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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:54 pm 
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meddlingfool wrote:
Ever heard the trick where instead of flush cutting the excess, you route a channel lesser in all dimensions than your bindings? That way you don’t have to deal with sanding the endgrain which makes life just a touch more bearable. Fairing the sides is almost my least enjoyed task…


Yes, I learned it from you [:Y:]

Thanks!


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bcombs510
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 4:25 pm 
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meddlingfool wrote:
Ever heard the trick where instead of flush cutting the excess, you route a channel lesser in all dimensions than your bindings? That way you don’t have to deal with sanding the endgrain which makes life just a touch more bearable. Fairing the sides is almost my least enjoyed task…

I learned this tip from you as well. The first time I used it I was sanding with Elevate’s rolling pin and was amazed at how fast and easy it went compared to earlier instruments. That telltale sign of the two lines on the sanding drum where it’s wearing itself out against the plates was gone!


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meddlingfool
PostPosted: Tue Jan 10, 2023 5:43 pm 
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I learned it from someone here who learned it from Mario P, lol…


These users thanked the author meddlingfool for the post (total 2): Robbie_McD (Sun Jan 15, 2023 7:54 am) • Michaeldc (Tue Jan 10, 2023 7:16 pm)
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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 1:52 pm 
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Well….I chickened out on using my new Elevate binding jig and instead used my SM binding setup. As I was practicing with the Elevate jig, I kept lifting the guitar body off of the back guide. You only have to lift it one time to mess up. Hmmm…

M


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Last edited by Michaeldc on Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Pmaj7
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:47 pm 
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Yeah, it seems like a precarious way to do it, but people who use that style jig love them!

The only professionals that I know who make a lot of guitars use something of a similar design. They don't even use the side register. They just register the top and back on the flat plate next to the bit and do it very carefully and quickly. Not sure if they do a climb cut first or not.

Pat

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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 3:01 pm 
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Figured I’d rough-in the neck this morning. Next up, the heel cap and headstock back veneer.

Getting close, M


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Pmaj7
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 3:26 pm 
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Why the extra little caul at the top of the fretboard?

Pat

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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 3:43 pm 
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Pmaj7 wrote:
Why the extra little caul at the top of the fretboard?

Pat


Second try: In that it’s a fan-fret and the FB is angled, I held the aluminum caul back a bit so I could clear squeeze out from the nut slot and applied the little cork caul to the end of the FB to make sure it was down all the way.

M


Last edited by Michaeldc on Mon Jan 16, 2023 8:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Terence Kennedy
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 6:52 pm 
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Michaeldc wrote:
Well….I chickened out on using my new Elevate binding jig and instead used my SM binding setup. As I was practicing with the Elevate jig, I kept lifting the guitar body off of the back guide. You only have to lift it one time to mess up. Hmmm…

M


I had similar concerns about the Elevate but had a kid spend some time in my shop and he worked two years in the Santa Cruz binding department. He said they used a jig similar to the Elevate to rout the binding accepting the fact that there could be some minor scalloping. Then they routed the purfling channel with a tower type jig which was totally dependable for accuracy.

Made sense but I have not tried that approach yet.

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These users thanked the author Terence Kennedy for the post (total 2): Pmaj7 (Wed Jan 18, 2023 2:05 am) • Michaeldc (Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:04 pm)
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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:08 pm 
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Terence Kennedy wrote:
Michaeldc wrote:
Well….I chickened out on using my new Elevate binding jig and instead used my SM binding setup. As I was practicing with the Elevate jig, I kept lifting the guitar body off of the back guide. You only have to lift it one time to mess up. Hmmm…

M


I had similar concerns about the Elevate but had a kid spend some time in my shop and he worked two years in the Santa Cruz binding department. He said they used a jig similar to the Elevate to rout the binding accepting the fact that there could be some minor scalloping. Then they routed the purfling channel with a tower type jig which was totally dependable for accuracy.

Made sense but I have not tried that approach yet.


Now that does make sense!

Maybe after practicing only cutting the binding ledge you would gain confidence with the Elevate unit and be able to cut both -

Thanks!
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SteveSmith
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:13 pm 
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I had the same concerns but I just went for it. So far I've used my Elevate binding jig on three guitars. I'm pretty steady but not perfect and have had slight lifting as I went around; it doesn't seem to have mattered much and I didn't notice any fit issues when I installed the binding and purfling. I have previously used a tower and cradle jig with bearing bits.

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Last edited by SteveSmith on Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Barry Daniels
PostPosted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:26 pm 
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Pmaj7 wrote:
Why the extra little caul at the top of the fretboard?

Pat


I use similar separate cauls when I want to ensure that a critical joint needs to be really tight, like the end of the fretboard.


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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 8:11 pm 
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Well that’s pretty much that about that - I need to install some frets and then spend several hours sanding and refining before sending it off to finish. The client was down for a shop-visit yesterday and is pretty excited!

M


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Darrel Friesen
PostPosted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 9:38 pm 
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Michaeldc wrote:
Well that’s pretty much that about that - I need to install some frets and then spend several hours sanding and refining before sending it off to finish. The client was down for a shop-visit yesterday and is pretty excited!

M

Very nice Michael. The inlay reminds me of some done by a local luthier here named Judy Threet using a lot of alternative to shell materials.


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Michaeldc
PostPosted: Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:57 pm 
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Darrel Friesen wrote:
Michaeldc wrote:
Well that’s pretty much that about that - I need to install some frets and then spend several hours sanding and refining before sending it off to finish. The client was down for a shop-visit yesterday and is pretty excited!

M

Very nice Michael. The inlay reminds me of some done by a local luthier here named Judy Threet using a lot of alternative to shell materials.


I finally got a chance to check out her work - Gorgeous!

Thanks, M
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mtracz
PostPosted: Fri Feb 10, 2023 4:03 pm 
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Michael,

Your work, process, and outcome are beyond inspiring. Thank you for sharing!!!

_Mike

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Hesh
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2023 3:30 am 
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Beautiful Michael a real stunner!!! Love the shop pics and it's spotless too :)


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jfmckenna
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2023 11:12 am 
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This is looking fantastic Michael. A lot of nice design and artwork in this one.

I made my own 'Elevate' jig and I have found it to be rather full proof so far as to making mistakes. Knock on wood. I don't think it matters that you lift the guitar off the back or angle it or anything. It's only going to cut as deep as you set it.


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Terence Kennedy
PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2023 3:26 pm 
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Nice work! Really tasteful without crossing the line into gaudy country :)

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