OAC Guitar Entry 6

I get stressed out when I prepare the glue edges of a book matched set of expensive wood. The jointing has to be perfect - dead nuts on - either it's right without compromise or it's wrong. I run the edge through my electric jointer and then put a straight edge to it to see what I have to do to achieve absolute trueness. Also, the electric jointer leaves behind micro scallops which need to be shaved off for acceptability.

I invested in a very expensive jointer planer. She's a real beaut I got from Lee Valley. It has the ability to shave micro thin ribbons off and with a steep blade I can cut through highly figured wood with ease. Operating hand tools is an art form that I am determined to master with efficiency. One thing I've learned is to never get lazy with sharpness. Hone up your blades!

I get into a Samurai state of mind then I get my water stones out. First I clean my shop from top to bottom. I vacuum up every bit of dust and put away every tool into it's proper place. I put only what I need on the bench and I clear my mind and focus on the job at hand. Jointing is a zen thing and when you achieve perfection there is nothing left to say or think about - peace of mind is the result.

If the two halves of the book matched set are forced together with excessive clamp pressure because they are not 100% true then there is a pretty good chance that as the guitar ages and endures various changes in humidity (especially low humidity in the winter) that the wood will split just beyond the glue line.

Carving the curve of the plate is relaxing and enjoyable. This is the one part of the build where I feel myself becoming intimate with the project. This is where I become attached to the guitar - where we start to talk to each other. I carve by eye and never with a pattern because I don't want to become complacent for a second. It may sound like romantic nonsense to some but I let the wood guide me just as much as I work it under my control. The curve should be continuous. I always make sure that there are no lazy runs in the line. What I mean by that is there should never be a single area of flatness. Flat areas are easy to check by laying a straight edge onto the curve. The straight edge should only rest on a pin head sized spot of the curve.

I have also started making my patterns for the sound plate openings in the rim along with the plate's final dimensions. Once everything is cut the sound plates will fit perfectly within the rim's openings.

OAC Guitar Entry 5 The NECK

The neck is just about at the "let is settle" stage. For the peghead veneers I chose three layers: thin dyed black, thicker holly, capped with Ebony. By laminating multiple layers onto the back and down the curve I increase the strength in the curve where the grain is short - it looks attractive too. The top of the fretboard and peghead will be left just black Ebony - I like the minimalistic look and there is already so much going on with the body that I don't want to gunk things up. I have a tendency to over design. Originally I was going to do Mother Of Pearl blocks with lightning bolts in the center. I think a conservative look is going to win more people over in Montreal. I am kinda kicking around the idea of doing something at the 12th fret.

I will be inlaying the Dagmar logo at the top in my usual way.(see post about Vicky to see how it's done)

The nut width will be 1 3/4". The scale length is 25". The fretboard radius is a constant 12" To achieve level and a 12" radius I bought an extruded aluminum radiused sanding block from Stew Mac - well worth the money.

The one picture shows how the tapers are achieved. I have the neck double sided taped to a tapered piece of solid cherry wood. I made this base using the planer. I simply lifted the one side of the wood up by temporarily gluing spacers onto the bottom. The spot glued spaces allowed the cherry wood to travel through the planer at the desired angle. After I simply plucked the spacers off. The taper is slight - something like 3/16 from the 3rd fret to the 12th.
When the neck is double sided taped to the tapered base I run it under my shop built overhead router and I can achieve exact tolerances quickly.

After the neck tapers are done on both the peghead and down it's length I transition sand with a 2" drum sander chucked in my drill. I true it up using a piece of banana board (flexible plywood) as a sanding block. When the transition is perfect I then glue on the veneers.

I have a pattern for the final peghead shape that I made out of 1/4" MDF. I double side tape it to the peghead and run it through the router table. The pattern also has 1/4" holes drilled into it at the machine head (tuners) locations. I set my drill press up with the right size bit and a 1/4" dowel protruding out of the drill press bed, directly under the bit. I slide the corresponding holes onto the dowel and then drill - simple and accurate. All of these tricks are revealed in Robert Benedetto's amazing book "How to build an Archtop Guitar". Anyone who wants to build a guitar should study this book - it's my bible. Bob signed it for me too!