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Thnks for the correction. I know they were different but didn't pay much attention to which was which. He's got a square dish for the back and a round one for the front and that was about as far as i needed to know to keep them straight.

Or... was it the round one for the back?

It's 15' on the back and 25' on the top.

Well done, Mr. Lak. Well done indeed.


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Thanks Justin...

I guess it's been a while since i posted last....

I have a slew of pix from the tuning of the top process. I'll have to post those tonight. It was quite the interesting process. I can see that it will take a while to feel comfortable with what braces to manipulate in order to get the results one wants, though Al does have a disclaimer sign in his shop akin to: "the the wood is not bound to follow your expectations"...

I have a series of pictures of Chladni patterns and attempting to chase one down one in particular to get it to "behave".

The sign is one I copied from Carleen Hutchins, and she, as a biologist, probably picked it up in a lab setting vis a vis experimental animals, and changed the wording a little. It reads:
"It has been exhaustively demonstrated that, under rigorously controlled conditions, carefully selected pieces of organic material will do pretty much as they dang please"

Please do post the pics, Mr. Lak. I am working in my first build and threads like this one inspire new builders like myself.


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Please do post the pics, Mr. Lak. I am working in my first build and threads like this one inspire new builders like myself.


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I added a new thread dealing with the top tuning here.... viewtopic.php?f=10130&t=42854&p=566014#p566014

And Justin... stop calling me "Mr. Lak", you're making me feel freakin old! It's Rob... pleased to meet ya. Do you have a thread started on your build? I'm new at this myself so everyone's experiences are important. Have fun!!

Rob, I don't have one up yet. The next step for me is to build myself a proper workbench. I found plans for one form Fine Woodworking that has an MDF top and I've modified those a bit. Maybe I can start work on in tomorrow.

Once that is done, I'll start work on my rosette and I'll be sure to take pics and start a thread.


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So it’s been awhile since posting so here’s my updates…
I decided I'd like to add a sound port. Began with deciding where to put it and cutting a piece of willow to fit the area…

Bending it and gluing it in…

Then cutting the hole. Decided to keep it simple and it’s just a circle...

Al has some pre-made bindings for sound ports so I used one of those. Actually two of them as I crushed the first one.

The method for fitting the binding is to slip sandpaper between the binding and soundport and twisting twisting until the binding slips down to the sides. The binding is tapered. Once fit it’s cut off from the inside so not to mark up the outside.

Then it’s a matter of scraping and sanding to finish.

Next came time to close the box… first the back...

and when that was done...

The top was next...

and it's a box!!!


Lastly I started on the bindings. To date this has been the worst. Figured morado w a black/white strip. After cutting and planning to size we bound them together to prepare for the bending form.

Unfortunately the bindings didn’t like being in the form...


I remade the bindings a couple of times and tried pre-bending on the iron and while the result was better they still broke. We used Super soft II as well. So Al's going to look around and see if there's something to use in shop with less figure. (Edit: Less runout)

While waiting I cut the binding channel… first setting up blocks to keep the top level and sides vertical.

Next came the psychological preparation for taking a power tool to $600 of wood, 6 years of waiting, 5 months of Saturdays…


One of the nice things of taking a class is getting to listen to the horror stories of the other students. I don’t think they were intentionally trying to make me cry or lose my lunch but they nearly succeeded on both counts.
The nice thing to learn was how easy it could go. It was a snap! 5 minutes and both sides were done. Once the tool was set to wood the game was over and it went like butter. The only scary moment was when I hadn’t placed the box centered on the table and I hit the end of the routing jig stop and I didn’t realize it. The bump surprised me and it took me a second to realize I hadn’t screwed anything up.


Lastly, I cut and cleaned the channel for the end graft...


And that's where it was left last class... have to work this weekend so it won't be for two weeks before i get back at it... an eternity!

Thnx for looking... Rob

Lastly I started the end graft managing to get the graft channel cut…

You're doing beautiful work, Rob!

Thanks Beth. I suspect i can't do much wrong with this wood as long as i am careful.

I find it takes me back to when i was 3 or 4 and I spent all my time coloring. "Just stay between the lines", my brother would tell me, "and it will look great!".

But i do see a bunch of small mistakes that i wish i had more shop time. I sometimes feel that I am rushing too much to take advantage of the time i do get. For example, i would have liked to redo the linings either as a single strip or have taken more care in matching them so they looked continuous. Or redo the rosette as there's one glue line that will show. I know... chalk them up to being "hand made" and charge extra for it... Over all though i am pleased that i haven't managed to screw anything major up yet.

One reason for doing the liners in short sections is that we use hide glue for them: you have to clamp each section before the glue gels. There are some nifty ways of working around that, but this works well. Remember that Classical guitars built on a solera use tentellones: the top 'liner' is actually a bunch of separate little glue blocks. They work fine.

Thanks for the reminder AL. I forgot the point that we used hide glue and therefor had to use shorter sections. Still, i could have done a neater job of it. Another one of those things that will get better with experience and time.

Really nice work, Robert! You're making some fine wood look fantastic with your work!

Alex

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

Well, we'll have to see if #2 comes out as well. I won't have the tools and i won't have Al's ever watchful eye!

My teacher told me that it's always the third one that turns out the worst. You've got help on the first one, and remember what you did on the second. By the third one, you figure you've got it nailed, and get careless. After that you start to learn how to make guitars.

10 bindings later I finally got 2 that didn't crack TOO bad to use for the cutaway. I was ready to toss it all out and buy some plastic crap!! By far the most frustrating thing i have done so far. Hand bent close to the box shape and then time for gluing!!

Al likes to use fish glue for the long work time and do all 4 bindings at once and wrap 'em tight! That rubber really sucked the bindings in tight!

And I bet you got a good workout from that rubber rope. It might have been a struggle bending that wood but it's going to look great!

Matt

I've never had that much trouble bending morado.

The rope and tapes came off this morning: a pretty tight job, over all.

Bad memories tend to fade...

To be honest, I'd prefer things to go wrong while i'm in your shop. What better way to learn? I am almost disappointed that things have gone so smoothly so far.

Glad to hear it held up under all that pressure... i had a nightmare last night of it being the size of a ukelele the next time i made it up there...

I hate to see a disappointed student: would you like me to arrange a few more 'accidents'?

It's been a while since i last posted. Summer was the worst time to set aside time to get things done... but i am hoping to still finish within the "one year" timeframe Al estimated it would take me. I started at teh end of last October so i have a few weeks to go.

Without further delay... the latest batch of pictures...

The unveiling of the binding/purfling...





Then work started on the neck...

First the headstock joint... took me better part of half a day to get that joint fitted...


Then the glue up. Felt good to get the joint tight enough where no clamps were needed. Just a hand fit and let dry. (hide glue)