Search found 367 matches

by Bill Raymond
Thu Nov 01, 2018 12:02 pm
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Skateboard Woods
Replies: 3
Views: 6540

Re: Skateboard Woods

Certainly wood, certainlywood.com, often has wide sheets, also 1/24 inch thick veneers and rotary cut veneers.
by Bill Raymond
Sun Aug 12, 2018 4:31 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????
Replies: 106
Views: 93084

Re: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????

Look at YouTube for Alex Karas' playing the Theme from The Third Man. He plays melody with his thumb on the fretboard, and a bass note + rhythm with his fingers.
by Bill Raymond
Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:12 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????
Replies: 106
Views: 93084

Re: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????

Perhaps you could find some nails of the right diameter for hitch pins. Cut them to length with a diagonal cutters and file the cut end. Some guitar strings can be had with loop ends instead of ball ends, or you may be able to remove the "ball" from the loop in the end of the string.
by Bill Raymond
Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:22 am
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Fretboard inlay advice
Replies: 57
Views: 54415

Re: Fretboard inlay advice

I would suggest lowering the bit and taking a smaller bite on the first pass, then raising it to finish the radiusing. If that isn't possible because of the length of the bit and the range of depth adjustment on your router table, then affixing a riser to the carrier fixture. But definitely practice...
by Bill Raymond
Thu Jul 19, 2018 1:44 pm
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: Rockhard table finish is still around
Replies: 2
Views: 5213

Re: Rockhard table finish is still around

A quick search of the Library produces a number of posts about Rockhard. Apparently, the formula was changed somewhere about 2012/2013. Rather than distill the Library info for you, I'd suggest you just search the Library for "Rockhard varnish".
by Bill Raymond
Sat Jul 07, 2018 11:46 am
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????
Replies: 106
Views: 93084

Re: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????

tape the razor blade leaving a narrow gap the width of the splint; that way there's little if any risk of accidentally scraping the finish. I usually grind a flat 90 degree edge on an old razor blade by honing on a whetstone. The little burr left on the blade makrs it just like a miniature cabinet s...
by Bill Raymond
Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:11 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????
Replies: 106
Views: 93084

Re: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????

If you put a small mirror in the soundhole you should be able to see the underside of the soundboard, which would be unpainted, and make a guess as to what kind of wood it is. At least you might be able to determine whether it's a softwood species, such as pine, spruce, fir, or a hardwood such as ma...
by Bill Raymond
Thu Jul 05, 2018 11:25 pm
Forum: Jam Session
Topic: MIMF 21st birthday giveaway
Replies: 21
Views: 21254

Re: MIMF 21st birthday giveaway

Happy Birthday!! I'm in for the drawing.
by Bill Raymond
Thu Jul 05, 2018 11:21 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????
Replies: 106
Views: 93084

Re: Repair of Zither (Harp Mandolin) ??????

Caley, the preferred method of dealing with separated cracks that can't be brought to close is to fill them with wood splints, not glue and sawdust. The cracks are opened a bit with a knife so that they are wider at the surface, narrower at the interior, then a thin piece of matching wood is prepare...
by Bill Raymond
Sun Jun 17, 2018 9:11 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Chapman Stick
Replies: 8
Views: 11931

Re: Chapman Stick

Oscar, if you are seeking fret positions for a 36" (or any other) scale length, you will find fret calculators in the MIMF library under "Programs, Spreadsheets and other programs". There are other programs available on the internet that will calculate the fret locations for whatever ...
by Bill Raymond
Wed May 30, 2018 10:48 pm
Forum: String Instrument Repair: Practical and Political Issues
Topic: 1936 Kalamazoo KM-11 Mandolin restoration - fretting over the tongue
Replies: 5
Views: 22611

Re: 1936 Kalamazoo KM-11 Mandolin restoration - fretting over the tongue

I would imagine that a sack of steel BBs or perhaps lead pellets for an air/CO2 gun, if these are available to you in Canada, should suffice; but I can't, of course, say for sure, as I've never tried them for this purpose.
by Bill Raymond
Mon May 14, 2018 2:17 pm
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: fractured very tall bridge
Replies: 44
Views: 35471

Re: fractured very tall bridge

A Japanese-style flush cutting saw (I bought one from Home Depot) might work well and prevent any scarring of surrounding finish caused by tooth set.
by Bill Raymond
Fri May 11, 2018 1:02 am
Forum: Wood and Materials Q&A
Topic: Venner supplies
Replies: 18
Views: 20340

Re: Venner supplies

Constantines is also a good source.
by Bill Raymond
Fri May 04, 2018 6:26 pm
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: Worm holes in rosewood backs
Replies: 10
Views: 13163

Re: Worm holes in rosewood backs

Bryan, perhaps you're thinking of Chuck Tweedy's April Fools Day post.
by Bill Raymond
Tue Apr 17, 2018 5:07 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Vacuum press for chambered body glue-up?
Replies: 12
Views: 10696

Re: Vacuum press for chambered body glue-up?

That's a really good idea, Steve. It's always best to do a test run on new procedures to make sure they work as you want them to.
by Bill Raymond
Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:53 pm
Forum: Glues and Finishes
Topic: fretboard dots
Replies: 7
Views: 8491

Re: fretboard dots

Selmer guitars, and I believe also some other guitars of European provenance have the dots at the 10th fret and not the 9th. American guitars seem to be consistent in placing the dot at the 9th fret.
by Bill Raymond
Mon Apr 16, 2018 11:49 pm
Forum: Tools and Jigs
Topic: Vacuum press for chambered body glue-up?
Replies: 12
Views: 10696

Re: Vacuum press for chambered body glue-up?

I should think that clamping pressure would be sufficient, but I'd sandwich the pieces between 2 sheets of plywood, probably 3/4 inches thick would do, so that the chambers won't collapse. Note, I've not tried this, but I have glued up laminated arched backs in a vacuum press; I believe that if you ...
by Bill Raymond
Sat Apr 14, 2018 12:11 pm
Forum: Other Stringed Instruments
Topic: Building a bowlback mandolin
Replies: 9
Views: 11829

Re: Building a bowlback mandolin

Comparing photos of bowlback mandolins, front and side, I doubt that they "have a simple circular cross section", though I could be wrong about this.
by Bill Raymond
Thu Mar 29, 2018 12:39 pm
Forum: Solid-Body and Chambered or Semi-Solid Electric Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Neck joint - LP body, flat (not carved) top, neck angle and FB support
Replies: 48
Views: 46484

Re: Neck joint - LP body, flat (not carved) top, neck angle and FB support

I assisted my son in constructing a flat solid body guitar and that is exactly the solution that we came to: 2 wedge shaped pieces, one along each end of the FB and a small filler at the end of the board.
by Bill Raymond
Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:35 pm
Forum: Flat-Top Acoustic Guitars and Bass Guitars
Topic: Neck Block Buttress, but How?
Replies: 15
Views: 20455

Re: Neck Block Buttress, but How?

Since the support blocks are glued to the inside of the sides the hole is directed in an upward (towards the top) and inward (towards the center of the neck block) and thus can be drilled without touching the side provided the support block is located near the narrowest part of the waist of the guit...

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