Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey guys,

Totally pumped to join the ranks of the luthiers. I am learning under the mentorship of a semi-pro luthier.

I have started a blog about my first guitars and would love for you guys to check it out and comment on it.

Can't wait to finish my first guitar. Comments and criticisms more than welcome!

My blog can be found here: http://TrueAxeGuitars.wordpress.com

Thanks for reading!

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca

Welcome to the best source of info on the Internet re: luthery.
Will have to peruse your build blog progress.
Who are you "apprenticing" with, if not a disclosure issue?

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Hank Mauel

His name is Doug Ilton,

Based out of Oakville.

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca

Welcome Adam this is a great forum to hang out on, its good to see another Canadian join.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Welcome Adam,
x2 what Fred said, good to see another Canadian.

Glad to have you with us Adam

Welcome to OLF, Adam. You have come to the right place to get your questions answered. You may not always like the answers, but answers you'll get ......many and diverse.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Adam-
Welcome!
Nice blog/website - nice to see the traditional string/wedge method for joining plates.

Are you the 'father' or 'son' half of the duo?

Cheers
John

I am the son half of the duo. Trying to get the father to log into some of the internet forums to see all the diverse opinions and different methods of doing things.

Speaking of which what are some other ways to join tops/backs? That was just how I learned. I find it really annoying to get them candled properly especially with highly figured pieces that don't quite like being put through a jointer.

Thanks for the welcomes guys!

-A

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca

Adam-
Lots of ways to hold plates together when gluing, but it sounds like jointing the edge is what you are asking about. I think most hand builders use a hand plane and shooting board to joint the edges of plates for glue-up, though a really well set up power jointer might do the trick. The power jointer leaves a series of very small 'scallops' along the edge; a hand plane leaves an even smooth surface. With the hand plane you can take a very fine shaving from the high spots to get the joint 'rubbing' all along its length. Some people have good luck with sandpaper on a straight, square edge (like an aluminum level), which might be worth a try if you have some very wavy grain that is hard to plane.

Cheers
John

Hey fellow Canuk!
Welcome to the work of border taxes, duties, and 2-week deliveries
Seriously, welocme to the forum and the wealth of info available via search or post.

Rob

You can always buy local and avoid customs Robbie.

Welcome to the board Adam.. This forum has more information than you'll ever be able to process and some really talented luthiers willing to share their secrets (a few of them anyways).

Us Canadians have to stick together eh?

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CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

Welcome Adam from another canuck!

We should have a Canadian OLF gathering....er....

Jason, nice to see you around again.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod, you sound like one of those "...you're from Canada. You must know...." types.
Seriously, welcome Adam.

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Dave
Milton, ON

Oh Dave, don't get me started. If that were the case I'd have to be from California

No offence intended to our California friends.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Another Canuk saying hi and welcome Adam.

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.

Welcome! You'll love this forum - lots of great advice.

Well, I was just thinking about rescinding my "welcome" when I found out he was from Canada, but now for sure!
Just because we have a governor who can't speak English (Ahh-nold) and 35 million of so of the self absorbed running loose, we're not all painted with the same brush.
The sane ones post here on the OLF...are numbers are few, but we're the proud!

Hank (6th generation California Native)

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Hank Mauel

I totally agree Hank. Heck, if I wasn't a Canadian, I just might be a Californian

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

snip

"I totally agree Hank. Heck, if I wasn't a Canadian, I just might be a Californian"



Oh, I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone these days. If I didn't have all the family (parents, kids and grandkids) here, I'd be looking for new habitat out of state.
It's just not fun here anymore.

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Hank Mauel

Haha,

You guys kill me. In a good way.

Thanks for the warm welcomes!

On the topic of joining "plates", I use the power jointer then I hand plane, check via candling and then set it all up in the job and string it up. What would you use other than the string method to join them?

-A

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca

Adam-
re:candling
That's the only method I used to use, but I recently learned that the 'final' step should be to lightly press the plates together (on a flat surface like the benchtop) and then move one plate against the other (vertically)to 'feel' any areas where they don't make firm contact. It's a quick check on the visual (candling) test.

re: 'clamping'/joining plates. The string an wedge method is one of the best. If you have the 'moves' down for that, I wouldn't change.
Another method uses a plywood or other 'board' (larger than the joined top or back) with a cleat along one edge. One side of the joined plate rests against the cleat, the other side is 'clamped' with a cleat at an angle and a series of wood wedges (cut to the same angle). This method only works with plates that have straight outside edges.

One (of several) advantages of the string method is that you can easily join backs which have some angled or irregular outside edges- which seems quite common with some of the more expensive species like BRW.

You can find a number of techniques for joining plates in guitar building books- hit the local library (or Abebooks.com) for some of the older texts like Irving Sloane or David Russell Young for details on low-tech guitar building.

Cheers
John

Sweet dude! Thanks. I am going to stick with the string method then. Its easy enough and if its one of the best and most versatile then I'm going to keep doing it .

Again thanks for the welcomes guys!

-A

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Check out my site at: http://www.TrueAxeGuitars.ca