Let's build a guitar!

Wow. I am almost through my first week and I havent even posted anything... well lets catch up. On monday we started right away, making templates for our instruments out of 1/8" plexi-glass. We made blueprints for our guitars and templates for the body shape, neck, headstock, and the sides. Plexi is difficult to work with and can easily burn on any power sanders... and these things had to be perfect.. no gaps or bumps. Here is a picture of the infamous (CANA)Dave working on his template eh!



Then we began making outside molds. These will be used to shape the ribs (sides) of the guitar after we bend them. They are made by stacking and gluing plywood.



Cutting them to shape.





and routing them flush so the ribs will be perfect.






This looks fast but it took 2 days... hey, glue has to dry.

Meanwhile I also made a work board for my guitar. I am building an OM style guitar but I made my workboard for a jumbo sized so that I can use it again for pretty much any guitar that I will build. It's used for holding the nstrument as I build.


Afterwards I drilled 42 holes in the side, which I will eventually put sheet rock screws into. This will be used for when I glue the sides to the top and back of the guitar... I will wind 40 feet of bungee cord around these to wrap it up tight while the glue dries.... but we'll see more of that when I get there.





I know what you guys are thinking... where is the guitar???? Ok I finally started working on the top today.
First we thicknessed the top.


then we used a jointer plane and a shooting board to trim each piece perfectly straight


we used a light board to check to make sure there were no gaps.... go CanaDave!


then we used this jig to clamp from the top and sides... we used hot hide glue, which is made out of animal proteins Mmmmm! Its the same stuff that the used to seal King Tut's tomb...Cool huh?





and the result... 2 becomes 1.



well. Here I go. Check back in often and I will have more for you.