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PostPosted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 2:10 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 17, 2008 1:11 pm
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Location: Spokane, Washington
First name: Pat
Last Name: Foster
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Before bending your sides, raise the grain by spritzing them, both sides, and let them dry. Then, as John How advises, sand them smooth. Then bend.

Raising the grain beforehand minimizes raised grain from spritzing in preparation for bending, if you're of that persuasion.

Pat

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PostPosted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:54 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 11:47 pm
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Location: United States
First name: Vincent
Last Name: Simokovich
City: Parma
State: OH
Zip/Postal Code: 44134
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Most probably take this for granted, but make sure you know how to sharpen your plane blades and chisels. Nothing worse than ripping out a chunk of wood with a dull tool.

Vince


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PostPosted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 12:50 pm 
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Location: North Carolina
I read a tip somewhere about using liquid hide glue when fretting. Put a little bit along the slots then put the fret in place and hammer into place. The glue acts as a lubricant. Much easier for me this way.

Also, Kincade (sp?) suggest running a file along the slot to bevel the edge to minimize chipout

Greg

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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 2:52 pm 
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Brock Poling wrote:
2. When you are drilling your M/T necks for the inserts put the inserts in BEFORE you route for the tenon. You only need to crack a few tenons to learn that. It saves lots of time trying to repair them.


I cut the tenon on the tablesaw before drilling for the inserts, but I clamp the tenon with an Irwin quickgrip while screwing the inserts in.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:31 am 
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Location: Rochester Michigan
Spend the extra cash for nice sandpaper. Some examples are Norton 3x or 3M Gold (which seems even better than the 3x to me). Buy a 12 slot file folder thing to keep your sheets organized.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:58 pm 
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Like Brock said, keep the first few simple.

Measure three times and cut once.

Spend $40 on a dial caliper and set of feeler gauges and your level of precision will greatly improve.

Don't feel you have to break the bank on tools and jigs for your first guitar. You don't need to spend $2k on a Unisaw to cut fret slots when a supplier will only charge you $10 for the service. Once you've built a few, you will have a better idea of what you really need or want. This will help you avoid buyer's remorse down the road.

If you're using reverse linings, prebending or spritzing with water helps keep them in one piece.

Slot your fretboard first and use it as a measuring stick when laying out your neck and bridge location. Add the proper compensation and you should have no problems with intonation once the guitar is assembled.

Read the archives. Plenty of inspiration in there.

Don't get discouraged. This is a very challenging hobby. Don't get too upset if you make a mistake, most things can be fixed. Plus you'll learn the most important skill there is; flexibility in the form of hiding/repairing (or sometimes even highlighting) a goof-up. And yes, you'll put a marker at the wrong fret location. If you haven't already, you will. Everyone has.

Have fun. If it's not enjoyable you want want to build more.


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 2:00 pm 
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When shaping the fret board you can use the stewmac string action guage
http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/0670
in the fret kerfs to quantify your relief from fret to fret
and bottom E taper by sliding it right and left


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:26 pm 
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Location: Changes when ever I move..Australia
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Buy a GOOD quality 3" machinist square, don't skimp! Buy a GOOD quality 600mm hardened steel straight edge, don't skimp! You want to be looking at something like Starrett, or Boak etc. Now go round with your new square and straight edge and set up your machinery so it cuts straight and square. You should be using these tools quite often to check many things as you work.

Also grab some 16mm melamine, a can of spray adhesive, and some 120grit and 80grit 'cloth backed' abrasive. Cut some melamine to a 1/2 sheet size and glue 120git to one side and 80grit to the other, you want to try and find some place with a roll of abrasive around 300mm wide or wider and buy a piece from them around 600mm long. Do the same thing with a large off-cut of melamine to fit this longer sheet of abrasive (100 or 80grit is fine). This board is great for cleaning up all kinds of larger flat surfaces like the neck surface, underside of fretboards etc but also it is THE tool for flattening out the upper bout of the rims back to the transverse to avoid 14 fret hump after dish sanding.

It has been mentioned, but learn to sharpen. The plate glass and abrasive sheet system, or what some refer to as 'scary sharp' works great. This not only put a very good edge on your tools, but ensures that you waist none of the precious metal that is an E.A. Berg chisel.

Cheers

Kim


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 10:24 am 
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First name: Rob
Last Name: McDougall
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Don't use naptha to clean up the top before sealing (as recommended on a French Polish how-to website) if you have any tinted colors in the rosette - the colors will bleed into that beautiful spruce top you just spent hours getting perfectly prepped.... [headinwall]

Also, before you close up the body, cut and fit your bridge caul and consider taping it in place with masking tape - makes installing the bridge much easier


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PostPosted: Fri May 22, 2009 12:46 pm 
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There's nothing worse than putting a big dent in the body because it sat on a wood chip....or worse a fret cut-off. Even a clean work bench can have a chip or bump that can leave a mark
Use a towel or that no-skid rubbery shelf liner as a work pad while sanding or installing binding


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:49 pm 
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Measure twice, cut once. Or is it the other way around. Serious i don't know how many times i didn't follow this rule and was lucky enough on most occasions to catch myself before i really messed up. I said on most occasions. There were those few times i wasted some good expensive woods by not obeying that rule...Mike duh


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 10:43 pm 
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First name: Adam
Last Name: Yavner
City: Wylie
State: TX
Zip/Postal Code: 75098
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I wish I had known to put a tall shim of thin wood between the neck and tail ends and the mold, so that the top unsupported half of the wood doesn't split when pressed into the mold...

oops_sign

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PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:06 pm 
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Location: United States
Do not rush into anything ! I would say , read at least two articles,((many) more if possible) on your next upcoming step. and do not proceed until you feel you understand the process. it is unbelievable how many " gotchas" can pop up in a build, and gaining from someone elses experience is priceless. Jody


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