The Luthier Community

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

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

Ray that looks realy fantastic.I love your rosete.

Z

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

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

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

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

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