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I built 40 cam clamps today out of primarily scraps. Not the most exciting way to spend a day but I will thank myself for years to come...not to mention saving over $500!

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Wichita River Festival today.... Lake Afton All Wheels Car Show on Sunday.

Next week - guitar show here in Doodah.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Bound and scraped binding on a commission. Finished carving the heal and rough fitting the neck. Hoping to have all but the finish done here in the next 5 days. I'd post pictures, but it's a surprise for someone's wedding and his name is inlaid pretty bold across the fingerboard. I'd hate to have him stumble upon this forum and spoil the surprise. I'll post pictures when it's all finished and delivered.

My first wedgy! Hondoadiron omc.

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Pat

Clear coating and trying to get this finish level. Making progress though, and learning a lot as I go. It's far from gorgeous, but it's starting to look like something.

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David Morris

Relaxing, doing nothing. Nothing in-progress. Dreaming of my next build.

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Jason Moe
LaCrosse WI 54601

Just finished lining a J45ish build. Quilted Mahogany and Bearclaw with Zircote FB/bridge/rosette and maybe bloodwood binding (the neck has Bloodwood and maple laminations and the bloodwood looks pretty good against the mahogany.

Nice looking wedge Pat

David, That is going to be a cool guitar. Love the head. Are you really going to use the SS bridge?

Beth, It appears you are off to a good start. Like it when the lining is in

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Doug, 40 Clamps? That ought to cover most projects. Good job. (I just bought 2 for about $30, wish I had the energy to build them)

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Me too.



Beth, at first I thought that was a revolutionary new back bracing design

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

A few months ago, I managed to buy a few micro tools off of Craigslist from the estate of a model ship builder. One of the tools was a MicroLux drum sander. Been trying to make rosette tiles and used the micro drum sander to thickness the veneer strips to around 0.03 inches. Have been gluing the strips into logs all weekend, and then will cut logs into tiles using my fret saw blade. Really don't know if micro-drum sander is any faster than scraping, but had to justify the tool purchase somehow.

Thanks, Joe. I am using the steel string bridge. That's a braced soundboard, at least throughout the lower bout. The upper bout is mostly solid. I'll blend the magnetic pickup with a piezo. Also, it's a Fender VI-style bass, which is why that bridge is where it is. I guess it's fairly unique.

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David Morris

Joe, yes it's a lot of clamps. I want enough to attach the soundboard using an outside mold on an oversized ABG...4" depth. I also built pairs of 6", 8", 10" 12" depths. I think I'm good for life

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

That is one cool headstock David!
I managed to get top glued on my latest Lutz/Peruvian Walnut project:

Re bound the back of a 53 Epiphone Triumph Regent and made a new bridge and pickguard. Got a perfect reproduction tailpiece and thick celluloid pickguard material from Joe at Archtop.com. Strung it up and I love it. Still need to age the binding and make a heelcap. It's a keeper and will be a great player and gigging guitar. Todd, I roughed up the back of the Ivoroid and used the acetone and Tightbond technique for the binding. It seems to be holding well.

(By the way Gruhn's is selling some guitars that are backed up in the repair dept at great prices. That's where I got this one-minus back binding, heelcap, bridge, pickguard and tailpiece. They still are listing another repairable Triumph Regent if anyone is interested.)





Got a Bird's Eye Maple/Lutz OM ready to go to finish this week.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Ready to finish this uke, slightly oversized tenor body with 18 3/8 scale. It will be set up low G and should tune down to baritone nicely. All POC, including the headstock, rosette, and tail wedge veneers, bracing, sides, neck. CF/maple neck insert, maple FB and a pecan bridge, thanks Ernie for the pecan. Who knows how an all softwood uke will sound like, but I will find out shortly. That saddle angle looks too steep to me, I will be checking that 10 times before gluing it on. Taking Chris V's advice on this one and using the thin black purflings to accent what will be a very white instrument.

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
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Wow David! Nice! The headstock is killer.
DZ

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Sprayed some color (purple) on a solid body Explorer. Building up the clear coats.
I'm already sick of the purple and I am too embarrassed to post a picture at this time.
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Deep fat frying some HHG

Only kidding - checking out the thermostat setting and temperature swing using a mimi-fryer for a glue boiler.
Too mean to splash the big bucks on an electric glue pot for a HHG try out, and can't buy a Rival Glue Pot or similar in UK.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I was thinking of a purple burst on that uke, violet is our town color, I would love to see what you did.

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http://shastaguitar.com/
http://www.kalimbakit.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/comfyfootgr ... ature=mhee
http://www.facebook.com/robert.renick.7

Not to hijack the thread, but really...a town color....I love that

I guess I'll like it once it is finished.
Transtint purple added to lacquer.
I was going for a lighter tint, but could not get an even color.
It is not splotchy, the dark areas are shadows.
Dan

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Set the neck on the current tiger/lutz build, continued planning my wife's koa/redwood (she doesn't play but wants to say I made a guitar for her), and started learning a tune by Merel van Hoek.

I spent the weekend hanging out with tony_ny_c and his crazy kids. It was a good time! Oh, and got to play the hurricane sandy guitar. He did a killer job on it and it sounds great!

Spent 3 days in a cabin in the woods with my wife and the dogs. No bars on the cell phone and no internet. Managed to read some back issues of GAL and Guitarmaker. Back home and unpacked so I'm headed to the shop for an hour or two - maybe I can get started on the neck carve for the size 0.

Edit: went down to the shop and carved the neck. I usually use mostly a rasp but this time went with a spokeshave and various chisels instead. I really enjoyed doing it that way. Very nice way to end a great weekend!

My best friend is getting old, like me, but she still likes to carry her share on our hikes/

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"