OM Acoustic Build (Mark Bailey Course)

ArchtopDave

Once final sanding of everything on this side of the Top is done, then the Neck and Heel Blocks are made out of Mahogany. Again you can see the rounded edges on these Blocks, and the slot through the Neck Block for the Truss Rod.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oobhriQhzZU/VrfWY-l_kWI/AAAAAAAABkU/oNYLckYpN5g/s800-Ic42/DSC_0143.jpg

ArchtopDave

The protruding ends of the Braces that reach the edge of the Top are trimmed. These are cut so that the Sides of the Body will abut against them when glued.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dlA5MATZfIk/VrfWhePu0JI/AAAAAAAABkU/Sq-xXEnzr5Y/s800-Ic42/DSC_0146.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--Cw0L97r36A/VrfWl4wRW3I/AAAAAAAABkU/bq8Vl9BNPwM/s800-Ic42/DSC_0155.jpg

ArchtopDave

Test clamping (Dry Clamping) done first to check everything fits properly.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-42Ua8VSX5lE/VrfWh-hVlhI/AAAAAAAABkU/1tZgtJeKyOQ/s800-Ic42/DSC_0154.jpg

Then glueing proper carried out.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-roKgelQ-ptM/VrfWqPEYMcI/AAAAAAAABkU/ziFYXNI3dK0/s800-Ic42/DSC_0158.jpg

WezV

I'm finding this really interesting.   I think I own every book on acoustic making there is,  and I have never seen ia top braced, or body assembled in this order, but I am having a few issues with one of my acoustic builds and adopting this gluing order may get me out of hot water

TTony

WezV said:

and I have never seen ia top braced, or body assembled in this order, 

You're hoping that Dave has posted his pics in the right order then ...

But seriously, I've had a sneak preview of this, and I'm still wow'd seeing it all again and seeing the guitar come together.  

I'm in awe of the acoustic builders.  By contrast, making solid-bodies is just about power tools and brute force, whereas something like this is more like a skilled craftsman using a range of specialist tools to transform delicate pieces of wood into a beautiful instrument.

WezV

I just mean you normally see a complete set of rims before the top or back goes on, and most seem to start with the X-brace first, then add the others. I have a weird neck block shape going on with mine and it will be easier if I consider doing it this way

ArchtopDave

In the first of the 2 photos in my post above (The Dry Clamping photo) you'll notice that there are gaps in the Kerfing, where the longer Braces abut against the Sides. Extra pieces of Kerfing are glued in, and also the gaps beside the Heel Block as well ( these are "lying down" in this photo before glueing glued into position). 

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vS7ozfBeO9w/VrfWqcuMKyI/AAAAAAAABkU/FT950-gRjbU/s800-Ic42/DSC_0160.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zmc3mMJ6WMI/VrfW66RyalI/AAAAAAAABkU/_iZ8w0xMCag/s800-Ic42/DSC_0173.jpg

 Ignore the bit of Spruce between the Heel Block and the Lower Bout Brace in the first of these 2 photos - I think I just put in there just to save it as a spare bit of wood.

ArchtopDave

The Sides now have to be trimmed down to size and shaped to allow fitting of the Back. More chiselling first of all.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U-3BIEPwGTY/VrfWuu8yqvI/AAAAAAAABkU/_YUQP_uDXTw/s800-Ic42/DSC_0165.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OiCebzx_ew0/VroYY3UeDMI/AAAAAAAABk4/aBDmP2lY7Vo/s800-Ic42/DSC_0168.jpg

ArchtopDave

Then sanding with a large Sanding Block. Basically you have two aims. One to trim the Edges to have good contact everywhere with the Back, and secondly sanding has to continue until you have just sanded off the whole of the surface of both the Neck Block and the Heel Block, as both need to have good contact with the Back as well. The Lower Bout has greater depth then the Upper Bout, so you are actually working at a bit of an angle.

 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oZf0leV7KJI/VrfW1sFxgnI/AAAAAAAABkU/gPVoj_qZCrA/s800-Ic42/DSC_0170.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-azjD6RnSXHo/VrfW7Q-CmPI/AAAAAAAABkU/DY1K2yEj1B8/s800-Ic42/DSC_0171.jpg

As you can see, it gets a bit messy. though it all cleans up OK in the end.

ArchtopDave

After this, the rest of the Kerfings are glue on. These are put on just slightly proud, and then sanded down.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2fsM4qvp_qY/VrfW84XKlkI/AAAAAAAABkU/WHIK9voHvVg/s800-Ic42/DSC_0179.jpg

ArchtopDave

The ends of the Braces on the Back are trimmed.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l-Cz_-vCxM8/VrfXFK3j-rI/AAAAAAAABkU/eD6X8tmq8sY/s800-Ic42/DSC_0180.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dqaT-SOzNMY/VrfXKhO_CRI/AAAAAAAABkU/GQosMOhHjMg/s800-Ic42/DSC_0183.jpg

ArchtopDave

The Kerfings have been put on as a continuous strip, so slots are made in them to accept the ends of the Cross Braces on the  Back. Here's one slot partially made - the idea is to get the Brace end to fit in as snug as possible.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vMTmCmkXccQ/VrfXLBCCkNI/AAAAAAAABkU/xDPj_0uyqRI/s800-Ic42/DSC_0185.jpg

ArchtopDave

Then after a Dry Clamping test, the Epoxy goes on, and the Guitar Body is strapped up.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Evn4wuN_M-w/VrfXL7eILoI/AAAAAAAABkU/k-JBg5YwY8E/s800-Ic42/DSC_0187.jpg

Nitefly

Absolutely fascinating - what a masterpiece!  

Regarding the top x-brace, is that 2 pieces or 3?

ArchtopDave

The X-Brace is made out of 2 pieces of wood - you carefully cut a square notch in both pieces (saw and chisel job), and then gradually remove further wood with a nice sharp chisel until the 2 Braces can be slid together. In the photo showing the Bridge Plate being made (page 2), the X-Brace wood was just being used as a guide for creating an accurate Bridge Plate shape. The X-Brace Joint had not been made at that stage.

ArchtopDave

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XB7nU1aAkdI/VtqkNKHwE5I/AAAAAAAABoU/KS6or1S5ZlQ/s800-Ic42/DSC_0208.jpg

Notice two things. First that the Top wood and Back wood extend a little beyond the Sides, and the next job is to rout the excess off. Secondly, there's a gap between the back ends of the Sides (there's also a gap at the Neck Block end as well). This is deliberate - it makes sure that, when the Sides are clamped and glued that there is good contact of the Sides with the Heel Block, the Neck Block, and the Brace ends.

I'll show the Router setup later, as the same Router is used to making the channels for the Body Binding. I think it's my least favourite bit of equipment. The Router is fixed to a table on a stand, and you have to press the Guitar Body against the Router Bit and rotate the Guitar Body round to trim the excess wood off. There's quite an art to keeping the Body of the Guitar moving and, at the same, steadily moving your hands in the opposite direction to keep them away from the Router. You also reverse rout the central areas of each of the major curves of the Body first to minimise the risk of wood "tear out".

The Body is set up in this Cradle which has adjustable clamps. There are vertical adjustable screw pegs in each of these clamps; these allow you to get the Top surface (the one being routed) horizontal. You then turn the Body over, set the Back up, and rout that as well.

ArchtopDave

Putting the Fret Slots in the Fretboard was actually one of the very first jobs that I did, but I saved it until now, as I'm also moving on to making the Neck. The wood is what it looks like - Ebony.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v7FmiYr0PLs/VtMbu2QaiSI/AAAAAAAABm0/Oy62b466-Z8/s800-Ic42/DSC_0097.jpg

The top surface of the work surface, that you can see here, has a pale top half and is darker in the lower part (years of sawdust staining). Where these two meet, there is something greyish in the black slot. This is the top edge of a circular saw blade sticking out just enough to cut the full depth of a Fret Slot. At the bottom edge on the left edge of the slot is something looking like a lollipop on a stick. This is the handle for a small clamp, which has a peg designed to lock into the slots on the acrylic template.So you lock the template into position with the Fretboard face down, and then push the whole work surface back and forwards once to cut each Fret Slot.

ArchtopDave

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VtfZ_aYJwJk/VtMbs9n-8rI/AAAAAAAABm0/PjR7F9NNAC0/s800-Ic42/DSC_0099.jpg

There's a Template for each Scale Length. I used 25.4" which is a tradition Martin Scale Length. 

Each Template has a Centre Line scribed on it.You draw a Centre Line on your Fretboard, and then stick the Fretboard to the Template with double sided tape - making sure that the two Centre Lines are carefully lined up, and that your wood goes just beyond the slot for the Nut (later you saw off through this slot). Then you cut atleast 2 more slots than you really need just to make sure you've enough before taking the Fretboard off the Template. I cut 22 slots as I planned for 20 Frets actually on the guitar.

ArchtopDave

I forgot to take any photos of initial gluing up of the laminates for the Neck, but you can see in this photo that I've made it out of 5 pieces of wood. It's 3 pieces of Mahogany - I think the outermost pieces came from the same piece of timber, and I chose a paler central section. The 2 narrow dark strips are Walnut. The Mahogany was salvaged from an old Church that was being demolished. It once was the Church Pews in this former life.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U1oc-Yfqh6s/VrfXR1yIbzI/AAAAAAAABkU/eE7bVBw9nN8/s800-Ic42/DSC_0189.jpg

At the left end of the slot, there are 2 pencil lines - the end one is about a inch (I cannot remember exactly the measurement but this is the wood that the actual joint will come from). The other line marks the 14th Fret position, as the Neck will join the Body at the 14th Fret. You may just be able to make out another pencil line at the right hand end of the slot - this marks the Nut position.

ArchtopDave

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VJGNorhWou4/VrfXW7wQTpI/AAAAAAAABkU/P9cGnWVAUII/s800-Ic42/DSC_0196.jpg

The angle on the front of the Headstock is then surface routed using the template box. You can clearly see the pencil lines marking the Nut position in this photo.