Curly Maple Cutaway for Debbie

[Raymond]

Lefty,

I think I'll try and build the new and improved model that Steve has, but until then this one works. Most of the improvements are related to making it easier to adjust to the correct radius. Someone also showed a cutter for the binding (Waddy?) where he used a thicker blade set-up to scrape rather than cut. I'd like to try that as well.

I measured the temperature and it does get as hot as I think, and usually there is about a 20 degree drop from the upper end to the lower end, but every once in awhile the lower end gets hotter than the upper end which is when I get the scorching. John Mayes in his video on bending uses 2 blankets. If I can't get the kinks worked out by going thinner and using the new 0.010 slats I'll probably give that a try. I already have a second blanket.

Dennis,

Thanks for the compliments. It is definitely more work, but I do like the way the abalone rosettes look.

I thought about putting this up on the tutorial section, but didn't have any pictures of actually installing the rosette which is really the most difficult part.

Raymond

[Joe Sustaire]

Raymond, thanks for showing us this "low-tech'' rosette and sound-hole technique. I love it!

And Steve, thanks for sharing this with Raymond! We love your guidance!

And Raymond be sure and do a tutorial on the construction of the new and improved cutter when you build one. I want one!

Thanks,
Joe

[Lefty]

Yea, what Joe said.

I too would be interested in seeing how the cutter is constructed.

Lefty

[Erik]

Nice one Ray,

Do you know that Lee Valley sells router planes? I have had my eyes on one of those for quite some time, but I had never seen them in action and wasn't sure about how functional they could be. I think I'll have a look a them again.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48945
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... 1182,48945

Erik

[Lefty]

While we are talking about router planes...

Looking at old Stanleys I notice open throat and closed throat models. Would one be better than the other for removing the rosette channel?

Lefty

[Raymond]

Maybe we can get Steve to take some pictures of his old but improved model, as it will likely be awhile before I upgrade... Meanwhile I'll take some close-ups of my model and post them here.

Erik,

I went shopping for a router plane and saw the Lee Valley planes. If all I was going to do was rosettes I'd go for the mini, but at the same time if all I'm going to do are rosettes, I can't justify the price tag of a Lee Valley.

Lefty,

I don't think it matters which version for rosettes. The main thing to look for is a cutter narrow enough to fit your rosette channel. This one could handle a 1/4 " but I'm not sure that's always the case.

Raymond

[Eben]

If you got TAS, and you covet one of these, well then, you owe it to yourself to poke around here:

http://www.stjamesbaytoolco.com/

click on New Products, and then scroll down, you'll see 'em - Ask Steve how many of this guy's tools he owns! I have some, and what Bob makes is nothing less than working art, no bullshit...

E

[stevens]

Hey Ray,

Good to see that the pictures turned out pretty well. I took most of those and had never used Ray's camera.

Before I got my first router plane I used a chisel to cut the mortise for the rosette.
I outlined the inside and outer limits first then made several concentric cuts within the area to be removed.
These inner cuts give more control of the depth and actually work pretty well.
The router plane does a better job though.

The really neat thing about these EXACTO knife cutters is how cleanly they cut through spruce.

Leaves a really nice sound hole edge.

I copied most of my "improved" cutter from a book by Rik Middleton "The Guitar Maker's Workshop"
There is a pretty good drawing of his version on page 13.

While we are on the subject of home made tools:
Another good looking simplified Perfling tool in the book by George Buchanan "making Stringed Instruments - A Workshop Guide".
Page 23. Also in this same book I got the idea for the thickness caliper I made for my archtop and mando builds. There are also plans for a simple reamer, perfling chisel and small planes for archtop carving.

Sloane's Classic Guitar book gives plans for cam clamps, and his Steel String book adds a small plane - both of these work well.

Sorry Ray - got carried away.

Steve