Moderators daddymack Posted September 6, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 6, 2023 3 hours ago, kwakatak said: Ok. I just gotta sharpen my chisels and scallop the braces on the top. you told us that back in May...I'm jus'sayin'... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 6, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 6, 2023 9 hours ago, daddymack said: you told us that back in May...I'm jus'sayin'... Sorry. My marble bag has a rip in it 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 7, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2023 OK, in all seriousness this is a step that has no do overs and I want to be conservative. I am also only still just learning the voicing process. I went a little too far with the last build and am having visions of the chisel biting in a little too steep. If anything, this one is already pretty lightly braced with 1/4" braces so maybe doing less already leads to it being more? I could conceivably just glue it all up now and chalk it up to learning. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 8, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 8, 2023 On 9/7/2023 at 5:19 AM, kwakatak said: OK, in all seriousness this is a step that has no do overs and I want to be conservative. I am also only still just learning the voicing process. I went a little too far with the last build and am having visions of the chisel biting in a little too steep. If anything, this one is already pretty lightly braced with 1/4" braces so maybe doing less already leads to it being more? I could conceivably just glue it all up now and chalk it up to learning. how much scalloping were you considering? I learned many years ago that less is often actually more, in many things, but I do not build acoustic guitars [I just fix them...and even that only up to a point] I also learned many years ago that wood chisels can be potentially hazardous to the user and the usee....and unforgiving. This is your build, and my intent was not to rush you to complete, but to continue on with the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 8, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 8, 2023 1 hour ago, daddymack said: how much scalloping were you considering? I learned many years ago that less is often actually more, in many things, but I do not build acoustic guitars [I just fix them...and even that only up to a point] I also learned many years ago that wood chisels can be potentially hazardous to the user and the usee....and unforgiving. This is your build, and my intent was not to rush you to complete, but to continue on with the process. I have the StewMac plans for the 00 and 000 - and the herringbone dread somewhere around here, as well as the Medium Jumbo plans that I used for Nos. 1 & 2. The 000 plans don't have a profile of how the braces should be scalloped but the 00 plans do and the height of the low point of the scallop is 7mm. The difference is that the 00 is only 14" across the lower bout whereas the 000 is 15" so I have to guesstimate. I hear ya though: too much talking, not enough doing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 11, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 11, 2023 OK, I did it. The tap tone is noticeably lower in pitch but still has a bit of sustain. This is by no means a scientific observation. Pay no attention to the split in the top down by the lower face tone bar...it'll close up!😢 I feel like I went too low but I'm moving forward when time permits and intend to get more practice in. I don't think I'd get preshaped bracing again. I need to glue in a piece of cloth on the lap joint on the X brace. On my first two I started with a squared profile and put a piece of wood over the lap joint. All in all, I'm telling myself that there's only room for improvement with future builds and I need to build more after this to get practice in order to build discipline in my process and confidence in my abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 20, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 20, 2023 In order to attach the top I have to make grooves in the sides where some of the braces will pass through and lock the top into position. Using the flashlight on my cell phone and sticking it in the soundhole i did a dry fit with go bars to hold the top in position but I was still getting gaps. I’ve addressed that but have one more thing to do… There’s a gap in the lap joint on the main X brace that I’m concerned will be a weak point and I’m searching online for a solution. This differs from my first two when I carved the profile of the braces after gluing them to the top One solution is to saturate a patch of terry cloth with AR glue. This is what older Martins have. Another is to create a putty out of wood and fill the openings, then glue a piece of spruce atop the gap the reinforce it - just as I did with my first two. Which do you prefer? I’m leaning toward the cloth and a wooden cap. It would affect the tap tone though and I like the this top rings right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 20, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 20, 2023 my preference is which will sound better...yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 22, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 22, 2023 I went with the terry cloth patch and the tap tone was strong. I glued the soundboard on to the sides this evening. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 22, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 22, 2023 Pics or it didn’t happen I suppose! I took videos of the occasion too so you get to see my indecisiveness in action. I need to edit them though. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 22, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 22, 2023 (edited) I cleaned up the rough carving on the braces. Here’s a picture of the boat: Here are all the bits and pieces. The back goes on next. Edited September 22, 2023 by kwakatak 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 23, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 23, 2023 I’m dry fitting the back to see if I need to address any high spots. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 27, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 27, 2023 (edited) I’m kicking myself for not buying the radius dish sooner. The back needs to be a dome but it’s a potato chip that I don’t want to crumble under the stress. OTOH stress = tension and tension = tone I know I’ve been at this awhile guys, but thanks for the likes. It encourages me to push through this. I know I’ve been treating this thread like a blog but really it’s been a journal where I can think things out through the writing process. I need to do that someplace else, like Instagram or YouTube or Wordpress. I do this here because of the community, such as it is. Edited September 27, 2023 by kwakatak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 27, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 27, 2023 we are here for you! lol @ 'potato chip'..... you are welcome to 'blog'....ain't much else going on here...I have my own 'blog' thread in 'Cool Jam' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 28, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2023 8 hours ago, daddymack said: we are here for you! lol @ 'potato chip'..... you are welcome to 'blog'....ain't much else going on here...I have my own 'blog' thread in 'Cool Jam' Yeah, "potato chip"; it's only bent one way because I didn't sand the underside of the braces on a radius dish. I need to replace at least two of the four ladder braces on the back and sand their undersides so that they bend the back toward the blocks inside the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 28, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2023 I’m working the problem. I have a little bit of spare brace stock; enough to make one brace. I need the back to deform most around the tail block, so I will replace the largest ladder brace in that area. Here are pics of the problem: Note the arc on the glue surfaces of the neck and tail blocks yet the length of the back is straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 28, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2023 So I’m cutting a new brace with a 15’ radius and sanding the underside on the radius dish so that it creates a decimation along the length of the plate in that area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 28, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 28, 2023 Looks like you got it about right now. Are you replacing the two lower braces, or the two outermost to accommodate the glue block arc?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 28, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 28, 2023 1 hour ago, daddymack said: Looks like you got it about right now. Are you replacing the two lower braces, or the two outermost to accommodate the glue block arc?? Just the one closest to the tail block. I only have enough wood for that. I need to stock up on materials and may buy 3 billets of brace wood. I'm geared up to cut my own braces now; table saw, band saw, drum sander. radius dish, etc. . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted September 29, 2023 Moderators Share Posted September 29, 2023 3 hours ago, kwakatak said: Just the one closest to the tail block. I only have enough wood for that. I need to stock up on materials and may buy 3 billets of brace wood. I'm geared up to cut my own braces now; table saw, band saw, drum sander. radius dish, etc. . Okay, I hope that de-chips your potato, or however you want to explain it.... The radius dish is going to save you a lot of agony in the future! I'd just like to tell you that observing your builds has been educational. I have learned that I will not build my own acoustic. There is great value in that knowledge, as I am often tempted to try it, but now, armed with the practical information you have imparted here, I am thoroughly convinced I would not have the patience. I will stick to instrument repairs. And things like landscaping ... If you should ever decide to sell any of your works, I might be interested, just to be able to say I watched you do it on line.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted September 29, 2023 Author Members Share Posted September 29, 2023 Lol. FWIW patience comes naturally for me because I’m a chronic procrastinator. I have plans to do another 3 in the coming years: - a Martin-style 00-18 - a Martin style HD-28 with an Adi top - another medium jumbo like my first two, but with a cedar top, EIR back and sides and a cutaway. I have to make a new bending form though for the cutaway Along the way I’ll be refining the process to forestall making the same mistakes. I’ve also started keeping a spreadsheet for No. 4 so that I can track the costs of materials. I don’t know what to charge but it’ll be a couple of years before I have something I’d feel comfortable charging more than cost of materials …but I’m getting ahead of myself I spent less than an hour chiseling off that brace and another glue making the replacement. The plan for tomorrow is to glue it on once the surfaces are prepped for gluing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted October 12, 2023 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2023 My wife had to fly to Carlsbad CA this week for work and my 16yo passed his driver’s test so I’ve been throwing myself into this this week. I think I’m ready to close the box today before it becomes Friday the Thirteenth. I’ve been watching Robbie O’Brien videos for LMI for how to glue down the back and a complete build video by Michael Bashkin for StewMac. I’ve whittled away at the mass on the back plate and braces and the last dry fit shows promise. Let’s go! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted October 12, 2023 Moderators Share Posted October 12, 2023 Git'er dun! Sounds like you are motivated! Carlsbad is very nice this time of year [well, anywhere is pretty much nicer that Joisey, right?]....if you had gone along, I would have driven down for a meet'n'greet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted October 13, 2023 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2023 (edited) The back is on. I'd hoped to tape up the 4 binding strips together so that I could bend them on my DIY bending machine - but I don't have any g******* tape! ALl the more reason to go to the local Woodcraft tomorrow and see if they have anything I could use. Edited October 13, 2023 by kwakatak 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted October 13, 2023 Moderators Share Posted October 13, 2023 Tape? This is the digital age! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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