When it came time to clamp the side into the mold, I realized I did not have my spreader blocks. (I have no idea where they disappeared to!!!)
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So, I had to take a little break and make those. I'll finish them (drill the little cavity for the turnbuckle) later, after I've bent the cutaway side and make the spreader blocks for that side. |
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After that was done, I set about bending the cutaway side. The first step, as I mentioned earlier, was to use the regular bender to bend the lower bout, the waist, and the first half of the cutaway, up to the tip of the horn. I found I couldn't use the cutaway ram pictured here to do the entire cutaway, as this cutaway is much sharper than normal, and the side of the cutaway nearer the neck would not be held tightly to the form with the ram. I could make modifications to this bender, but it would be just as easy to use that other bending form I already had made for the cutaway.
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So, I'm going to let this sit overnight (just as I did yesterday's side), and tomorrow I will use the other bending form to finish up the bending of the cutaway portion. While I'm waiting on this, I think I'll start making my neck and tail blocks, and start cutting braces..... MANY, MANY HOURS LATER. . . . . . I can't believe how long it took me to produce what you see in the photo below!!! It was back-and-forth from my little power tool shed (way at the back of my lot) to my older shed, where my thickness sander is, over and over again! That's one of the disadvantages of having my guitarmaking areas in three different spots; it means a lot of traveling back-and-forth!!! Well, it's good exercise, anyway.... But I did it --- now I have all my top and back braces cut and ready to go! I only need to sand the radiuses (radii?) on those braces that need it. But that will come later....
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