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+1 Good to see you back Haans. Hope all is well.

Once I did it 90 degrees. By accident. Hopefully I never do it again. Shaping end grain is a serious PITA.

Mike

Yes it is! I've always just accepted that as part of the string of PITAs that is lutherie.

For the plywood people:

So plywood? Can one plane/shape the edge well? Are you laminating two sheets? What are your usual dimensions for your end block blank? Any pictures to share of plywood blocks?

Thanks!


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Some makers only make the tail block .375" thick even out of solid material. Baltic Birch 10 -12 mm is 7 or 9 layers there certainly would not be a need to double that or even add a vertical reinforcement. We do the rim contouring with our KMG Mega Mold system, the 80 grit 15' abrasive radius bar shapes the ply very easily.

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Not a lot of grip for an end pin at these thicknesses ...

9/16" is plenty if your end pin fits. If that's not enough, get some 3/4"(18mm) baltic birch. Whatever you do, don't forget taper the top and back to the kerfing with a bevel so you won't have any telegraphing.
If you don't like the idea of plywood in your guitar (big deal), make it out of 17 layers of pink ivory, pernambuco, the tree, BTW and ancient Kauri. Then inlay it with your favorite yin/yang tree of life or golden sarcophagus honoring the great YAM the oneth...

Not a fan of taper end pins anyway -- so I never gave it a thought. But it seems you could ream a little under-size and jamb a pin tight without fear of causing a split -- but I don't know?

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I also use Mahogany but inlay a piece of baltic birch in the tail block to help prevent the dreaded tail block split if dropped.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Here are a couple of shots of a plywood tail block (Birch on show face) that I've used on 4 of my classical builds. Any shaping, I do with my sander (no problems). The dimensions of the block are 3.75 inches tall, 2.5 inches wide and 0.75 inches thick. Haven't yet tapered to the kerfing as Haas suggested, but I'll try that on the next one. Hope this is what you were asking for rlrhett; I don't have a picture of one installed. Guess I need to take more pictures as I'm building.

Hans, good to see you back. Have you been hanging out with the Padma ?


I also use plywood, but nothing fancy, just 1/2" birch.

-jd

Thanks John, and no, I haven't been hanging out with whatever his name is or the rest of them.
This winter was especially tough for me and I don't know if I am ready to discuss it yet as I don't have all the test results.

Haans,

I wish you the best, whatever is troubling you.

-jd