Olivia's Pink Paduak

[Raymond]

Thanks guys for the encouraging words.

Lefty, I took several tops, backs and sides over to Eben's one night and broke 3 different sanding belts. One of them was while sanding this top. Probably a combination of taking too big a bite, tracking too slow, and working it for too long, but I think the belts were getting hot, stretching and then once loose they would break.

Got my own Delta since then and haven't broken a belt yet.

Raymond

[Eben]

Actually, in Ray's defense, I had just switched from the stock of belts I bought with the sander to a different supplier's stuff - Whereas I could wrap the old stuff quite tightly, this stuff would creep on itself and go blooey, (Technical term). I've since learned to wrap it with about 1/4" between and no problems since...

E

[MrZ]

Ray that looks realy fantastic.I love your rosete.

Z

[Raymond]

Eben,

Thanks for the defense. As far as I'm concerned if we're good, I'm happy.

MrZ,

Thanks. I like the shell rosettes too, but they are more trouble to install I think.

Raymond

[Lefty]

Eben,

Are you saying that when you wrap the belt you leave 1/4" between the windings?

Us motor heads need pictures some times to understand.

What aftermarket belts do you recommend?

Lefty

[stevens]

I have been having pretty good luck with the bulk rolls from klingspore.

I seem to have my biggest problems cutting the ends the right way.

There may be some differences between the Performax and the Delta though.

One big difference I think I am hearing is the over-load thing.

When I try to push too much depth through the Performax it shuts the drum rotation down - got a real hair trigger too.

Steve

[Lefty]

Steve,
I have a Jet ( used to be Performax) and have not had a problem with it shutting down. I have had the red light come on but that is it. I am still useing the rolls that came with it but need to buy some replacements.

Most of the stuff I have sanded is probably under 6 to 8 inches wide. Have you had the problem only when processing wide tops or with narrow stock also?

Thanks for any info you can share.

Lefty

[Raymond]

Been gluing on braces and carving tops and backs for the last couple of weekends. Meanwhile the camera was off on a field trip so I didn't get pictures of the process. Just go back and look at how I did the back...

I like to make my braces as light as I can get them, so I start with a profile similar to a 1938 M*rtin and basically take wood away anywhere the braces look stiffer than necessary to hold up under stringload. I'm using some pretty stiff Lutz braces and this is a fairly small guitar so I went with 1/4" wide bracing including the X.



Sanded up through 220 grit, and added a message for my daughter... the spots that look like knots are actually pencil marks telling me which direction is up.


Showed it to her and got a big smile...

Raymond