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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:08 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:30 am
Posts: 36
First name: Tim
Last Name: Adams
State: Illinois
Country: United states
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Hey All,

Thought I'd put one of these threads up here to document my first ever build (still in progress). HUGE thanks to this forum and the wealth of information it offers. Also to Cumpiano and Kinkade's books (now the only books I can say I've ever read more than 2x in my life...)

I'm working with minimal power tools and at the very best a novice woodworker, so... it's been a learning experience to say the least.

My "shooting board" set up, jointing the top:
Image

Made two tops. I originally had grand ideas of building two guitars at the same time, but rather quickly aborted that idea. Figure I'll keep the second top as a spare until #1 is done, and if the first top makes it all the way through, it'll be the top for #2:
Image

Tiger Myrtle Rosette. This is actually take two - tried a radial rosette at first, but the rosette itself didn't make it through, so I thought I'd simplify, as it was, I still had some tear out problems...:
Image
Image

Bracing pattern laid out:
Image


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:15 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:30 am
Posts: 36
First name: Tim
Last Name: Adams
State: Illinois
Country: United states
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Gluing up the X-braces:
Image
Image

And the finger braces and tone bars. I used scrap/cut offs from the back and sheet cork as cauls to even pressure out and not damage the face of the soundboard:
Image
Image
Image

Everything glued up and ready for carving/shaping:
Image


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:27 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:30 am
Posts: 36
First name: Tim
Last Name: Adams
State: Illinois
Country: United states
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Here's a look at the back and gluing those braces up:
Image

And the back braces carved (I feel like these are still a bit high and may take them down a bit...):
Image
Image


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:29 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Tue Jun 21, 2011 10:30 am
Posts: 36
First name: Tim
Last Name: Adams
State: Illinois
Country: United states
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I keep telling myself to take more pictures... but get all busy working and forget.

Here's some pics of my first stab at carving the top braces. Though, I actually came down pretty significantly more with the tone bars and finger braces at the suggestion of the forum... and then forgot to take more pictures specifically of the bracing:
Image
Image

First shot at bending a practice side:
Image

As a quick plug - BIG props to Bob at RC Tonewoods!!! I bought some practice sides from him - as well as the B&S set and top(s). I told the gent on the phone my 'story' (noob, no bending experience) and mentioned what my materials were. without hesitation the guy said he'd make sure to include some more ambrosia maple if he had it so I could really get a feel and practice filling the beetle holes!!! Great service!

Here's the ACTUAL sides, and a look at my basic take on a "C-style" neck block:
Image
Image

And - where things currently sit. Still working on letting the braces into the linings:
Image


I'll keep this updated as I make more progress, but as it is, I'm certainly open to comments and critiques!!!

Thanks all.


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:47 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 9:42 pm
Posts: 4216
Location: Buffalo, NY
First name: Robert
Last Name: Cefalu
City: Buffalo
State: NY
Zip/Postal Code: 14217
Country: US
Looking very good so far. [:Y:] [:Y:]

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 5:47 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:17 pm
Posts: 190
First name: Raymond
Last Name: Pipkin
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I like the shooting board. That's slick. The guitar looks real nice.


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:56 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:01 pm
Posts: 1104
Location: Winfield, IL.
Hey Tim!

How's this coming along?

Steve


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:07 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:50 am
Posts: 941
Location: Ellicott City, Md - USA
First name: John
Last Name: A
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I build classicals - so this is just a question - but is that tail block a little on the large side ?

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:52 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:46 pm
Posts: 950
First name: Francis
Last Name: Richer
City: Montréal
State: Québec
Zip/Postal Code: H4G 2Z2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
John A wrote:
I build classicals - so this is just a question - but is that tail block a little on the large side ?


I guess that, structurally speaking, it is oversized. That said, someone can have other motivations (acoustical) to put some mass there, or there, or somewhere else.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars


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