The Luthier Community

Hi Grant,

Awesome progress ... you are cranking! Nothing like a deadline eh? I got my myrtle/engelmann OM finished this week too ... I'm sure some inspiration from this thread has subconsciously spurred me on too. I'll posted results elsewhere.

Reading back through the whole thread brought some questions to mind:

When you route off the top overhang, do you just use a bit like a 'countertop' laminate bit (with bearings running against the side)? I've always been a little paranoid about splitting out some of the top. Do you simply route in one direction all the way around, or do you start at the wide points and work back toward the waist, heel/neck for each segment.

Pretty much the same issue as when routing the binding slots. I find stopping and starting at various points cause little discontinuities and 'bumps' ,,, so I just go all the way around in one direction with fingers crossed. So far been lucky.

Appreciate your insight.

Sure wish I could hear this one in person ...

John

John, I have to doubly thank you for your post. I got up about 1:30 in the morning and decided to check the Forum. I saw that you did a new post here. Normally, I would not have checked the topic if there were no new posts.

Well I noticed my last posted photo and did a big "Oh Damn". Look up and you will see the 2 bridge pins that I use for locating the bridge for gluing. And then, after clamping, I remove them. Looking at the photo, I realized that I had not. Do you know what happens when glue dries with the bridge pins still in? Not good. So I went to the shop and took off the clamps....The bridge pins would not budge. It had been about 5 hours since gluing and I knew the glue would soften a bit with heat. So I got out the hair drier and heated things up, and hoped for the best. After a few minutes, I was able to get the pins out with a pliers.

The other thing I had planned to do was to go back out in the shop after about an hour and clean up all of that glue squeeze out while it was partially set up. But I had forgotten to do that, too, and the glue was pretty solid. So I heated that until it got rubbery and it came off clean with a small chisel...actually better than ever. And heating the tape made that come off real easy and clean, too.

So, John, I was able to recover from an "oops" and find a better way to remove the glue squeeze out because of your post.

Thanks, again

G

coopman wrote:Hi Grant,

Awesome progress ... you are cranking! Nothing like a deadline eh? I got my myrtle/engelmann OM finished this week too ... I'm sure some inspiration from this thread has subconsciously spurred me on too. I'll posted results elsewhere.

Reading back through the whole thread brought some questions to mind:

When you route off the top overhang, do you just use a bit like a 'countertop' laminate bit (with bearings running against the side)? I've always been a little paranoid about splitting out some of the top. Do you simply route in one direction all the way around, or do you start at the wide points and work back toward the waist, heel/neck for each segment.

Pretty much the same issue as when routing the binding slots. I find stopping and starting at various points cause little discontinuities and 'bumps' ,,, so I just go all the way around in one direction with fingers crossed. So far been lucky.

Appreciate your insight.

Sure wish I could hear this one in person ...

John

John, I use a flush cut bit with guide bearing. I always run it from the high points and down hill of the grain. I do this with binding channels, too. After the bulk is cut, I go around once more in the normal direction to even things out. At that point, there is really nothing for the bit to grab on. I do the same on the binding channels and it seems to even things out fine. The thermally modified wood has more of a tendency to chip out, but this seems to work OK

G

Grant, I must have hit enter a sec before you. I'm sure that your last comments were addressed to John P. But, since I'm asking questions, this raises another ...

Could you have also drilled out the pins (undersize) and re-reamed? Obviously you saved expense by not wasting the pins. Asking, because we had to recently do that. Using some "non-stick" plastic locating pins (UMW - slippery stuff) my friend couldn't get back to it for two days. At that point, we could not get those pins for love nor money ... and had to end up drilling out, etc.

I suppose it should be SOP to at least wiggle and give a twist to the pins after 5-10 mins to ensure they don't "set-up"

John

coopman wrote:Grant, I must have hit enter a sec before you. I'm sure that your last comments were addressed to John P. But, since I'm asking questions, this raises another ...

Could you have also drilled out the pins (undersize) and re-reamed? Obviously you saved expense by not wasting the pins. Asking, because we had to recently do that. Using some "non-stick" plastic locating pins (UMW - slippery stuff) my friend couldn't get back to it for two days. At that point, we could not get those pins for love nor money ... and had to end up drilling out, etc.

I suppose it should be SOP to at least wiggle and give a twist to the pins after 5-10 mins to ensure they don't "set-up"

John

Could have, but would rather not have to. My "cave man" approach to things would have opened all sorts of possibilities for a major screw-up

G

Ohhhh those bar frets are looking good!!!~

Thanks, Bobby. I will be back at you after Stringfest has settled down.

I am letting the coat of Liberon dry overnight and will string this up in the morning.

G

All strung up and initial setup done.





Wow! This thing is loud. Sounds really good to me. Will have to see what E says when he gets here later today.

G