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 Post subject: Builders log
PostPosted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 10:59 pm 
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Mahogany
Mahogany
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Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:51 am
Posts: 54
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Question for everyone:

Do you keep a log of all your builds? If so what all do you include in the log, how do you keep it (paper, spreadsheet) and has it proven useful?

Thanks,
Carl.


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:25 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:34 pm
Posts: 156
First name: Ellison
City: Whitman
State: MA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
I keep track of all of mine with excel spreadsheets. Works well for me.


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:32 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:09 am
Posts: 841
Location: Auburn, California
First name: Hank
Last Name: Mauel
City: Auburn
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95603
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I do a "Build Sheet" for each guitar.
At the end, I hand write in a small spiral notebook all the details along with any changes made during the build. Also has customer name, serial number and completion date.
When I'm dead and buried, maybe someone will give $5 on Ebay for the written record. idunno

(Tried to attach a copy of the Build Sheet for your perusal but the forum system won't accept a "doc" file)

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:02 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:10 pm
Posts: 121
First name: Brendan
Last Name: Dwyer
City: tolland
State: CT
Zip/Postal Code: 06084
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Gtrman13 wrote:
I keep track of all of mine with excel spreadsheets. Works well for me.

me too

i have all the material attributes on the front sheet, all the critical dimensions on the next, and on the last sheet a record of my time. its stapled to the front of a file folder and any receipts of other papers go in there along with the invoice.

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:38 am 
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Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun May 10, 2009 9:33 am
Posts: 486
First name: Kent
Last Name: Bailey
City: Florissant
State: Colorado
Zip/Postal Code: 80816
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I put everything on the label. Takes up the whole inside. You need a mirror to read it all. ;-)

Yes...I also log each build in a spiral notebook. I have also mixed epoxy on the cover.

Kent

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:22 pm 
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Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:02 pm
Posts: 801
Location: United States
First name: Gene
Last Name: Zierdt
City: Sebastopol
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95472
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I've started a detailed set of build sheets for each new guitar. Especially since I now do extensive testing
of the wood properties and the vibration modes for both top and back, it's become imperative to keep
accurate records if I'm going to learn anything from all this data. Part of the record- vibration mode shapes,
bracing, pictures of finished guitars, I keep in folders on my PC.

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:34 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:55 pm
Posts: 145
Location: Perth, Western Australia
A growing number of us are using a commercially-available software product developed specifically for this purpose. It allows you to document materials, dimensions, weights, deflection measurements, resonances, finishes, finish schedules, build notes and image files in a single centralized database. There are a number of features of interest to the professional builder or repair person too. There's a free 30-day trial version available if you care to track it down.

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Pete


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:58 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:59 pm
Posts: 202
Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
First name: Matt
Last Name: Bouchie
City: Manchester
State: New Hampshire
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Pete Brown wrote:
A growing number of us are using a commercially-available software product developed specifically for this purpose. It allows you to document materials, dimensions, weights, deflection measurements, resonances, finishes, finish schedules, build notes and image files in a single centralized database. There are a number of features of interest to the professional builder or repair person too. There's a free 30-day trial version available if you care to track it down.



What's it called? It sounds interesting. Not that I'm a professional builder by any stretch, but I'd be much more likely to keep things more organized if it was on my laptop than a bunch of sheets waiting to someday be filed in a binder. Ask my boss. She'll tell you I'm lousy at filing progress notes on my clients. oops_sign

Matt


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:59 am 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Sat Mar 07, 2009 7:56 am
Posts: 1825
Location: Grover NC
First name: Woodrow
Last Name: Brackett
City: Grover
State: NC
Zip/Postal Code: 28073
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Pete Brown wrote:
A growing number of us are using a commercially-available software product developed specifically for this purpose. It allows you to document materials, dimensions, weights, deflection measurements, resonances, finishes, finish schedules, build notes and image files in a single centralized database. There are a number of features of interest to the professional builder or repair person too. There's a free 30-day trial version available if you care to track it down.



:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

There's 2 excellent solutions here. http://www.whistlingfishsoftware.com.au/Products.htm

The guy who designed the software is a good guy too. pizza

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 11:18 am 
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Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:51 pm
Posts: 1134
Location: Albany NY
First name: David
Last Name: LaPlante
Status: Professional
Yes, about thirty years ago I found one of those blank ledger books, you know, with the greenish tint pages and the black and burgundy binding cover. I reconstructed the info for the first couple dozen guitars that I had made and have logged in every one since.
I include the configuration, materials description, serial # year and season (summer, fall etc) of construction.
I'll also include any other bits of info that might have made the guitar unusual, who it was made for etc. Often when these guitars surface again years later I'll go back and note current owners etc.
Particular construction notes are kept in a portion of the back of the book regarding binding and purfling schemes as well as general info on dimensions for the various parts. Also there are a few tables to remind me of which bearing sizes produce what size cuts etc.


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 12:55 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:55 am
Posts: 1505
Location: Lorette, Manitoba, Canada
First name: Douglas
Last Name: Ingram
City: Lorette
State: Manitoba
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
So far...no.

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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 1:46 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7555
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Yup.
What it was, where it went, what I got for it. More these days as I'm doing deflection testing and recording resonances etc.
6.00. Please take your time though, really, I'm in no rush....


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:49 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:37 pm
Posts: 1744
Location: Virginia, USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I started that with this build(second scratch build). I print out a Build Log Schedule that lists the different steps in building, and tick them off as I build. I include time,any specs for the particular build, woods, scale, etc.

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The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 2:35 pm 
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Mahogany
Mahogany
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Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:51 am
Posts: 54
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Mike Baker wrote:
I print out a Build Log Schedule that lists the different steps in building, and tick them off as I build.


Mike,

Any chance I could talk you into sharing your Build Log Schedule? :D

Thanks,
Carl.


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 Post subject: Re: Builders log
PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:01 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:37 pm
Posts: 1744
Location: Virginia, USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Yeah. It's simply a list of the order in which I build. I check off everything as it gets done, with any notes on how things went, how much time it took, etc., to the right of whichever step I'm on. There's enough room to the right to make note of woods, body and neck style, nut measurement, # frets, type of frets, scale length or anything else I want.
Here's a sample.

BUILD LOG SCHEDULE.

1-Make body and top carve templates
2-make neck joint template
ORDER BRIDGE TO DETERMINE TOP ANGLE/INCLINE
3-cut out body
4-rout body outline
5-rout rear body roundover
6-rout body carve
7-rough shape body carve
8-plane top angle
9-complete sanding of top carve
ORDER TRUSS ROD
10-rout neck mortise
11-locate and rout pup cavities
12-locate and drill vol/tone/switch holes
13-rout rear cavity
ORDER TUNERS
14-make neck scarf
15-thickness headstock area
16-glue up head plate
ORDER FRETWIRE
17-draw neck on blank
18-rout truss rod slot
19-cut out neck shape
20-cut neck tenon
21-sand sides of neck to size
22-cut headstock shape
23-sand/shape headstock(sides)
24-drill tuner holes(use CLAMPED backer board)
25-layout and score fret locations
26-slot fretboard
27- mark position marker locations. REMEMBER THE 12TH FRET IS NOT ON CENTER
28-drill/rout for and install markers
29-size fretboard
30-radius fretboard
31-recheck fret slot depths
32-install neck binding and radius to board
33-install last 5 or so frets
34-install truss rod
35-if compression, install filler strip
36-glue fretboard to neck
37-install all remaining frets
38-bevel fret ends
39-shape back of neck , heel and headstock
40-install heel cap
41-join neck to body
42-locate and drill bridge mounting holes
43-drill strap button locations
44- recheck bridge location/position
45- level and crown frets
46-final sand before finish
47-stain, if desired
48-begin finish process
PURCHASE PICKUPS, POTS, SWITCH, JACK AND ALL REMAIN HARDWARE

I store this generic file on my desktop, and just print one out for every build I do. I use a thumb tack to tack it up over my bench so it's easy to find.

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The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.


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