Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 4:59 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:47 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Good day all. I'm venturing into deeper waters with a couple body features I've not tried before. Specifically a cut-away and an arm bevel. I'm a fan of avoiding the mistakes other people have already made if I can help it, so any advice on what to look out for when executing these features would be most helpful.

I've attached the design rendering for reference. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Attachment:
Dread.jpeg


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 1:13 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:42 am
Posts: 1135
Location: Hudson, MA
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Quine
City: Hudson
State: MA
Country: Usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Wow...nice rendering. I thought it was a real photo until I read the post.



These users thanked the author Quine for the post: TerrenceMitchell (Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:57 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 3:40 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7241
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
Looking at the arm-bevel shape at the bottom and wondering how are you planning to put on the veneer? I use the iron-on method with Titebond and even with a normal shape (no recurve) it's a bit of a challenge. I thought of vacuum but the veneer is pretty fragile and the overhanging edges would probably crack. Be interested to see how you pull it off.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 4:42 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:59 pm
Posts: 374
First name: Ken
Last Name: Lewis
City: Mt. Pearl
State: NL
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Though it sure looks attractive, the arm bevel to me, seems a bit overly infringing on the top and it will require
a big chunk of wood to back it up. I'd be concerned about the possible negative tonal effect it may have. Beauty
shape though. Something to think about.



These users thanked the author Ken Lewis for the post: TerrenceMitchell (Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:12 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:14 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Quine wrote:
Wow...nice rendering. I thought it was a real photo until I read the post.


Thanks, I'll pass the compliment on to my daughter. She's quite the artist and has a great eye for design... even when it's not something she normally designs. I learned long ago, that I shouldn't make visual design decisions on anything involving colors and patters :). So, I send her line drawings to scale and say "go for it."


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 10:23 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
SteveSmith wrote:
Looking at the arm-bevel shape at the bottom and wondering how are you planning to put on the veneer? I use the iron-on method with Titebond and even with a normal shape (no recurve) it's a bit of a challenge. I thought of vacuum but the veneer is pretty fragile and the overhanging edges would probably crack. Be interested to see how you pull it off.



I agree, the bevel might be a little larger than it needs to be in order to be effective. I'll probably eye-ball that when I have it in my hands. After watching multiple videos on how different people approach the bevel, I think I'm going to follow what Jason Simpson showed in his YouTube video. The initial form/mould will be the most difficult part, but I think I have figured out a process to make that... although it will take a good bit of time. Once that's done, I'll probably follow his process almost exactly, except for a couple steps where I'll use different tools. Seems very well conceived though. And, I like his approach to the laminated support piece... seems very structurally sound and doesn't require a large block of wood filling the corner of the body.


Last edited by TerrenceMitchell on Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 11:32 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 6977
First name: Mike
Last Name: O'Melia
City: Huntsville
State: Alabama
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
I found that the armrest bevel was one of the most challenging things to do. I studied Kent Everett's video. Even with that, it took me a while to get the technique down. I use Spanish cedar to reduce weight. I precarve the internal side to reduce weight. His tite bond pre-glue idea works great for the veneer!



These users thanked the author Mike OMelia for the post: TerrenceMitchell (Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:24 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:05 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7241
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
I watched Jason Simpson's video, his process is well thought out and looks like it would work well if you are going to make enough of the same shape guitars to make it worth developing the jigs. I like his approach to the bevel although I carve the inside of mine (bass wood) down quite a bit so I'm not sure there is that much difference. I usually make a different shaped guitar each time so, like Mike, I find Kent Everett's process works well for me. Kent's process also eliminates the need to route purfling slots around the bevel which, for me, is a big plus. Lot's of different ways to do the job and I'm looking forward to see how it all works out for you.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 1:38 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:00 pm
Posts: 255
Location: Tennessee
First name: Terry
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Thanks guys, I'm definitely going to check out that Everett video to make sure I've considered it thoroughly.

My approach to building (at least for the foreseeable future) is to settle on specific designs and work them over and over until I can give the customer a demo guitar to play for a few days, and then a few months later give them something they can't tell apart from what they originally played.

I totally agree that fully custom guitar building is a different animal than offering specific models that can be "tweaked" a little here and there, but I'm not there right now.

A lot of the way I approach guitar building comes from an odd blend of making furniture for a few decades, trying very hard to never make the same thing twice, along with working in manufacturing for 18 years where quality means you can make the same thing every time (regardless of how "good" that thing actually is). It's a struggle for sure, but I've found that making the exact same guitar multiple times isn't as draining as making the same piece of furniture over and over, because each step of the guitar making process is relatively short and very different from the next step. It seems to help me cope with repetition by constantly switching tasks.

In any case, my goal for this armrest is to invest heavily during the first one, and leverage the templates and jigs many times over.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:43 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 7241
Location: Southeast US
City: Lenoir City
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37772
Country: US
Focus: Repair
I built custom furniture for several years and spent 11 years in manufacturing so I understand where you're coming from. Your approach sounds reasonable and I hope you keep us ul to date on how it goes.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Nov 14, 2020 2:48 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:54 am
Posts: 854
State: Texas
Country: United States
Focus: Repair
I can't offer any advice on actually building it or on the arm bevel. But that cutaway area right near the treble side upper bout on the extension I would recommend having some extra reinforcement. I've had a few indie built acoustics with similar style cutaways on my bench over the years that developed cracks in that exact spot. Maybe just some extra wide kerfing in that spot?



These users thanked the author DanKirkland for the post: TerrenceMitchell (Sun Nov 15, 2020 2:38 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Glen H, J De Rocher, Stuart Flavell and 58 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com