Resumption

October 22, 2017

I have officially resumed building.  I retired in June from teaching and have ministering to the health care and benefits schlmazel that was necessary to make the transition from employment.  Now that I am enrolled in Medicare and supplemental insurance, I can get care for any workshop mishaps with sharp tools (both power and hand).

I have a parlor, an OM, a ukelele, and a Macaferri style guitar in the final stages of production.  I’m also mentoring my son, William, on the construction of a Stew-Mac faux Stratocaster. 

The parlor (aka 1201) and the OM (aka 1202) have experienced recent neck shaping and fretboard binding.  Most of my recent efforts have been relocating the materials, tools and jigs I use.  Mostly an effort in remembering where everything lives (which bin, which cupboard, which whatever?).  Example:  Last week I remember stumbling on a headstock template which I could use for 1202, yet, where is it?  I put things down, make a mental note, then have great difficulty finding my mental note in my mental cabinet and subsequently spend time swearing at myself. 

The upcomming challenge is to reset the neck for 1202 to remove the 14th fret bulge.  This will require careful chisel work.  I must confess my chisel work is still rudimentary; not at the skill level to which I aspire.

 

William and his Stew-Mac Stratocaster

1202: Rosewood OM with Vine fretboard inlay

Rosewood binding on fretboard for 1201

Ivroid binding for fretboard of 1202.

Happy New Year to All

December 30, 2012

This will be my last post of 2012.  Some things were accomplished in 2012, but all in all, the pace of this year’s building has ebbed in relation to previous years.  I could chalk that up to a new career teaching mathematics, but really it’s a case of shifting priorities.  I have endured a few crisis moments all around finishing with spray lacquer.  As reluctant as I was to put down the spray gun, it is for the better.  I cannot continue to subject my families health and my health to the lacquer fumes inherent with nitrocellulose lacquer application.  My options are twofold:  send guitars out for spray services ($500) or procure hard to find water based lacquer and spray with this less toxic alternative.  I’m still on the hunt for water based with mixed results.

I have been working diligently on my uke, Rachel’s parlor and Susan’s OM.  What follows is an except from recent work.

Rachel’s parlor has taken a step forward with neck shaping and fret dot design.

121230back

The fretboards for Rachel’s parlor and Susan’s OM are seen below the beautiful Myrtle back.

121230necks

The parlor neck is on top with the Cocobollo headplate.  The OM neck is shown with the rosewood headplate.

I’ve managed to shape bracing and install the back to the sides as well as lay down the top bracing for the OM.

121230beforetrim

121230aftertrim

The second picture shows the back after the scarf has been trimmed.

121230topbracing

Uke 1201 – Fretboard Installed

November 18, 2012

Uke 1201:  Frets were radiussed then cut to length and placed in a holder.  Except for fret 2 and 11, the frets were hammered into place.

121118fretlaying

The fretboard was dry fit to the neck, and index holes drilled into the 2nd and 11th fret slots to hold the board in place for gluing.

121118fretboarddryfit

Glue was applied to both the fretboard back and neck, then pressed into place using index pins.  The clamping is a big old rubber band wrapped around the neck several times.  The fretboard extention over the body is clamped down with a simple C clamp.

121118fretboardglued

Uke 1201 – Dry fit fretboard

August 27, 2012

Finished attaching top and kerfing.  Back bracing is clamped in and glued and home made back reinforcement strips have been glued in.  I tapered the neck and profiled the soundhole end.

120827fretboarddryfit

120827frontview

120827topjoinedtosides

Guitar 1002 – Fretboard Binding Heel Cap

April 22, 2012

All binding is on and trimmed.  I decided to install a rosewood heel cap and did so by routing out the heel cap material to allow installation of a maple veneer topped with rosewood cap.  The heel cap will be flush with the body.

Side dots were inserted onto the fretboard, it was trimmed to match the profile of the neck, then indexing pins were located to hold the fretboard in position while it was glued and held in place with the amazing 40 foot rubber band.

120422fretboardmount

The binding, heel cap and fretboard all meet up in various spots around the guitar.  Next steps will be to flush up all the joints and prepare for detailed finishing of all the surfaces.

120422neckfretboard

120422cutawaybinding


Guitar 1202 – Join Back, Lay In Thorn and Vine

December 22, 2011

Back to work in the shop.  I’ve done the fretboard inlay for the hybrid, and started tackling portions of guitar 1202, the Rosewood OM also known as Bob.  First, I joined the back.

111222shootingplane

111222joinrosewood

I tried using tempera paint to outline the thorn and vine inlay for the fretboard.

111222tempera

It certainly made for a clear distinction when diving in with the router to clear out the channel for the shell.  I was a bit sloppy wity the application and got too much on the shell and had to spend extra time to remove the paint from the shell before installing.

111222dryfit

Finally, using black epoxy, the shell was glued in.  Note the excess splurted over the top.  This ensures all gaps get filled, and a nice clean seam between the shell and the fretboard.

111222epoxyinlay

Uke 1101 – Fretboard Installed

May 28, 2011

Using the rubber band/index pin method, the fretboard has been installed.

110528fretboard