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I'm on a brief hiatus from building guitars as I build some new tools/jigs for the shop. About a week ago I finished my new router table and now I've moved on to making my own shop built thickness sander. I found the plans for the Shop Notes thickness sander on the internet and set out to build it. I've tweaked it a bit, make the sanding drum a full 21.5" wide instead of the 16" it calls for in the plans. I should be able to thickness just about any size guitar back/sides/soundboard now!

Here's a pic and a very short video showing where the build currently sits. I'm running the sander off of the table saw and I was pleasantly surprised how quiet it is. Tomorrow I'll be building the dust cover and the belt/pully cover to keep everything tucked away and safe.

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Rob Flindall
Flindall Guitars
http://www.flindallguitars.com
https://www.facebook.com/FlindallGuitars

I started carving a neck and glued the veneer on the head stock. And started shaping the braces on the back of one of the dreads I'm making.

For my current two builds I decided to go with Soundports.
I laminated the SoundPort area with a layer of 0.20 maple then a layer or .0.20 black.
I did up the teardrop design in Powerpoint (sweet!) and drew a box around with the appropriate alignment marks.
I glued the template in place with school glue then cut around the teardrop with a scalpel.
Drilled out with a 1/8" bit, then routed out with a Dremel (1/16" end mill) and finish with needle files.
I am pretty chuffed - I thought these turned out pretty well:

Love those soundports!

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Our community was shaken by the sudden loss of a very talented teen. I was asked by the family to make something to adorn the casket. If you have one, love them, forgive, and whatever else, this concludes the PSA.

The wood was from a piano I reclaimed for lumber.

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

I'm French polishing my first build but I'm still a newbie and am ad libbing as I go. I've attempted to pore fill with pumice padded in with denatured alcohol but it could have gone better:





I've since sanded the back with 400 grit sandpaper and then rubbed it with a small amount of acetone. After that I worked in the pumice again and then went to 2 pound cut shellac and things are much smoother. Not glass smooth but smooth enough for a gloss finish. Now I'm attempting to do the same with the sides which are much more difficult.

Hi Robert, that is a nice touch you have added for them. Is the music from a particular tune?

I worked in God's workshop all weekend! I did get some dunnage off of a foreign Chinese Bulk carrier

The version I made with the 80/20 rails worked well, the ability to adjust the stops along the top rail is helpful. Time for some decorative pup covers.
Rob

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

I hacked out a couple of Tele necks from Mesquite and whittled out some solid body blanks from Pecan and Sycamore. Wet sanded my Explorer build and got through to the color layer, so I'm gonna spray some more lacquer on it. My garage is around 95 deg F, so I'm not too enthused to be in there.
Nice work Chris!

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Awesome fret markers Chris!
Man, that look's difficult to do.
Thanks for sharing the pix,
Dan

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