More frustration - Jointing back plates

With my practice neck complete and a new neck blank on order I moved on to jointing the back plates together.

How hard can it be to create 2 straight edges and glue two piece of wood together? If you are ME then its extremely difficult. (hahaha).

I started by using the "shooting" method outlined in the Cumpiano & Natelson book. I was able to get to a point when it would appear that I had a straight edge, but upon candling the joint was dissappointed to see gaps all along the seam.

Next, I tried a simplier approach, sanding, fool proof. (according to the DVD it is). Just take a straight edged piece of wood, attach sandpaper across its length and slide the sandpaper across the edges.  This failed too!! It definitely gave better results than the "shooting" method but still not perfect - a few smallish gaps.

I spent a few hours trying both methods with no improvement in the resulting joint. With frustration levels very high at this point especially after what happened last week with the neck it was time to drive home and plan the next angle of attack...

(Im starting to thinking about throwing the in towel and selling all the guitar building stuff on ebay and just stick to playing)

Construction begins - Neck

After measuring and marking the neck ready for the 14 degree scarf joint cut and checking and triple checking my measurements I was ready to make my first cut into a nice New Guinea rosewood neck blank.

Weapon of choice for the first cut was a Japanese handsaw as it produces fine smooth cut line  (0.5mm wide).

I began cutting slowly and deliberately keeping the cut adjacent the pencil line. Approximately 50% through the cut  I could cut no further - failed to note the ridge across the top of the saw blade (attaches the blade to the saw handle). I was kicking myself for forgetting that detail so I continued the cut from the otherside.
The cut was a mess as they didnt meet up exactly so a bit of smoothing was required..

No matter how hard I tried I could not get the scarf joint to sit flush. After using a block plane, handheld sanding block and a flat sanding board nothing was working. So to "solve" the problem I decided to take to the edges with the bandsaw to get a straighter edge for joining. The result was better but not perfect or even close to acceptable but I glued the scarf joint resigned to the fact that the neck was going to be a disaster.

Failed scarf joint - both sides.

In using the bandsaw to "smooth" the edges I had inadventantly shortened the length of the headstock to the point where I could just fit the tuners and no room for the top of the headstock. If the neck wasnt a write-off before it certainly was now - crappy joint and a headstock that would have to be left flat/square, no room for a nice scrolling headstock pattern.

I was soooooo frustrated it was time for a beer. What a difference a beer makes, everything became clearer. I decided this disaster of a neck was going to be my practice neck. I made a few measurements to calculate how much extra wood was required (+ extra for further mistakes) to increase the headstock to its correct size and glued on the "missing" length.

"Practice" neck complete. This neck will be used as a dry run for drilling tuner holes, carving headstock shape and string cutouts..etc.

The reason I failed miserably getting the joint smoothed was due to a few factors:
1. Block plane was not sharp enough - occassionally dug into the wood.
2. Hand held sanding block isnt a great idea with such a small surface area - difficult to keep even pressure and you run of the sides of the joint rounding them.
3. Sanding board failed as you need even pressure and must maintain the angle. I failed in both areas causing the thin ends to become rounded, so when place together to form the joint it created a 1mm gap.

EDIT: Ive since realised that all that is required to smooth the scarf joint is A SHARP block plane.

My order arrived

On Tuesday (17/11) I took delivery of the materials that will (hopefully) become a guitar.


(Ebony fretboard, Englemann spruce (AAA) soundboard, Indian rosewood (AAA) back 'n sides, New Guinea rosewood neck, Indian rosewood bridge and headstock veneer and misc items (kerfing, purflings, glue, nut/saddle..etc)).

During the week I also picked up some Gotoh tuners on ebay for $40 (new) + postage and a rosette from LMI.

Started Solera..

aving ordered the inventory for the guitar I made a start on the solera.

Before getting started on the construction made a trip to Officeworks to photocopy and enlarge the 1/2 scale plantila plan (Courtnall). I was surprise that the plans when increased to scale dont fit on A3 so I ended up having to stick to "halves" together to get a complete plan.

A trip to Bunnings (local hardware chain) was in order as I required timbre for the solera.

Materials/tools purchased:

1 - MDF (600mm X 900mm x 16mm) - for the solera

1 - 120 grit sandpaper (roll) - sanding out the 2mm dome for the soundboard

4 - Pine 700m x 65mm x 40mm - 1-2 for the rib blocks and soundhole clamp , the other 2 were for sanding block or practicing cutting of the neck scaf joint.

1 - 1000mm Steel ruler - straight edge and to create curves for sanding blocks...etc

Cutting a 2mm dome in MDF is bloody hard work!!!

 

I found that for the initial roughing of the dome that a spoke shave worked best. I tried various rasps, files and a block plane with very limited success.

Using a combination of the spoke shave, a homemade 2mm curved sanding block and a straight edge (steel rule) , after what seemed like 2-3hrs (actually just under 45mins) the dome was complete.

 
(Solera Design from Courtnall - The image obtained from a Delcamp.net thread)

Time to use the bandsaw. I needed to cut out the shape of the solera which obviously requires curves. Id only previously used the bandsaw to do straight cuts and was unsure how I would go cutting curves.
I was reasonably pleased with the results, a couple of uneven spots due to the neck section hitting the side of the bandsaw (lack of awareness on my part) but was able to sand most of them out.



I still need to plane the neck relief ramp and seal the solera with some varnish and it will be ready for use.

Materials Ordered

I took what I consider the first real step to starting the guitar today by placing my order for the woods and various odds and ends.

Items purchased:

Titebond Glue
Soundboard Blanks - Engleman Spruce AAA Grade
AAA grade East Indian Rosewood
Acoustic Guitar neck Blank-New Guinea Rosewood
2 x Purflings - WoodMulticoloured Colour Brown/White/Yellow
2 x Bracewood Blanks Spruce
5 x Kerfed Lining
1 x Bridge BlankEast Indian Rosewood
1 x Bone Nut Blank for Acoustic
1 x 1/8" Wide Bone Saddle Blank
1 x Fret Wire (HW-F)

I didnt like the rosettes available and im unsure about the bindings so ill ordered them later.. Im sure I will need other materials and tools as i progress. I should receive the consignment early next week and if all goes well I will start building later in the week.

Going Traditional...

After getting some informative replies from the members of Delcamp.net I have decided to build with traditional tonewoods. There are enough variables as it is just using traditional woods without introducting the complexities of  different woods.

Im planning on ordering the following materials in the next few days from Guitarwoods.com.au :

Englemann Spruce - Soundboard
Indian Rosewood  - Back and Sides
New Guinea Rosewood - Neck
Ebony - Fretboard
Rosewood - Headstock veneer
Misc - (Fretwire, glue, bindings, Purflings,Rosette ...etc).

I had initially penciled in Sitka Spruce for the soundboard (not sure why) but again was informed that Sitka was not a good idea for first guitar as it has some dampening properties which other spruces dont have - (Delcamp.net ). So on that advice I changed to Englemann spruce. German spruce was another option that was recommended but due to the cost decided on Englemann spruce.

Australian Tonewoods

Ive started to think about the woods I will use for my first guitar. I wanting to use Australian tonewoods e.g. Tasmanian Blackwood (Back 'n sides), King William Pine (Soundboard), Queensland Maple (neck) and Gidgee (fretboard/bridge)..

I know Blackwood/Koa has been used in classical guitars before but I have not heard on King William Pine being used. I know King William Pine has been used for other instruments and steel string guitars but not the classical guitar.

I did a bit of searching on the Net and found a few reference to King William Pine and classical guitars. Basically according to the experts King William Pine doesnt have the cross grain strength required for classical guitar - Spruce and Cedar are superior. I do remember reading one article (cant find the link) which suggested King William Pine could be used for a classical guitar if the top was left thicker than normal and additional bracing was used.

So Im starting to wonder if using Australian woods is the best option for my first guitar.  Time to get some input from the generous members of Delcamp.net...

Information overload...

Initially I had planned to do a guitar making course but due to the cost decided to try and do it myself. After spending a few days reading the books I started to think that I should purchase the DVD set which the local guitar making school produced so I can see the techniques at work rather that a bunch or words and a handfull of pictures.

So Ive ordered:


Its a 10 DVD set (13hrs) which takes you through the entire process of making an acoustic guitar (dreadnaught). Its a shame its not a classical guitar project but many of the techniques are the same and will still learn heaps.

Should arrive in the next few days...

Books ordered

November 7th

After much search and reading of Delcamp.net about the numerous guitar building publications available I finally purchased 2 books (online).