Members mikeSF Posted August 6, 2008 Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 i'm still watching too, meandi. great thread and thanks for letting us see all this unfold! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 Originally Posted by mikeSF i'm still watching too, meandi. great thread and thanks for letting us see all this unfold! thanks mike, it's a pleasure. b.t.w., hate to put you on the spot...but of all the beautiful guitars that the links in your sig. lead to...do you have a favorite? and...great playing on the video clip!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 yes!! i have a fingerboard. it's cut square & accurate. the saw worked great. the blade is of high quality...it's advertised as having a .023 kerf...i've had a .022 feeler guage in the slots with the board upside down & the shim stayed in place. so the frets will seat & hold very well. best thing...i cut this entire board in much less time than i would have spent cutting only one slot by hand! while the saw is out i'll get the tapering jig i just found on sale, & learn how to calculate the setting i need so i can cut the fingerboard taper. at that point i can get it glued to the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 6, 2008 Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 That looks great. I bet you breathed another sigh. Sorry to have worried you a bit. It's a trait of mine, worrying about what could possibly muck-up a otherwise perfect project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikeSF Posted August 6, 2008 Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 Originally Posted by meandi thanks mike, it's a pleasure. b.t.w., hate to put you on the spot...but of all the beautiful guitars that the links in your sig. lead to...do you have a favorite? and...great playing on the video clip!! thanks for the nice comment! as for the guitars, i love them all because they each have their positives: The Benedetto has the best acoustic sound and plays like a dream. This is my "at home" guitar, but i occasionally gig with it too. the Palen has an amazing fat amp tone and the acoustic sound is in the ballpark of the Benedetto. this is my main gigger. The natural Eastman, my "beater", comes with me if there are elements (weather, thugs, kids, etc) being encountered...it cannot compete tonewise with the above two really, but it is still amazing for only $2K. Also, i just had this one Buzz Feitenized and the intonation is pretty close to perfect. the fretwork is not great like the others, so it is not as fun to play. The orange Eastman is now sold and living a happy life in the Pacific Northwest. The Unger 16" is a laminate and totally can do the ES-175 sound if need be but is much more light and lively than any Gibson. I usually keep flatwounds on this one and rounds on the others. I also take this to any gig with a drummer who uses sticks (instead of brushes). I originally bought this expecting to use it only until my Palen was ready, but I got attached to it. I still plan to sell it at some point. here's that pic again: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 Originally Posted by mjuenem That looks great. I bet you breathed another sigh. Sorry to have worried you a bit. It's a trait of mine, worrying about what could possibly muck-up a otherwise perfect project. i did have another sigh... as i said, i'm glad you brought the subject up when you did. it is a piece of equipment that i am not familiar with & i'd much rather do a little bit of diagnostics than to go in blind & have to trash a very nice piece of wood if there had been a problem with the saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 6, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 6, 2008 Originally Posted by mikeSF thanks for the nice comment! as for the guitars, i love them all because they each have their positives: The Benedetto has the best acoustic sound and plays like a dream. This is my "at home" guitar, but i occasionally gig with it too. the Palen has an amazing fat amp tone and the acoustic sound is in the ballpark of the Benedetto. this is my main gigger. The natural Eastman, my "beater", comes with me if there are elements (weather, thugs, kids, etc) being encountered...it cannot compete tonewise with the above two really, but it is still amazing for only $2K. Also, i just had this one Buzz Feitenized and the intonation is pretty close to perfect. the fretwork is not great like the others, so it is not as fun to play. The orange Eastman is now sold and living a happy life in the Pacific Northwest. The Unger 16" is a laminate and totally can do the ES-175 sound if need be but is much more light and lively than any Gibson. I usually keep flatwounds on this one and rounds on the others. I also take this to any gig with a drummer who uses sticks (instead of brushes). I originally bought this expecting to use it only until my Palen was ready, but I got attached to it. I still plan to sell it at some point. here's that pic again: that is indeed a most impressive collection. i do notice on most of the contemporary archtops i see that they all have the benedetto style ebony tailpiece. he has no doubt had a profound effect on the archtop guitar as we know it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 the next thing i want to accomplish for the guitar is the tapering of the fingerboard. on all my previous builds i've laid the taper out on the fingerboard & cut it slightly large on the bandsaw. then i'd have to take it to the beltsander & clean up the teeth marks as well as the inevitable waver in the cut line from feeding it by hand. the use of the tapering jig should eliminate that wasted time now that i have the table saw. to do all of this, i need an adjustable fence for the saw. i chose this old aluminum level as the fence itself, as it's long enough to continue the reference off of the platform & is dead straight. my original intent was to simply clamp it in place as in the front, but as it turns out the platform is flush with the back panel of the saw. i thought, "well i'll just take that panel off to gain access to the platform with my clamp". turns out the panel is also the stand that supports the saw itself, eliminating that as a possibility. so i improvised these as a solution. this will work well i think. it allows me to get the fence close to the blade so i may, for example, use the surplus spruce from my top plate wedges as material for bracing the top plate. first thing was to cut a dummy fingerboard to use as a trial run on the tapering jig to verify my layout for the taper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 7, 2008 Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 That looks better to me. Your first pic scared me with only a wingnut on your angle square holding your neck from disaster (I would of jammed a chunk of wood between the jaws after setup). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MahaloVision Posted August 7, 2008 Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 Those type of tapering jigs work well, but I just never got comfortable using them. On mine, I use a cutoff sled with a runner in the miter slot and hold down clamps to keep the fingerboard in place. Align the marks on the fingerboard to the sled edge, run it through, and you're done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 Originally Posted by mjuenem That looks better to me. Your first pic scared me with only a wingnut on your angle square holding your neck from disaster (I would of jammed a chunk of wood between the jaws after setup). that photo was of after cuting the template fingerboard from the plywood sheet. i did use the tapering jig for the taper cuts. the wing nut has a toothed washer between it & the jig...& i have very strong hands to tighten with. believe me, i jammed around on it to make sure it wouldn't slip. Originally Posted by MahaloVision Those type of tapering jigs work well, but I just never got comfortable using them. On mine, I use a cutoff sled with a runner in the miter slot and hold down clamps to keep the fingerboard in place. Align the marks on the fingerboard to the sled edge, run it through, and you're done. yes, it worked very well...easy to set up, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 layout on the template fingerboard...12th fret position is marked as it is 3/8" wider than nut width. that is my reference for establishing the taper. got it set up, made the cut, checked for accuracy & made the cut on the ebony. flipped it over, set it up for the 2nd cut, cut the template & then the ebony. just a hair outside the lines...that's good, as the neck will be cut to match the taper once the fingerboard is centered & glued...this will give me just a little to work with while dressing the neck/fingerboard on the beltsander at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 7, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 7, 2008 mahogany marker dots in place. i like the organic look of using wood for this over other materials. cut the dots with a 1/4" plug cutter & pop them loose with a screwdriver. put a drop of super glue in the bottom of the hole, seat the plug with the hammer & then another drop of glue which flows around the plug as it's drawn down the side. a spritz of accelerator & on the belt sander to knock them down flush &... ...it's ready to be glued to the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HoldingZero Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 This is the first time I've ever seen the process of building a guitar and you've completely drawn me into this thread and I find myself checking in on it every day. Thanks for your effort not only on the guitar, but also the time you take to keep this thread updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 It really is like sculpting. You start with a pile of wood and you carefully remove all of that which doesn't look like a guitar. Then additionally you remove lots of hidden wood for tonal reasons and add finishing touches for style. I am the same as most of us voyeurs, I check at least twice a day and am continually surprised at how much progress you have made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 Originally Posted by HoldingZero This is the first time I've ever seen the process of building a guitar and you've completely drawn me into this thread and I find myself checking in on it every day. Thanks for your effort not only on the guitar, but also the time you take to keep this thread updated. well, it's my first acoustic build, so we're both experiencing something new...& thats exciting for me...new happenings & understandings. and i must say, building a viable archtop is a work of precision! every day that i work on this thing, i gain new respect for the builders who have mastered the art & i find it a worthy challenge to aspire/study/work to match them. in fact, i find i've been studying the one in progress & and contemplating how many i'll have to build to actually produce a master grade instrument. but i can't focus too long on guitar #5, or#10...i have to pay attention to #1 & when #2 begins, focus simply on making #2 more refined than the one before...& let #10 take care of itself when it finally gets here...the zen philosophy of enjoying the journey as well as the destination. Originally Posted by mjuenem It really is like sculpting. You start with a pile of wood and you carefully remove all of that which doesn't look like a guitar. Then additionally you remove lots of hidden wood for tonal reasons and add finishing touches for style. I am the same as most of us voyeurs, I check at least twice a day and am continually surprised at how much progress you have made. that is very well said, sir! it is indeed sculpture....and more... the bits got here & are very nice, thanks again. you declined being paid for them, could i at least return your postage to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 8, 2008 Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 Nahh, you are cheap entertainment for the lot of us. The postage is the least I can give for the daily view of something many of us wish we could do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 fair 'nuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 the fingerboard has been centered on the neck using the all important centerline references which have been in place from the beginning. derived originally from the center seam of the neck at its glue-up. holes the same dimension as the width of the fret slots have been drilled through the bottoms of several fret slots & same sized brad nails have been tapped into the top of the neck as the primary locatior device for the glue-up. the first few fingerboards i glued on were nightmares...what with them slippering around on the glue film while i was trying to get clamps in place. i always managed to get the job done...but man so much simpler now. notched the template fingerboard to accomodate the brads & using it as a clamping caul on the job. back of the neck is protected with maple pads to protect it from clamp divits. difficult to see, but i tucked a bit of celophane tape over the threads on the truss rod & down into the sides of the t.r. channel to keep them glue free. done deal...clean up the ozze out with a damp rag & let it dry for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 8, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 8, 2008 aw right now...thaaat there's purdy! i'm smiling big-time. tighter radius seem to hold their exact shape very well. while the larger bends seem to be a bit springy...it was the same with benedettos work on the video, so not concerned about it. get the neck block in place & a 4" wide tailblock glued across there it'll be ok. i need to order some lining material & get some side braces cut. also in the next day or so, going to do the center join on a couple of the spruce wedges & start thinking about a top plate for this thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 9, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2008 just finished tapering the neck to the fingerboard. i was looking at the glue line between the neck extension & the neck itself... glue line is nice & tight & that's good. color of the woods is slightly different, but i think when i get the staining done it will be less noticable. cut slightly large for dressing on the belt sander...a little room to move in is desirable as i want to maintain a 90 deg. between the side of the neck heel & the top of the fingerboard. when i made the cuts the neck was sitting on the base of the neck heel, which is a small area, & it's possible it may have rocked a bit in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 9, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2008 anyone know of a good product for dying bone permanently black? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 9, 2008 Members Share Posted August 9, 2008 Originally Posted by meandi anyone know of a good product for dying bone permanently black? I haven't a clue, but I would give the clothing dye RIT a go. It works best with hot water and also by adding salt, I believe. We found that egg dye (eggshells being somewhat similar to bone) also works best hot and with white vinegar added. I would test both of these and be sure to try with the dye and white vinegar instead of water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members meandi Posted August 9, 2008 Author Members Share Posted August 9, 2008 thanks.you are turning out to be quite a wealth of information in a broad variety of subjects.i'm wanting to dye my nut/saddle to blend in with the hardware & dark color of the ebony.i could spray them flat black, but would prefer visually that the coloring not be a coating, but rather be "within" the bone, if you will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mjuenem Posted August 10, 2008 Members Share Posted August 10, 2008 Originally Posted by meandi thanks. you are turning out to be quite a wealth of information in a broad variety of subjects. i'm wanting to dye my nut/saddle to blend in with the hardware & dark color of the ebony. i could spray them flat black, but would prefer visually that the coloring not be a coating, but rather be "within" the bone, if you will. I know what you mean. Painted-on looks cheaper than the color coming from within. Vinegar softens the egg shell a bit so the color sinks in. I would make sure that the bone hardens again after being rinsed. I would assume that is so. Try the vinegar with both the RIT and also egg dye. The saltwater mix that RIT recommends works best with textiles, but you may want to try it as well. As I recollect, when you mix all the egg dyes you get pretty close to black - might work even better leaving light colors like yellow out of the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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