Official Luthiers Forum!

This set has a thin spot in one of the sides at about 28.5". The total length is 36" and the thin area is about .020" right in the middle, the edges are .090". Should I laminate/thickness/bend or bend then laminate? If the former, what glue should I use?

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

I would go ahead and sand it to bending thickness, which for cocobolo I would recommend around 0.075 to 0.080". Bend it first, then laminate it with a matching piece of wood that is pre-bent to duplicate the curve.

_________________
John

How large is the thin spot? You could do a pointy cutaway. Sounds like just about the right place along the length to cut it out, and enough extra length that it shouldn't be a problem to lose an inch or two.

Did you buy it that way, knowing the spot was there? If this is defective from the supplier, send it back.

I have a similar cocobola side set that has a section that definitely leads to required laminating. Not so bad - I get my first experience with laminated sides (if I don't try that even before I get to these) No way I was sending it back to the supplier - it's almost the most spectacular piece of wood I have!

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

If you use a Gibson style heel and a slightly wider than usual end graft you might be able to bury the thin spot between the heel and block.
I also like Dennis's idea of saving the set for a cutaway. The thin spot could be cut out entirely.

I would send it back, it's not hard to come by nice sets of Coco.

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Deal with someone like Hibdon. Their coco has been astounding. They even replaced a side set at no charge that cracked along pin knot. No reputable dealer is going to send wood out at 0.02" period. Unless they are veneer dealers.

If you need to keep the sides, I would use on a cutaway. If you don't like the idea of totally laminating sides, just laminate the cutaway. Super easy. Just remember where the thin spot is and sand judiciously.

That's a nice back set, but the sides are just so so. I would try and get replacement sides. Mose dealers will work with you to find a decent match. Good luck!

_________________
Aaron Craig

I got this set from a friend, so returning to a dealer is not an option. The sides came from the same billet, they just haven't been sanded yet. Thanks for the suggestions.

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Cut out a sound port where the thin spot is

_________________
Alain
_______

^^X2 on This^^
At .020, I don't think you'd even be able to get it sanded without sanding through it. So a lamination is probably not going to help a lot.

Call Hibdon and see if they can round up an orphaned set of sides. Use existing wood for binding, etc.

Everyone else has given you some pretty good advice. I've been following this thread, but haven't commented. I have a few questions for you. What size guitar are you planning to build with the set? Some of the smaller guitars have side lengths less than 30" and you might be able to cut the thin section out all together. Also, how did you measure the thin spot? Are you sure it's THAT thin? How large of an area does it span? And just out of curiosity, how did it get that way? Sorry, that was a lot of questions!

_________________
sweat the small stuff.

Just to be clear, I was advising to only laminate in the thin area, not the whole side. If it is possible, place the thin end at the bottom of the guitar, where the tail block will reinforce at least part of it. Normally the tail block is a little wider than the neck block.

_________________
John

I was thinking about an OM or an L-00 for this set. The area is probably 2" in diameter and I don't know how it got there- possibly the saw blade drifting? Thanks again for the suggestions.

_________________
Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from poor judgement.

Bandsaw drift, probably. It is a common malady that I still have to be careful to avoid....and I have used the same resaw for 24 years.

_________________
John

I am with John, if you can place the side or the side that has the band saw drift on the inside, then just place a patch over the thin area. .02 is enough to keep from sanding through to the patch if you are careful. I once on a refinish almost sanded through a side. I placed a patch on the inside to reinforce the thin area and it worked out well.

_________________
http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com