Thursday, July 9th, 2009:

Now it's time to fit and glue the top. Here I have the top clamped onto the side set, with the centerlines at the neck and tail matched up. I mark where the braces (the two x-braces and the upper face brace) meet the outside of the side, marking both underneath the brace and at both sides of the brace. That will tell me where I need to cut off the end of the brace (3/32" in from that mark, so the brace will end right at the inside of the side). It will also tell me where to cut the pockets in the kerfing.

 

 

  

 

Then, with a 24" straightedge, I mark where those braces cross the kerfing.

 

 

 

  

INDEX:

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  1. Planning
  2. A Little Change in Plans...
  3. Back Braces
  4. Carving the Back Braces & Cutting the Top Braces
  5. The Rosette / Tapering the Fingerboard
  6. Bracing the Top
  7. Carving the Braces / Gluing the Soundhole Braces & Bridge Plate
  8. The Finished Top and Back!!! / Cutting and Bending the Sides
  9. Fixing Cupped Sides / Making Spreaders & Clamping Cauls
  10. Neck and Tail Blocks
  11. Sanding the Radius into the Sides / Gluing the Kerfing Strips / Side Reinforcements
  12. Fitting & Gluing the Back
  13. Fitting & Gluing the Top
  14. We Have a Soundbox Now!!!
  15. Bending and Routing for Bindings
  16. Gluing the End Wedge & Bindings
  17. Scraping the Bindings
  18. Beginning the Neck
  19. The Neck, Continued!!!
  20. The Neck, Day 3
  21. Peghead, Tuners, Dots, & Frets!!
  22. Peghead Inlay
  23. Backstrap & Gluing the Fingerboard
  24. Carving the Neck / A "Duh!" Moment / Side Dots / Preparing for Finish
  25. Pore-Filling and Sealing
  26. Spraying the Top Coats
  27. Finishing the Finish / Gluing on the Neck
  28. Gluing on the Bridge
  29. Set-Up / It's All Done!

 

 

 

 

   
   

 

I use a razor saw to cut on those penciled lines, and then I use a 1/4" chisel to make the pocket for the brace to sit in. My brace ends are 1/8" tall, so that's how deep I make the pocket.

 

 

 

 

Well, that's it for today. My sister and I are going to see Ed Gerhard play at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley tonight. (I never get tired of seeing him play!)

 

 

I check the fit of the top to the side set, and it fits well. This time I have no play, side to side. I must be getting better at this!

I put glue on the kerfing and blocks, lay the top onto the sides, and use the go-bar sticks to clamp it down (on top of the guitar-shaped clamping caul, of course). In a few hours, I'll finally have my soundbox!!!!

 

    

 

  

 

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