Here is #4 and #5 all finished!

I got a fair amount done this weekend. I was in and out of the shop about 100 times trying not to snuff my fatherly duties.

Although #4 is technically strung up, I still have to level the frets (there is lots of buzzing), sand the nut and saddle to final shape, and then notch the bridge-holes for the strings. On #5 I am refinishing the top since the tap I use for masking damages it (for some odd reason). I still have to scrap a spot for the bridge, install a finished bridge, level the frets, do setup, strings, etc etc. I am definatly in the home-stretch, but I have a lot to do still.

Pictures!

I got some work done over Memorial Day weekend. Overall it was a great weekend. I got to spend time with some family AND get some work done in the garage.

Pics!

The end is quite near. I just have to take it slow and take my time. Usually around this time, I start rushing to just get the job done. I cut corners and adopt the “good enough” attitude. Not this time!

My wife took off to a women’s retreat for a day and took the little one with her. Daddy got LOTS of work done 🙂

Here is a photo dump from the weekend.

I’ve been able to make into the shop in little 20-30 minute increments. I get a few things done here and there, so the progress is slow. But it’s coming along.

Pic’s aren’t that great this week, sorry!

After getting some rest on my sick day, I spent some time in the shop. I didn’t get a ton of stuff done, but I did slot two fingerboards, inlayed one of them, scarf-jointed and finished the stacked heel for a neck, glued on the headplates aaaaaannd…. I think that’s it. Here are some pics.

Hey folks! I got lots of work done this weekend, seems like this one is coming together nicely. I got the box all closed up, bindings are on, final sanded and ready for pore filling (if it needs it). I got the 3-piece neck glued up too!

Pics!

Here are some pics of some more work I’ve done on #5. Oh man, I can’t wait to see this Redheart under a finish!

Next is gluing the top and bottom plate to the sides. Shouldn’t take long. The last picture is a mockup of the top on the sides.

I made it back into the shop!

Sorry for the delay! Things have been very hectic around here preparing for a baby and looking for a car. The good news is that I was able to make it into the shop over the weekend and get a little bit of work done!

I was able to get my bending rig to work relatively well. I don’t have all the mechanics installed on the rig that I want, but I still need some parts. I was just looking at it and thinking: “You know, there is no reason I can’t just use this rig with some clamps.” I had the bending slats, heating blanket, and waist caul, i just had to do it!

I really should work on finishing #4, but I remember that I still need to order a truss-rod (as my last one broke with the neck). I’ll get back to work on that this week.

Here are pictures of #5 sides being bent. Currently they are cooling down in the mold. That went WAAAAAY faster (and easier) than bending on a hot pipe. What a time saver!

How does this make sense?

Let me try to explain.

I number my guitars at the time I start them, that way I can document them as I build them.

I guess that wasn’t so hard…

I guess the point is that #6 was finished quite awhile ago, but I technically STARTED it after I started #4 and #5.

Ok, enough blabbering, here are some pictures. My goal is to finished #5 before my wife has our first baby. God knows how much time I will get for this hobby when I have a newborn…

Thoughts about #5
I am trying something a little different with the rosette. Its big and beefy, but I like the unfinished loop it has. I think it looks a lot better with the supporting ebony ring. The soundboard is western red cedar, which is a bit weaker than spruce, so I plan to over-brace it a bit. My last cedar soundboard cracked on the side after I strung it up, so I am trying to avoid that now.

Thoughts about #7
I am trying to push my design outside my typical interests on this one; hence the white and red. I love to use black in my work. so when I was trying to decide on what purfling to use on the outside of my center strip, I instinctively went for the black and red… but then I realized that I use black a lot. So to push myself in a new direction, I decided to make this a lighter guitar by using now black…. just white or red.

The wood is Khaya, I got it from a semi-local guy for a great price. I think I bought 4-sets of this stuff, so get used to it! It’s not a spectacular wood for tone, but it has lots of figure, so at least it’s pretty to look at!

The soundboard will (most likely) be western red cedar, mostly because that’s all I have at the moment. The binding will be bloodwood with red and white purfling. I don’t have any ideas on the rosette, fingerboard, bridge or inlay just yet.

Until next time!