Size 2 Martin build coming late October

[flounder]

You might look like a crusty old sea dog, but you sure got some chops!

[chrism]

I had some colored veneers (but I think perhaps too thin). Can you share info on how you colored these or where you got them? and then what your process was for gluing them up to get the initial stack. I know it might be something that should be plain for me to understand, but I've failed at every veneer stacking i've tried! Might be the wrong glue or wrong clamping technique i'm using..

Thanks!

[whitespruce]

I had some colored veneers (but I think perhaps too thin). Can you share info on how you colored these or where you got them? and then what your process was for gluing them up to get the initial stack. I know it might be something that should be plain for me to understand, but I've failed at every veneer stacking i've tried! Might be the wrong glue or wrong clamping technique i'm using..

Thanks!

Well, I started with holly veneer for the green (The rest of the veneers were natural woods). I used Procion, which is a fiber reactive dye that Christy bought from Dharma Trading Company. I mixed up a small batch and soaked the veneer pieces in it for several days (maybe a week), then rinsed then off.

No rocket science with the gluing. I used my usual Elmer's Carpenters wood glue. I cut the veneer pieces a bit oversize from what I wanted and made a couple of flat cauls out of 3/4" plywood. Put a sheet of waxed paper on one and a sheet of veneer. Brushed it with glue, then another veneer sheet. Brush with glue, add veneer sheet, brush with glue, etc., etc.. After the last veneer sheet, another wax paper sheet, then the other caul. Clamped temporarily with a couple of spring clamps to make sure that nothing slipped too badly, and started adding C-clamps. After the glue dried and I removed the clamps, I planed one edge smooth and started ripping off strips.

Hope this helps.

G

[chrism]

Thanks for the info. What thickness did you use? What woods did you use for the other colors? They seem so vivid.

Did you buy them in the thickness, or did you find scraps and then plane them down to thickness?

[whitespruce]

Thanks for the info. What thickness did you use? What woods did you use for the other colors? They seem so vivid.

Did you buy them in the thickness, or did you find scraps and then plane them down to thickness?

Most of the veneer available today is about 1/40" thick, and that is most of what I used. I do have some older thicker veneer (about 1/28" thick), so I sometimes use that if I need thicker. I have tons of veneer, so I can usually find something that works. For this guitar there is only the green, white (holly) and a couple of browns (mahogany and walnut, I think).

I do sometimes sand veneer thinner. I think I did that for a few of the strips in the rosette.

G

[chrism]

Was just going through this old thread again and was curious if there are any pics of her finished you could share? Any video/sound of it?

Did you keep this guitar or are did you sell it?

[whitespruce]

Well, I guess I let this slide and never did get some photos. I will make an effort to remedy that situation tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder.

G

[chrism]

Any chance these pictures will be restored? This was one of my favorite build threads ever.