sMg Guitars

January 27, 2013

I have finished installing the binding.  I’ve taken an alternative approach to this guitar.  When purfling the top with Abalam, I have, previously, installed the binding, purfling, teflon, purfling sandwich all at once.  It has been a tricky juggling process which guaranteed binding cracks, gaps, unseated purfling strips, all because I had to weave 4 different layers into the channels which were slathered with glue, then with my third hand (which I don’t have) apply the binding tape to hold it all in place.

This time, I installed the binding solo, and will clean out the glue overage, then drop the purfling, teflon, purfling sandwich into the open channel.

The photo shows the purfling strips with teflon between, and abalam in the channel after the teflon is removed.  Currently, the binding glue is drying, and a variety of cracks are being repaired under clamps.

July 3, 2012

Did a little neck work today on Uke 1201.  I used the table saw to cut the spanish heel slots and to nibble away at the heel profile.

Also for both 1202 and 1203, I installed the rosettes.  The OM has a teflon strip which is removed before pressing in the abalam.  The parlor has a pre-manufactured herringbone.

The abalam is pressed into the gap left by the teflon then flooded with CA glue.  The shell shown below will be added to the headstock to mirror what’s on the fretboard.

Before routing out the channels for the headstock shell, the plate has been glued to the headstock.

May 1, 2011

First thing this morning I took my little finger plane and smoothed the headstock down.

Since this little uke has a spanish heel, I need to route out binding channels between the top and the neck which can’t be reached by the bearing router bit.  I improvised with my dremel circle cutting jig mounted on a plate clamped to the body.

This worked well, and I proceeded to install the binding and purfling.  The bent binding came out of the bending machine almost perfect.  I only had to add a little more bend via the bending iron before proceeding.

First, the top binding and purfling was installed.  This side will also have abalam purfling, so the initial install uses teflon to create the channel to accept the abalam.

The back only has a small accent strip for the purfling.  I’ve used red to trim the binding at the sides, green for the top, and blue for the back.  Oooh, lots of different colors sure is fun.

Once the glue for the top dried, I removed the binding tape and the teflon, inserted abalam and flooded with CA glue.  Flooding will be several steps until the channel is filled and the CA glue (dried) is flush with the top.  The abalam actually rests below the surface of the top.

I’ve constructed a rosewood heel cap that will drift into the body at the back, which I will install after the CA glue dries.

April 30, 2011

This is one of my favorite parts of building:  Paua purfling.  I use abalam from the Duke of Pearl (apparently he invented abalam, which is appropriately laminated abalone).  I’ve settled on rosewood for the binding, and have prepared all the binding with red accent strips, then thinning it down to around .080″.  Four strips are sitting in the side bender overnight.  I’ll pull them out tomorrow and add more curve with the bending iron.  The channels are already cut into the body to accept the binding and purfling.  I do, however, still need to chisel out the channels where the body meets the neck.  The router bit can’t be taken too close to the neck so as to avoid putting big inappropriate divots in the neck, hence the need to chisel.

In the meantime, while the binding cures in the bender, I tackled the headstock.