jammy

Well as I said, as good as stanley are there becomes a point where one is polishing a turd. I want to invest in some good kit as this is going to be my living, so I mayswell make it easy on myself. I think, without other suggestions I'll go for the LN. Does anyone know of any other companies to consider in this kind of price bracket?

From this angle it doesnt look flat.... And the guide would be of no use to me as I would be using the plane on 2.7mm thick acoustic guitar tops and backs, so I really need to have the whole width of the wood supported.

Manchester? I'll have to keep an eye out in a few years time. One in manchester would be fantastic. Doesn't take long to get there on the X43 at all. ← www.mancat.ac.uk

I'm currently attending an HNC course in fretted instrument construction in Manchester, and I plan to do HND next year. It does happen in the UK

I dont think that new veritas will suit my needs - I plan on using the plane on it's side on a shooting board, and they don't appear to have flat sides, unfortunatly.

When I sell another guitar, I'm going to invest in some decent hand planes. I currently use a stanley block plane and a stanley nu4 smoothing plane, after alot of work on them, they cut pretty well, but I'm looking to invest in something that'll last me a lifetime. I'll be looking to get a block plane (wether it be low angle or not - what are the advantages/disadvantages?), a general number 4 or 4.5 smoothing plane and a ~ number 7 jointing plane for use with a shooting board for joining tops and backs. Lie Nielsen are the brand that spring to mind, even the pickiest of cabinet makers say that they can be ready to use with 5 mins work from the box, and that sounds perfect to me. I have, however, heard good things about veritas - and I'd like to know your opinions on them. I have noticed thought, that veritas dont seem to have a seriously long joining plane in their model lineup (whereas Lie Nielsen have a number 7 low angle, and even a number 8) Any help will be appriciated. Andy

I'd love to see a diagram if possible. I'm going to start work on one of my own pretty soon. Andy

The violin's coming out great Matt, I can't wait to see if finished and all strung up! I've started my first violin recently, just sorting templates and moulds at the moment - the project is somewhat on the back burner though, still, I'll be posting when I've got a little more to show for myself. Just a quick question concerning yours... Is there a reason you didn't drill your contour mapping to depth for the inside scooping of the top and back?

Cheers for the replies guys, that website is just what I needed. It strikes me as a tad strange that the cfm ratings that each tool requires are not in it's specifications....ah well.

I'm starting to think about setting a decent workshop at home, and I'm sorted for machine and had tools, but I'm still a little stumped on dust extraction - what setups do you guys have?

Well I've not got quite as far as I would have liked, but I'm getting there now... I first cut the neck tennon with my lurrrrvly Japanese pull saw Tennon cutting The tennon The mortise in the body then had to be opened to accept the tennon, this was done with a sharp chisel in little sections, checking the fit and alignment all the way, untill... It fits! The heel was then rough carved before the neck was glued on. This was done with the bobbin sander and a selection of rasps. I also added the heel cap and roughed that out to shape. The Heel Once the glue had dried on the neck joint it was time to add the dowel pins used to strengthen the joint. The holes for these pins run allmost right through the instrument (about 3mm from the back) Dowel pins Mandolins have no neck adjustment, but it's strengthend by a strip of aluminium epoxy-d into a slot, this was the next job... Neck strengthning The last thing I got done was slotting the board, which went really well Slotted board

Cheers for the kind words guys Yesterday I got the neck joint cut and fitted, and thicknessed the neck - I'm hoping to have the fretboard finished by the end of today. Pics to come

Looks like a nice little board that - it's a hell of alot smaller than the fernandes ones!

Jeesus!

Looks a tad on the small side... Could be good for more precision stuff - drilling dot markers?

The finish is acid cat lacquer (or will be, when its sprayed) just a couple of thin coats to stop it getting dirty left in a matt finish. Fingerboard's going to be Indian rosewood, as will the headstock overlay and the bridge. Nut width is 34mm if I remeber correctly, which is pretty wide, yeah. I've got massive hands (6"8 tall, with hands to scale)

It is indeed.

yeah the back bracing size was reduced before the front was added, just made em oversise to start. This is the arrangment for the top bracing....

Long tennon I think

It's just a standard straight tennon joint on a mandolin - it's got to be tight though. The sholders of the tennon are shaped to fit round the body though.

Shouldn't have an effect, no

It's getting there, slowly The body's totally finished and has an awesome warm fat tap tone It's loud too! The neck's been roughed out, and I think I'll have the joint cut and fitted, and the fretboard done by the end of next week, I hope.

Is that a thicknessing sander I spy? How is it - I'm considering investing in one. Cracking workshop, by the way.

I like blank 2, but the horns are a little fat.

Lots of guitarist's use the same technique, myself included. It'll work on virtually all full valve amps - they don't have to be special.