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Here is the latest Luthier Tips du Jour video - In this video I talk about how to help keep the centerline of the back on center when closing the box.
This video as well as all my other videos are available via my website, http://www.obrienguitars.com/videos , LMI's website or on youtube.

Great tip, Robbie! If you don't have a drill bit that matches the nail, clip the head off of a finish nail, chuck it into the drill, and use it as a drill bit for your pinning nail.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

A great method that I will use, I had a friend who really goofed up the alignment once or maybe twice.



Conversely, If you do not have a matching pin or nail for the hole you drilled turn the bit upside down and use it for the pin

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

Robbie: Super Idea..............!! Thanks for that..!!!
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

Alex : I do this when drilling holes in fret slots for locating fingerboard. Works a treat...!!
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

One of those "why didn't I think of that?" moments!

I always save my broken 1/16" bits and use them as pins after I drill the hole.

WDITOT

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Pat

dang...that is a good one

The 1.4mm finishing nails at Ace fit a 1/16" bit as well. Great for headstock veneers too.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

McMaster Carr sells dowel pins. About 6 years ago I bought some in 1/16", 1/8", and 3/16" in stainless steel. I'm still using and re-using the original pins that I removed from the bags. I use the 1/16" for locating fret boards, 1/8" when attaching tops/backs and head plate layups. Sometimes I use the 3/16" to locate bridges.

I put some wax on them and they release easy - heck, they release easy when I forget and don't put anything on them

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Robbie - I close the box with the back (or top) sitting on the radius dish underneath the rims using the dish as a caul for clamping which means that I can't have the pin sticking up above the surface of the back. Do you know of a similar clever way to pin the back when closing the box this way?

I suppose I could pin it as in the video and then cut the nail flush with the surface, but then removing the block afterwards might be a bit of a hassle since the nail couldn't be pulled out.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

If you let the brace ends into the linings doesn't that keep it all held into place?

Yes, they do a good job of holding it all in place so I haven't had problems getting everything lined up where I want it as long as I pay close attention along the way. The ladder bracing on the back holds the back in position fine lengthwise, but I do get just a bit of free play (1/16") side-to-side. It seems that a pinning method that's as simple as the one Robbie showed would be easy insurance for keeping things exactly in position.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Use a toothpick or something similar you could just break off flush and that should do it.

I do the same with the gobar deck. I'm thinking of two blocks one on the side, the other on the back and in contact means their lined up. Or the toothpick approach. I'll try one or the other, assuming I ever get back to building another guitar.

Or drill all the way through the block and pin it from the other side.