Official Luthiers Forum!

I wanted to start a thread and encourage everyone to participate where anyone who wishes may pass on some building tips. If your tips came from others of course proper attribution would be the classy thing to do.

So here are some tips from me and who passed these tips to me:

1) When flossing a neck joint with strips of sand paper tape a layer of cellophane tape to the back side of the strip - the strip will last much longer and behave much more consistently. Source: Colin S.

2) When installing mahogany reversed kerfed linings they become much more flexible and won't break as easilly if you soak them for 30 - 60 seconds in hot water, pad dry, and glue and clamp in place. Source: Lance K.

Let's here some more tips please?

Here is one I will share if you put your tail wedge in AFTER the binding is on like I do.

Cut the tail wedge slot using a router or dremel tool (I use a jig for making the same size wedge each time) and then shape your wedge so that it is slightly thicker (15 to 20 thousands) than the slot it is going into. The wedge will overlap the binding on each end slightly and also be a little proud of the guitar sides.

Leave the ends about 1/32" long on each end and then shape the ends so that it fits somthing similar to this:

l\_____________/l

and then clamp in place until dry. The overlapping ends will then sand smooth when you do the final sanding and will leave you with a gap free joint on both ends.

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Reguards,

Ken H

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1) Build a router table, you will love it.

2) Make your own bindings. 1/4" X 36" X 4 maple, mahogany or whatever wood you can get. Laminate wood veneers, or fiber sheets of diferent colors (LMI). Most veneers are .02" so 1 to 2 layers of contrasting color make a nice effect. I use urethane glue, spritz layers with water to activate and wrap in wax paper and clamp flat X 24h. Use the band saw to cut .08" slices. They will be fuzzy. You can hand sand them but I use a router table as a "jointer" 1/4" spiral 4 flute end mill with a fence and feather board to hold the strips tight to the fence. Run strips through once on each side to arrive at smooth .06".

3) Use the router table with a convex disc to accommodate back radius and cut binding channels.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Appropos of this, learn NOT to grab for a tool that is falling off the bench.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Sorry, here a couple of pics that I didn't get into the earlier post.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Not sure how original this is, but when I am about to glue a bridge on, I set the position, mark the two "E" string holes and drill 1/8" holes in the deck, after glue is applied I simply run two Kreg 1" pocket-hole-screws into the "E" string peg holes with felt washers to hold it still, this allows me to install the bridge clamps with out worrying about the position. Also adds extra clamping pressure.

When routing binding and purfling channels, I try to leave the "fuzz" and just lift it up out of the way, Then gule the B/P in place and scrape in the direction of the grain,the scraping places the fibers back closer and leaves a tighter look after sanding/sealing

When installing a tail piece, after final fitting, I drill a 3/16 Dia. hole in the top of the guitar through the end block about 3/4" deep, insert a 3/16" x 1" st.steel rod and drill the exact locating hole in the under side of the tail piece, glued in place with this rod/anchor it's pretty much bullet proof.

For angled truss rod channels in rough neck stocks, I plane the fret board side flat and level, cut to proper length, and glue a 3/16" to 1/4" shim stock to the neck about where the nut would go, 1 drop of super glue works just fine, set my router table to the required finish height and route a clean correct angle in one pass. The shim stock is easily tapped off with a mallet.

These are things I just do myself, so I know many others have too..
-N.C.

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

Don't use aluminium foil when bending Australian Blackwood on a Fox bender or it'll turn green.

Don't hand bend sides in your boxer shorts or you'll end up with a burnt bum. - source H. Breakstone.

Bob

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Bob Connor
Geelong, Australia

If I have side purflings, I lightly tack a small piece of purfling to the top and back right at the tail wedge. My Williams binding jig then rides up on the purfling when I cut my binding channels which leaves the wedge just the right amount long. I still have to tidy up the binding slot a bit but the length of the wedge is just right.

When joining top and back plates I candle using a florescent light standing vertical against the wall starting at the floor for a low angle. This seems to be less of a strain to check how tight your joint is before gluing.

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Wade
Nashua, NH
http://www.wadefx.com

Great tips folks - keep em coming please!

When installing side purflings, after you cut your miter, tack the miter joint in place at the butt using a tiny drop of CA, then proceed to glue the rest.
This holds that ever important joint in place as you glue up your bindings and purfs.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

For classical makers-
when glueing on the F.Board -sand the top above & around the s.hole to your final finish grit-then fit the f.board- apply a coat of shellac to that area around the board--I use 2 , 1/16" pins at the 4th & 12th fret to help keep the f.b from moving around-then i apply shellac to the sides of the f.b from the 12th fret to the s.hole end of the board to keep glue from sticking -this will make glue clean-up much easier and not allow dust into the top .
Also sand the s.hole edges and apply shellac to keep unsightly dust getting into the end grain of the top!
Then just sand the shellac off before you finish.

I use blond shellac 2lb cut !

I also use the Stew Mac bridge bolts to help secure a steel st. bridge when gluing !
Old bridges and new ones-they hold that baby in place nice!!


Mike

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Mike Collins

Mike, that is a great tip! Simple and brilliant! Thanks!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Pretty basic, but point sharp tools (they are sharp, aren't they?) away from body parts.
Especially chisels & exacto knives.

Don't ask me how I know this

When you feel yourself getting into that frenzied mode (things not going as planned, short of time) and start lurching around, knocking stuff off benches etc. try this: Do the T'ai Chi thing and make every movement very slow and flowing, breath deep and a lot of the time you get back in the zone after a few minutes. If not walk away, disaster looms.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Full disclosure: I stole this tip from Frank Ford. I'm constantly needing to mix small amounts of thinned glue, finish, etc., etc. I use aluminum soda cans (I prefer Pepsi products) turned upside down. The recess on the bottom makes a great small container.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

If you are about to perform a wood processing procedure involving rotary cutters, abrasive belts or sharp edges, and a hunch tells you something is not right about it, STOP! and think it through again. The hunch is often right, and it may save you a trip to the ER.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

For difficult table saw cuts, such as heel blocks, I've started sawing on the bandsaw free hand and then planing it down to the line with a block plane. My block plane is super sharp and doing this is almost as fast as building a jig or hold down. That's how I cut my scarf joint. Draw a 15 degree line on the side of the neck blank, cut with the band saw free hand, clamp together ala Cumpiano, and plane. I've done this whole operation in less than 15 minutes.

My friend Arnt reminded me that safety tips should be here too - thanks Arnt!

- Consider in advance what you are going to do it you shoot some CA or denatured alcohol in your eye in your shop.... Have a plan and what you need to accomplish your plan in place. Either get an eye wash station or an eye cup and a bottle of clean water and have it on hand. Source: Grumpy/Mario

- Do you have a charged fire extinguisher on hand in your shop? If not get one! Source: Pat Foster

If possible, power strips/outlets and cords should be kept up off the floor.

I can't tell you how many times I've tripped over a power cord, and watched as one of my tools hit the floor.

Usually a drill with a now-broken bit.

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Just remembered one, 'cause I'm doin' it.
A great way to remove "fuzz" from binding steps, (in conjunction with sandpaper or whatever), is an eraser! I use the big ones (for unclogging sanding belts/discs).

(Great thread.....keep 'em coming!)

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Dave
Milton, ON

* When you are finished using it, put it away (from my mother) - still haven't learned this one though

* NEVER for ANY reason allow your fingers to get any closer than 3" to a blade or bit of any type. (Marc Adams)

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John Ressler

Keep away from your work when you are angry with somebody.....
I once visited a famous luthier in LA and one of his assistant showed me some of his bullet inlayed guitars.
Jeff

Don't you mean Black Acacia?



Kidding kidding!!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."