides.  End strip roughed in.  Glueing back to sides  Back trimmed  King Billy Pine soundboard pieces joined  Making the rosette. Blackwood and Paua Shell Rosette  Soundboard bracing done  Box joined up  Gidgee bindings done 
|
|
| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Wed Apr 10, 2013 7:53 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Nice looking work. Your bindings look gapless! |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Thu Apr 11, 2013 6:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Tony_in_NYC wrote: Your bindings look gapless! Thanks Tony but the operative word here is "looks" haha I do try to get no gaps but I find that on the back around the upper bout there is always the risk of a tiny gap. I am using Gidgee for these bindings and Gidgee is really hard. I found when using Jarrah (also hard but not as hard as the Gidgee) I was able to pull the bindings in to have no gaps. If I do find any gaps I make up a sawdust (of the binding timber) and CA glue mix to fill the gaps. That seems to work pretty well. So far on this on I have only found one tiny gap on the back so all good. Just done the scarf joint for the neck. Nice and tight join. 
|
|
| Author: | fingerstyle1978 [ Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Nice build you got going there. Please tell me your headstock has "Martin Taylor" spelled out....then show it to us!!!! |
|
| Author: | WilbPorter [ Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Your scarf joint appears to be different from the way I do it. I glue the short offcut to the underside of the shaft, but now you have me wondering whether I'm doing it the wrong way. Would appreciate opinions of others on this technique. Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2 |
|
| Author: | mkellyvrod [ Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Others will respond I’m sure, but I think the generally preferred way is to have the scarf joint up on the head plate. This would allow you to cover more of the joint if you prefer. From a strength point of view it may also be preferable to have the joint located here as well. Seems like I do recall a recent build (may have been Trevor’s) where he placed the joint on the neck because he was limited by the length of the piece of wood he had available to make the neck. My preference is to place it on the headpiece, but have to admit I’ve done one with it on the neck side. I did this by accident, but I’ve saved the neck and plan on using it, because it is by far the lightest neck I’ve made (Spanish cedar), and I’d already carved the heel before I noticed where the joint was.  I’m thinking there would be more stress on the joint for a steel string at this location than on a classical, but maybe the engineers will weigh in here.Marty |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Thu Apr 25, 2013 5:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Well, almost finished. The Blackwood is coming up really nice. Neck hand shaped. I think this is my favourite bit of the build. Carving the neck with a spokeshave and files is so manual but so rewarding.  I love the Stewmac dovetail routing jig.  Neck joined to body  Does everyone make their own bridges? I do because I like to use Mulga wood. It's an Australian timber that is great for bridges, fretboards etc.  Truss rod installed. I cover it with masking tape to make sure no glue gets in.  Fretboard being glued on.  Frets done  If you don't want your bridge coming off, try this. I scratch up the soundboard and the bridge before applying the glue. If you have to remove the bridge later you still can.  And when the oil goes on we really see what this guitar will look like. 
|
|
| Author: | LarryH [ Thu Apr 25, 2013 5:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Beautiful Martin!! What's the 'oil' you are using? |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Thu Apr 25, 2013 6:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Hi Larry, I use Rustin's Danish Oil. 6 coats (light rub back with 0000 grade steel wool in between coats) and then 2 coats of U-Beaut wax. This is at the 2nd coat. and thanks! |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:34 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Thanks Filippo, I just did some research on Titebond (that Franklin International, the makers of Titebond did) and they say that their testing says what you say. So, smooth joins from me from now on! I was relying in the person that taught me and he has been building for 30 years so I bowed to his experience. That's why I love these forums, I get to hear from people with so much more experience. Martin |
|
| Author: | clucking [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 7:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Gorgeous build Martin! Your Mulga bridge and fingerboard looks a LOT like some mesquite that I have drying at the moment. Mesquite is an acacia (as I see Mulga is) that grows wild here in the American southwest like a giant weed, but is trained into big fat old trees in cities for landscaping - it's not unusual to see trunks around town about 2' wide and sometimes up to 3' and wider, but you have to be quick to get big, long, straight pieces, as it's a favorite for people to use for barbecuing and also for expensive furniture. I scored a couple of long, straight, medium-width pieces a couple of months ago that I am really excited about *trying* for fingerboard/bridges. VERY similar color to what i see in your pictures. Can you say a bit more about how easy/hard Mulga is to work, and maybe if it requires any sort of special treatment? Do you put any finish on it or leave it bare? Here's my mesquite  Here's a photo of some fresh-cut Mulga I found that to my eye looks very similar: 
|
|
| Author: | PeterF [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:02 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
martintaylor wrote: Hi Larry, I use Rustin's Danish Oil. 6 coats (light rub back with 0000 grade steel wool in between coats) and then 2 coats of U-Beaut wax. This is at the 2nd coat. and thanks! That oil finish looks great! Did you pore fill? Can you get a gloss finish or is it only satin? I might try it on mine. |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:14 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Hi Charlie, I am by no means an expert but for what it's worth, Mulga is an extremely hard wood with a tight grain. I get my Mulga from http://www.loggerheads.com.au. They kiln dry it so it is ready to use. On the bridge I oil it with the rest of the guitar but with the fretboard I just use lemon oil. It comes up great. Hi Larry, I didn't do any pore filling but I am sure it would make an even smoother finish. The final finish I use is a wax polish. I normally just polish by hand which gives a satin finish but it can be buffed to a shinier finish. I am going for a more natural(?) finish. Took the guitar outside into the sun. 
|
|
| Author: | Beth Mayer [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:16 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Wow! So you rub the oil on with a rag? Looks really great! |
|
| Author: | martintaylor [ Fri Apr 26, 2013 8:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Hi Beth, Yes, I use cotton rags to rub on the oil. I find I get a really smooth finish with it. And I don't use too much oil for each coat. The only potential problem with Danish Oil is when you are finished. You have to hang the cloths out to dry outside. Danish Oil can spontaneously combust if left in a rag tightly scrunched up and with all the combustible material in my worskshop I don't want to take any risks. I then finish the guitar with 2 coats of U-Beaut wax which really hardens up and provides a good protective finish. The other benefit is that if any repairs need to occur in the future you can just refinish the area needed without having to refinsh the whole guitar. Thanks for the compliment by the way! Martin |
|
| Author: | Beth Mayer [ Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Martin, I looked at Rustin's web site and they talk about their Danish Oil product producing the satin finish (as you described), and said to use the Teak Oil if you want a gloss finish. I wonder if the Teak would look as beautiful as the Danish Oil. Apparently these oils have some hardeners in them, and I'm wondering if it's like Tru-Oil which I've used on ukes and which has a resin hardener in it. How does your finish hold up with body chemistry and rough handling, if you don't mind my asking? |
|
| Author: | Colin North [ Sun Apr 28, 2013 2:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Build Thread: Blackwood Dreadnought |
Ouch, where's my sunglasses! Nice... |
|
| Page 1 of 2 | All times are UTC - 5 hours |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|