MIMF

Today started with more coping: DSCN0366.jpg I wasn't totally happy with the flatness of the top so I used some offcuts to hold the top while I made another sackful of shavings: DSCN0367.jpg I then carefully marked out the pickup locations and drilled them with a 1.5mm bit in a few places: DSCN0372....

I really admire all your handwork and use of hand tools too. Cheers Mark. Though if I had a bandsaw then I'd be using it all the time! I think I would just have space for Matthias Wandel's 16" bandsaw design (http://woodgears.ca/bandsaw/homemade.html), as long as its on wheels. I might try tac...

I got impatient after 12 hours and decided to work some more on the back. I first flattened and smoothed the side that will be glued to the pine: DSCN0362.jpg Then I cut the shape, again with the coping saw. This time under the beady-eyed supervision of my master: DSCN0364.jpg This "plain"...

Some mocking up with the offcut from the plan printout was in order: DSCN0356.jpg I set that aside after that little bit of fun to let the glue fully set up, and moved on to cutting out the guitar shape into the middle layer: DSCN0358.jpg A reasonably aggressive blade in a coping saw makes surprisin...

The day started with cleaning up all the maple and jointing each piece for the back and then gluing that up: DSCN0342.jpg Then it was time to joint the bookmatched top ready for glue-up (my ever-present coffee mug was closer than usual during this process): DSCN0344.jpg I spent a lot of time tweakin...

It seems to be easier to get a really fine fluffy plane shaving from it than regular pine, which seems to have a somewhat sticky characteristic - the resin I guess? It seems to produce more dust when planing. I haven't tried chiselling it yet though, which is where I really hate pine. Overall it fee...

Sanding is unequivocally my most hated of woodworking tasks. I'm thinking of picking up a random orbital sander to help ease the pain.
Any recommendations? Any particular features to look out for or steer clear of?
Thanks!

Next up was a bit more cardio - resawing some plain maple for the back of the guitar: DSCN0339.jpg Along with some other bits of maple I have lying around (including one previously used for testing finishes) this will become a 5-piece back: DSCN0340.jpg In this picture you can see some other winning...

I wandered down to ye olde metal shoppe today and picked up some supplies for the later stages of this build. Following Mark's advice I picked up some real 6mm steel rod. 0.30€ worth goes into this truss rod! First, threading each end (it goes much nicer if you add some cutting fluid): DSCN0333.jpg ...

That is a real nice handmade rod! but I am wondering why you didn't use a round steel rod for the core piece and just thread the ends. That makes a better rod because it's stronger, a threaded rod is really much like using a thinner one. Good question! I just had the M6 threaded rod laying around s...

Lovely lovely guitar!

I used the lathe to shorten the furniture nut so that it is about the same as the width of the U-channel, then filed a round seat for it in the end of the channel: DSCN0323.jpg Then I filed the washer into a rectangle, threaded the lot together and its basically done: DSCN0327.jpg DSCN0330.jpg I jus...

While I waited for the glue to dry I worked on the truss rod - this is another of my hardware store specials. About 3€ worth of bits and pieces - an bolt, coupling nut, furniture nut, a washer, some threaded rod and aluminium U channel: DSCN0314.jpg Last year I bought myself an expensive birthday pr...

I began today by cutting & planing off the extra from the headstock. Next up I wanted to drill a hole for truss rod adjustment, but my attempt at jigging it with some scrap wood failed - I ended up reverting to continuing the square channel out through the headstock. I chose to do this by drilli...

+1, that's a super cool rosette

Jason Rodgers wrote:This is for fun.

Sure is! Also: boy am I jealous of the lumber yards near you there! I spent a few days in Portland while on honeymoon, fantastic place. I almost managed to get out to Gilmer, but not quite.. Next time!

It was going to be exceedingly tricky to clamp this joint, so I decided to do something a bit unusual to glue it up. I smeared Titebond all over the joint, then wiped it away and added dots of thick CA (superglue) at the places I thought most likely to be wasted away when carving the neck profile. T...

Mark Swanson wrote:Tristan, the fret software sounds interesting. I'll have to bring it to Charlie's attention if he hasn't seen it already.
The work looks great too!

Cheers Mark Here's a screenshot with the project for the 8-string:

With that done I went on to taper the neck blank. This is a quick job with a hand plane: Next up I'll glue the headstock in place. I'm planning to tack one of the offcuts from making the crazy scarf joint in place to help me drill through for truss rod adjustment.

It took me a while to decide what to do with the headstock. I knew I wanted an angled headstock, but I also wanted the end of the fretboard to be angled the same as the nut. I've noticed that most multiscale guitars still have a 90 degree fretboard end, which to me just looks awkward and unprofessio...