Search found 28 matches

by Mark Parker
Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:20 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Replacement for KMG binding jig
Replies: 3
Views: 6428

Re: Replacement for KMG binding jig

9) (No there isn't a 9 yet) The final step will be to route channels for binding. This will involve some trial and error with lots of practice runs on scrap. Basically, the micro adjuster will set the width of cut and the router will set the depth. Setting the width will be the same as the KMG, inde...
by Mark Parker
Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:20 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Replacement for KMG binding jig
Replies: 3
Views: 6428

Re: Replacement for KMG binding jig-part 2

Here are the rest of the pics and story.
by Mark Parker
Tue Sep 10, 2019 6:17 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Replacement for KMG binding jig
Replies: 3
Views: 6428

Replacement for KMG binding jig

After much 'noodling' I have come up with a derivation of the KMG jig that works well for me. It is designed to work with my form which I built following Benedetto's book with a few modifications: I made it wider to better support the jig. I added 20 carriage bolts with 3/4 x 2" spools recessed...
by Mark Parker
Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:34 pm
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Guitar to leave aboard a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands.
Replies: 14
Views: 24352

Re: Guitar to leave aboard a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands.

[quote="Barry Daniels" You could try letting the non-filled areas sit for a couple of hours under wet epoxy to give it maximum time to soak in.[/quote] That's what I did and it worked. I used the slow hardener and left it fairly thick for a while before scraping it down and now things look...
by Mark Parker
Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:39 am
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: KMG binding router 'clone'??
Replies: 11
Views: 11706

Re: KMG binding router 'clone'??

I just had what seems like a good idea. (It happens sometimes)I made my mold (the one the guitar sits inside, not the form for creating the arch) following Benedetto's book, so it is 2 1/4" tall. My sides are 2 3/4" tall (archtop guitar). When I was sanding the edges my sides and kerfing p...
by Mark Parker
Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:38 am
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: glue of choice for laminated sides
Replies: 23
Views: 30662

Re: glue of choice for laminated sides

Hi Mark, I generally work with more open grained woods when I laminate sides. My usual method is to first sand the areas of bleed through to have a uniformly smooth surface, but not so much as to remove wood (veneer). I then recoat the pieces with epoxy and squeegee it into the pores. You can use o...
by Mark Parker
Thu Aug 29, 2019 7:29 am
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: Gluing and finishing veneer
Replies: 27
Views: 26808

Re: Gluing and finishing veneer

I thought I was using a very small amount (1 pump of each, resin and hardener, West System did all 4 glue interfaces of my 5 layer laminate schedule), applied with a credit card nearly as thin as I could make it with everything still being 'wet', but the curly maple obviously has alternating side gr...
by Mark Parker
Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:56 pm
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: glue of choice for laminated sides
Replies: 23
Views: 30662

Re: glue of choice for laminated sides

I use west system epoxy. I use the plastic "backing" from cheap foam brushes to spread the epoxy on the sides. A little goes a long way, but you do want to use enough. I use wax paper on both sides of the glueup and don't worry about bleed through because I also pore fill with the same ep...
by Mark Parker
Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:48 pm
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: Gluing and finishing veneer
Replies: 27
Views: 26808

Re: Gluing and finishing veneer

The down side is that you may get some "bleed through" and need to do an epoxy fill to even things out. This makes staining the wood difficult. How did you get the epoxy fill to 'cancel out' the bleed through? I tried that on some sides I laminated out of curly maple that had pretty sever...
by Mark Parker
Wed Aug 28, 2019 3:37 pm
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Guitar to leave aboard a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands.
Replies: 14
Views: 24352

Re: Guitar to leave aboard a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands.

. On the veneer laminates I make I experience some "bleed through", but since I use an epoxy fill it isnt a problem. Why isn't it a problem? What is your technique for grain filling? I just did a set of side laminations with West System on some curly maple and got lots of bleed through. I...
by Mark Parker
Tue Aug 27, 2019 6:24 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: KMG binding router 'clone'??
Replies: 11
Views: 11706

Re: KMG binding router 'clone'??

David King wrote:http://harvestmoonguitars.com/kennethmi ... HMENT.html
The photos should give you all the detail you need to design your own version.
Yeah, I was planning on giving that a go, but if anyone had actual plans with measurements, etc., it would save a bit of trial and error.
by Mark Parker
Tue Aug 27, 2019 6:22 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: KMG binding router 'clone'??
Replies: 11
Views: 11706

Re: KMG binding router 'clone'??

Why don't you ask about this over on http://acousticguitarconstructionforum.com/. That's the late Ken C's forum that is still being maintained by some of the long time forum members. I tried to join the forum, but no one has gotten back to me to 'approve' my joining. I'm guessing it is an inactive ...
by Mark Parker
Tue Aug 27, 2019 7:25 am
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: KMG binding router 'clone'??
Replies: 11
Views: 11706

KMG binding router 'clone'??

Has any one picked up the manufacture of the KMG IA binding router attachment? Are plans available to make your own? It sure looks like the best solution to routing binding channels, especially on an arch top.
by Mark Parker
Mon Aug 26, 2019 7:55 am
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Brace a laminated back?
Replies: 9
Views: 11010

Re: Brace a laminated back?

I 'tune' the tops and backs of my archtops using Chladni patterns. I work on the thickness of the plates before cutting the holes in the tops, and try to get them to be pretty much the same in terms of pitches and mode shapes in both plates. These are, of course, the resonances that you hear as 'ta...
by Mark Parker
Sun Aug 25, 2019 10:43 am
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?
Replies: 36
Views: 48299

Re: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?

Barry Daniels wrote: May I ask, how high of an arch do you have in your plate?
About 5/8" at max (around the bridge location) FWIW, it is a 17" lower bout.
by Mark Parker
Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:08 am
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?
Replies: 36
Views: 48299

Re: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?

I would think that very difficult to joint complex molded pieces and would take away the strength you get from cross grain lay-up. FWIW, I just successfully molded a single wide piece of "cathedral" grain curly walnut into an arch. I used SuperSoft-2 to saturate the veneer, then placed it ...
by Mark Parker
Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:36 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?
Replies: 36
Views: 48299

Re: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?

I have never used Nomex. How does that change a plate compared to all wood veneer layers? As you probably know, nomex is a honeycomb structure that when incorporated into a guitar top is both very rigid and very light (it is, after all, 90+% air). There are a variety of ways of using it in a guitar...
by Mark Parker
Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:02 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?
Replies: 36
Views: 48299

Re: Tips, Tricks, Suggestion, Experience making laminated plates?

I, too, hated the stuff until I learned how to use it. If you spread Gorilla glue REAL thin, it doesn't foam. According to one 'authority' I read, it expands ~3x which is why it is great for nomex, it climbs the walls of the honeycomb just a bit to create nice filets. i use a rubber veneer glue roll...
by Mark Parker
Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:51 pm
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Brace a laminated back?
Replies: 9
Views: 11010

Re: Brace a laminated back?

Excellent analysis! It certainly makes sense to me. I have only read about Chaldini patterns, but have no experience. How do you excite the unattached plates? Am I correct that you vary the input freq until you get a stable pattern and that is considered the freq of the plate? You mention that you t...
by Mark Parker
Thu Aug 15, 2019 9:26 am
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Brace a laminated back?
Replies: 9
Views: 11010

Re: Brace a laminated back?

Acoustic. The back (and front) only have nomex in the center - basically the area inside the recurve, thus the edge is ~.100 (.02 * 5) and the center is ~.140. The nomex is sanded after the first lamination to make a gradual transition. My idea is to create a fairly rigid plate with a more flexible ...

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