Search found 1100 matches

by Bob Gramann
Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:59 pm
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Mini tuners
Replies: 5
Views: 9078

Re: Mini tuners

If you have time to wait, use japarts.ca. They order direct from Gotoh. The prices are good.
by Bob Gramann
Wed Nov 08, 2023 5:16 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Favorite Router?
Replies: 5
Views: 10473

Re: Favorite Router?

Decades ago, I tried a Harbor Freight trimmer. The runout in the shaft was so bad that the device was useless. Shy away from the cheap routers.
by Bob Gramann
Wed Nov 01, 2023 11:00 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Favorite Router?
Replies: 5
Views: 10473

Re: Favorite Router?

The one that I have that I use the most is the Ridgid cordless. I bought extra bases so that I could leave them set up for different operations and just move the motor around. It’s a light duty router. I don’t use it for truss rod slots—it would do the job but not with enough beef to satisfy me. I u...
by Bob Gramann
Tue Oct 24, 2023 7:42 pm
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Paper for label?
Replies: 7
Views: 14514

Re: Paper for label?

I use 24 lb copy paper (with an ink jet printed label) and fish glue.
by Bob Gramann
Sat Oct 14, 2023 12:59 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Fret size and capos
Replies: 1
Views: 5395

Re: Fret size and capos

If you don’t mind retuning when you put on the capo, then the frets can be any size you want. Otherwise, the shorter the fret, the less the capo will pull the string sharp. For my personal guitar, I put up with the inconvenience of retuning for a capo in return for ease of playing I get with the tal...
by Bob Gramann
Wed Sep 27, 2023 2:02 pm
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: Filling in mahogany gap.
Replies: 10
Views: 11348

Re: Filling in mahogany gap.

A few months of light exposure ought to darken the patch considerably.
by Bob Gramann
Sun Sep 17, 2023 7:46 am
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: Filling in mahogany gap.
Replies: 10
Views: 11348

Re: Filling in mahogany gap.

Nice fit. Congratulations.
by Bob Gramann
Fri Sep 08, 2023 8:53 am
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: Filling in mahogany gap.
Replies: 10
Views: 11348

Re: Filling in mahogany gap.

Yes, but much smaller and closer to the original outline so that you don’t go out to the edge. It will look better if you redo the mahogany patch as one piece rather than inlay strips. Making a template to guide the router will increase the odds of your success. You can make the template several tim...
by Bob Gramann
Thu Sep 07, 2023 10:20 pm
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: Filling in mahogany gap.
Replies: 10
Views: 11348

Re: Filling in mahogany gap.

Why not rout a little shelf around the opening and make the mahogany filler fit that rabbet? Any gaps would be the same color and wouldn’t require filler to look professional. Timbermate will look like you pushed putty in the gaps and will shrink later and leave depressions.
by Bob Gramann
Tue Sep 05, 2023 11:52 am
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder
Replies: 15
Views: 21044

Re: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder

I have purchased “Prime-Dent” and “Orthosource” flowable composits on EBay in the past. Both seem to work—it’s some kind of a UV cure binder with what seems to be glass particles embedded. You also need some curable bonding agent(I bought “Optibond”), some phosphoric acid (I got way too much for lit...
by Bob Gramann
Tue Aug 29, 2023 5:02 pm
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder
Replies: 15
Views: 21044

Re: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder

Ebay. Cheap, no problem. I don’t know who else buys it. I’ve never heard of back alley dentists. A dremel tool and a mirror, I could save a fortune on dentistry.
by Bob Gramann
Tue Aug 29, 2023 9:04 am
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder
Replies: 15
Views: 21044

Re: StewMac Nut Rescue Powder

I stayed with the dental fillings.
by Bob Gramann
Tue Jul 25, 2023 9:08 am
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Make a tight radius bending iron
Replies: 7
Views: 12629

Re: Make a tight radius bending iron

For my big one, I used a 500w charcoal lighter from Lowes. I had to get it hot and bend it to fit it in the pipe. This little cartridge (200w) was $10 on Amazon. I used to use a propane torch but went to electric to avoid the fumes.
by Bob Gramann
Sat Jul 22, 2023 4:43 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Make a tight radius bending iron
Replies: 7
Views: 12629

Re: Make a tight radius bending iron

Thank you, an even better idea.
by Bob Gramann
Fri Jul 21, 2023 10:28 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Make a tight radius bending iron
Replies: 7
Views: 12629

Re: Make a tight radius bending iron

Thank you. Sounds easy enough to do. I’ll give it a try.
by Bob Gramann
Fri Jul 21, 2023 4:10 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Make a tight radius bending iron
Replies: 7
Views: 12629

Make a tight radius bending iron

I have a 2 3/8” pipe with an electric charcoal lighter inside that I use for most of my bending. I sometimes bend tighter radiuses by heating the outside if the bend. I decided to make an iron with a tighter radius. I have the pipe and the heat cartridge shown in the picture below. Unlike the charco...
by Bob Gramann
Mon Jul 17, 2023 8:53 am
Forum: Archtop Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Neck Laminations / Deep Penetrating Stain
Replies: 9
Views: 12434

Re: Neck Laminations / Deep Penetrating Stain

You can buy dyed black holly veneer from LMI. You have to be careful to scrape both sides before you glue it, but once scraped, the glue joints hold. I think they use pressure to get the stain to penetrate.
by Bob Gramann
Sun Jun 25, 2023 2:13 pm
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Am I doing this right?
Replies: 10
Views: 6520

Re: Am I doing this right?

I usually don’t use plans but brace according to my goals at the moment. Barry’s right about bracing between the transverse and the heel block. Mine doesn’t show because I install it after I glue on the top. I use a top cutoff with the grain running at 45 degrees to the long grain of the top. It fit...
by Bob Gramann
Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:09 am
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Am I doing this right?
Replies: 10
Views: 6520

Re: Am I doing this right?

You’ll have to evaluate my comments, too. We each do things slightly differently for different reasons. I think you might want to finish it as it and see what you get. You will build more. The hard part is correlating features with results. I shoot for a little more bridgeplate thickness (.105- .110...
by Bob Gramann
Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:46 pm
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Question About Sitka
Replies: 11
Views: 14616

Re: Question About Sitka

I would flex them across the grain. The stiffer one cross-grain I would use on a larger body. The floppier one on a smaller body. 60 rpi is pretty impressive, but how it works still depends o the individual board. Any board that’s floppy I save for when I’m making a narrow body guitar where the flex...

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