Having a go at my own build series

[Bizman62]

That must be the most thorough explanation about the grain direction for the ears I've ever seen! I recall Ben mentioning it as a side note on some Crimson video after the Forum was already closed but other than that it has not been a widely announced piece of knowledge. Thanks for not breaking the chain of sharing!

AFA using the TiterBond for the ears and headstock veneer, I wouldn't worry at all using the Original version. Your arguments were basically valid and for some materials they would be truer. However, wood is a heat isolating material. If you apply heat to the fingerboard, it won't spread sideways inside the wood to the headstock. That's the reason for using wood as handles for pots and pans and cast iron oven doors.

A laminated neck might suffer from detaching the fretboard with heat - in theory. In reality you'd be scorching the fingerboard badly before the neck would start falling apart, again because of the isolating nature.

Steam might pose more of a problem but even there you should be soaking the wood for major issues. And you wouldn't use steam for the fingerboard anyway, it's mostly used for unjoining the neck from the body.

That said, I loved how you made one neck in real time to show any budding luthier that guitar building takes quite some time even in the tiniest tasks.

[ADFinlayson]

You neglected to mention that I actually learnt the trick of ear grain direction from a certain @Bizman62  

I'm sure you're totally right regarding a headstock veneer getting affected by fretboard removal, but ever since I suffered bodily delimitation (sounds excruciating right?) while unsetting a neck with the same glue, I stick to safety of a more resistant glue for the joints I want to remain permanent.

Yeah I'm thinking filming one in full and either speeding through or just missing out the second neck is the better option for filming to keep editing etc down

[Bizman62]

10 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

ever since I suffered bodily delimitation (sounds excruciating right? -Yes indeed!) while unsetting a neck with the same glue, I stick to safety of a more resistant glue for the joints I want to remain permanent.

Better safe than sorry, and in your case it doesn't cost any extra since you're using the more resistant glue in the neck joint anyway.

For anyone who hasn't studied guitar repairing, separating thin and flat surfaces is relatively easy by just by applying heat locally with a clothes iron or similar and sliding a heated knife in the seam. A mortise and tenon type joint is much more difficult, it may require drilling holes in the seam to get hot steam to the bottom of the cavity.

For nitpickiness' sake, have you ever thought that if you spread glue with your fingers, you'll mix grease, sweat and dna into it, potentially weakening the joint? Unless you've just changed the oil of your car, that shouldn't be an issue with wood glue. Thermal paste is a different animal, you definitely don't want to add anything extra to it...

[ADFinlayson]

1 hour ago, Bizman62 said:

Better safe than sorry, and in your case it doesn't cost any extra since you're using the more resistant glue in the neck joint anyway.

For anyone who hasn't studied guitar repairing, separating thin and flat surfaces is relatively easy by just by applying heat locally with a clothes iron or similar and sliding a heated knife in the seam. A mortise and tenon type joint is much more difficult, it may require drilling holes in the seam to get hot steam to the bottom of the cavity.

For nitpickiness' sake, have you ever thought that if you spread glue with your fingers, you'll mix grease, sweat and dna into it, potentially weakening the joint? Unless you've just changed the oil of your car, that shouldn't be an issue with wood glue. Thermal paste is a different animal, you definitely don't want to add anything extra to it...

Well whomever buys it will have my blood sweat and tears  I normally use an old credit card, but I think I mentioned in the vid that I couldn't find it. You have no doubt guessed from the videos that my garage is a pig sty most of the time. 

[ADFinlayson]

EP 7, stuck on headstock veneers and routed trussrod access

 

[Bizman62]

I've had my computer off duty for repairs for the weekend so I watched the vid in double speed, assuming your speech would be slow enough. And whadda ya know, for the most part I could follow every line!

For the truss rod access I first was going to mention that it could be more easily lined up with the truss rod cavity by just changing the router bit before cutting the wedge off. Then I noticed the veneer and d'ohed.

Once again, well done! One hint though: Having the planer thicknesser yell at speech level on headphones is not comfortable!

[ADFinlayson]

12 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

I've had my computer off duty for repairs for the weekend so I watched the vid in double speed, assuming your speech would be slow enough. And whadda ya know, for the most part I could follow every line!

For the truss rod access I first was going to mention that it could be more easily lined up with the truss rod cavity by just changing the router bit before cutting the wedge off. Then I noticed the veneer and d'ohed.

Once again, well done! One hint though: Having the planer thicknesser yell at speech level on headphones is not comfortable!

The audio volume for the thicknesser seen was 15% of that of the rest of the footage I'll try turning it down lower when I put the fretboards through it 

[ADFinlayson]

EP 8 finished, slight change of pace from other episodes.

 

[Bizman62]

It may be just because I'm an elderly fart who still has pretty good ears, but I'd like the music to be somewhat quieter.

Mixing the tool noise with the music is a good idea and for me the balance was perfect at roughly 1:56. I'd like to think the music as something you have playing in the background somewhere in your workshop.

I'm not saying the music was bad although it was not my favourite style. It was just so loud that it disrupted my concentration on the subject. A budding builder might not figure out what you're doing and potentially miss something crucial. These are tutorial videos after all, aren't they?

 

[ADFinlayson]

11 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

It may be just because I'm an elderly fart who still has pretty good ears, but I'd like the music to be somewhat quieter.

Mixing the tool noise with the music is a good idea and for me the balance was perfect at roughly 1:56. I'd like to think the music as something you have playing in the background somewhere in your workshop.

I'm not saying the music was bad although it was not my favourite style. It was just so loud that it disrupted my concentration on the subject. A budding builder might not figure out what you're doing and potentially miss something crucial. These are tutorial videos after all, aren't they?

They're not really intended to be tutorials - I don't consider myself qualified, although granted I do mutter on a lot about why I'm doing this and that. It's really just me documenting a couple of builds to help get my name out, which surprisingly is working.

[Bizman62]

If you keep explaining what you're doing, the videos have a tutorialistic nature no matter what you say. And I must say you're doing a much better job there than some others who headline their videos as "how to build/finish a guitar".

[ADFinlayson]

 

On 8/13/2019 at 3:47 PM, Bizman62 said:

If you keep explaining what you're doing, the videos have a tutorialistic nature no matter what you say. And I must say you're doing a much better job there than some others who headline their videos as "how to build/finish a guitar".

Thanks bud. Here's episode 9  

 

[Bizman62]

Nice balance with the tool noise and your speaking. Everything you said was loud and clear and the tools didn't ruin my ears through the headphones.

Re ruining your hearing, you didn't use any hearing protection. As a role model you should. And yes, you're now a public person and as such a role model for some youngsters. If you continue like that, you'd be hearing crickets all the time at my age.

[ADFinlayson]

47 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Re ruining your hearing, you didn't use any hearing protection. As a role model you should. And yes, you're now a public person and as such a role model for some youngsters. If you continue like that, you'd be hearing crickets all the time at my age.

You're right of course, but that router bit moves so much air that I only have the speed on 2 so it's not loud at all.

[Bizman62]

More about being right, you didn't wear any mask either while bowing over the dust exhaust of your thicknesser.

Isn't it too late for you to try to join the 27 club?

[ADFinlayson]

52 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

More about being right, you didn't wear any mask either while bowing over the dust exhaust of your thicknesser.

Isn't it too late for you to try to join the 27 club?

27 club? The thicknesser creates chips as apposed to dust, I don't think I've ever seen a video where the woodworker wears a mask with it. 

[Bizman62]

At the speed the thicknesser works there's all potential sizes of particles starting from micro dust to nice shavings.

I must admit I don't use a mask with any of the power tools. Then again, the workshop has an automated central vacuum system with a fire extinguisher connected to all of the tools. The only place where I'd like to have dust collection is the large bench used for hand routing. Sanding/rasping by hand is another place where I suppose wearing a mask would be recommendable as the face is always very near to the object, the source of dust.

Re 27 club, Google is your friend...

[ADFinlayson]

54 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

At the speed the thicknesser works there's all potential sizes of particles starting from micro dust to nice shavings.

I must admit I don't use a mask with any of the power tools. Then again, the workshop has an automated central vacuum system with a fire extinguisher connected to all of the tools. The only place where I'd like to have dust collection is the large bench used for hand routing. Sanding/rasping by hand is another place where I suppose wearing a mask would be recommendable as the face is always very near to the object, the source of dust.

Re 27 club, Google is your friend...

ah well then I'm about 5 years too late for that.

[ADFinlayson]

Episode 10 finished 

Building DC Guitars - Episode 10 | Shaping fretboards

 

[Bizman62]

Your amount of squeezeout looked nice and even, telling you have just about the right amount of glue there.

I was going to suggest the damp rag but your explanation about the moisture making the glue to get sucked into the pores was very good. Never thought about that, then again I've never used mahogany! Not a day wasted, learned something new!

How about scraping the squeezeout off when it's still soft but not liquid? Susie Gardener did that with the braces of her acoustic build using just a plastic straw cut to shape.

BTW the audio balance in this one was the best so far.

Shortening the tenon and the neck pocket is not an issue. According to one Mr. Crowe about one inch is sufficient with modern glues. However, if you're worried, you can carve a mortise in the bottom of the neck pocket and a shallower tenon to match it below the top of the body. I don't think that would be necessary, though.

Edited September 3, 2019 by Bizman62

[ADFinlayson]

2 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

Your amount of squeezeout looked nice and even, telling you have just about the right amount of glue there.

I was going to suggest the damp rag but your explanation about the moisture making the glue to get sucked into the pores was very good. Never thought about that, then again I've never used mahogany! Not a day wasted, learned something new!

How about scraping the squeezeout off when it's still soft but not liquid? Susie Gardener did that with the braces of her acoustic build using just a plastic straw cut to shape.

BTW the audio balance in this one was the best so far.

Shortening the tenon and the neck pocket is not an issue. According to one Mr. Crowe about one inch is sufficient with modern glues. However, if you're worried, you can carve a mortise in the bottom of the neck pocket and a shallower tenon to match it below the top of the body. I don't think that would be necessary, though.

Squeeze out, especially around the neck pocket, is something that always plagues me with mahogany. I always find chucking water over it and wiping it away only ever works it into the grain, looks find while sanding etc but as soon as finish goes on, it sticks out like a saw thumb. When I get round to gluing in the necks on these builds, I think I'm going to try using a bit less glue than normal and tape off around the neck pocket.

Yeah I saw that Susie Gardener vid (I'm really enjoying that series) and I've been meaning to try that with the straw, the trouble is that it's difficult to get at it all when there are clamps in the way.

Yes I'm leaning towards shorter tenon for the p90 model too, I think it will look smarter overall. 

[ADFinlayson]

Next episodes finished

 

[ADFinlayson]

Episode 12

 

[Bizman62]

First, as usual, a comment about the volume: It seems that your volume level is a bit higher than on many other YouTube videos, the Crimson ones serving as a reference. That said, I have to reduce the YT output volume to half when looking at the Jerry Rosa vids. His hearing must be somewhat decreased... Anyhow, your master volume could be lowered by a notch to match the majority. Having to remember which sites require adjusting is not optimal.

Enough ranting, let's go to praises. The spindle sander indeed would be an ideal tool to have. You forgot to mention that the shim you used for compensating the thickness of the fretboard also keeps the neck perpendicular to the bobbin. That's not a big issue for the majority of the job but it's crucial at the volute unless you're aiming to a more challenging shape like @ScottR. Masking tape and super glue, right?

For nitpicking accuracy, wouldn't the filing rather be adding a Cupid's bow to the moustache?

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Bizman62

[ADFinlayson]

1 hour ago, Bizman62 said:

First, as usual, a comment about the volume: It seems that your volume level is a bit higher than on many other YouTube videos, the Crimson ones serving as a reference. That said, I have to reduce the YT output volume to half when looking at the Jerry Rosa vids. His hearing must be somewhat decreased... Anyhow, your master volume could be lowered by a notch to match the majority. Having to remember which sites require adjusting is not optimal.

Enough ranting, let's go to praises. The spindle sander indeed would be an ideal tool to have. You forgot to mention that the shim you used for compensating the thickness of the fretboard also keeps the neck perpendicular to the bobbin. That's not a big issue for the majority of the job but it's crucial at the volute unless you're aiming to a more challenging shape like @ScottR. Masking tape and super glue, right?

For nitpicking accuracy, wouldn't the filing rather be adding a Cupid's bow to the moustache?

 

Was it just the music that was a bit loud? Volume is something that's quite difficult to get right tbh, It's quite easy to get the voice audio to peak but there is a fine line between that and too quiet, where mumbling is inaudible.