Mandolin neck

The neck block was glued from 2 pieces of 8/4 mahogany then cut a 14 degree cut made on the band saw, flattened on the jointer. Next a slot was ...

Truss rod

Picking a truss rod to fit a 1930’s Martin style triple O

Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas to my friend and co-worker Kenny. I took this guitar from his workshop this last summer,it was in very rough shape. It needed a neck ...

Mountain dulcimer

Dry fitting mountain dulcimer with spool clamps

Mountain dulcimer

My first scrolled head I'm going to use cedar for the sound board, found this piece at Home Depot Here is a practice honey bee ...

Neck set on a new build

Using a homemade jig I made I find the location of the saddle. A strait edge showed me I'm low. The bridge is 3/8 of an inch, the strait edge ...

Removing the bridge on old Harmony guitar

In my last blog I removed the neck on an old Harmony guitar now I'm going to remove the bridge. At some point someone ground down the top of the ...

Harmony neck reset

I made this jig a few years ago and used it unsuccessfully maybe 3 times. What I missed was having the right size needle for steaming the joint ...

Lathe stand

I've been thinking about turning pins and strap pegs for guitars.years ago I had a lath that my brother Tony gave me, but after moving a few times ...

Making back braces

I'm sure there are many ways to make back braces but I have to go with what I know. I have now acquired some different soft woods , Sitka spruce , ...

fitting the back

        Using the paper template that was used to glue back braces on, I made a halo template from 1/4 inch plywood.      First used ...

gluing edge banding

 After flush trimming the top to the sides, I will block sand with 80 grit sand paper to flatten and then 120 to smooth.        Next ...

Bending continued

This is how they will dry. I’m just adding this to see if I can blog from my phone 

bending wood bindings for guitar

Starting with a template and some wood bindings I got from the ASIA symposium. This is African Bubinga and the the blond wood is Avodire ...

making a bridge

A 12 inch piece of Madagascar ebony. Ripped on the table saw I will get 6 blanks A plexiglass template and some blanks A small router ...

bracing with a radius dish

staring with a 25 foot radius someone made for me on a CNC machine . I lay the same pattern out on a piece of  3/4 and 1/4 MDF. using ...

kitchen island

Kitchen

Custom

Custom Furniture

Custom Media

laminate work counter

Laminate Work

Custom counter with multiple laminate

Spindel work board

  Cut a rough shape out of 3/4 inch ply wood and mark out equal spaces for slots. Drill holes and band saw out slots and make a T ...

guitar brace templates

  a pre cut set of braces bought on line, cost around $40. Traced out on 1/4 inch MDF. Using a small band saw cut out all the ...

Assembly mold for a dreadnought guitar

  First I take a guitar that I like and trace an outline. Next band saw a template, sand to make a fair curve and lay out in 3/4 inch ...

fretting

Its been more than a year since I've posted anything on guitars. Im now sitting at  a Word Press conference in Lancaster . Hopefully I will return ...

Making a bridge

  Starting with a piece of black ebony I bought from Woodcraft. Cutting the shoulders on the table saw. Make a slot on the table ...

Pin template

  While the fret board is still square,the fret slots are laid out and cut. The slots are recut to a stopped depth and checked with a ...

Mixed bag

  Saturday flea market. Left soprano ukulele, Right neapolitan mandolin,both need some work but I'm looking forward to restoring them ...

Gluing Sound Board

  Body in form and glue is applied. Sound board is placed on top, centered and rubber bands used for clamping. The form is then ...

Saddle Routing Jig

 Drilled 2 5/8 inch holes centered on a piece of 6 x 12, 1/4 inch plexiglas. Very carefully! removed the waist on the table saw. Routed out ...

Glue Board

  Lay out on 3/4 inch ply wood. I'm  adding the neck to make sure i get the alinement nice and strait. The side is used to trace out ...

Homemade Guitar Clamp

13/16 inch maple blanks and 1/4 inch aluminium bar Lay out 1 13/16 inch by 9 inch. Drilling mortis on drill press. Band saw jaw and lever, ...

Fan Bracing

Lay out. Roughing out softwood parts Trying to get the grain to run vertical. auxiliary fence Parts oversized with hardwood plates ...

Sound Board

Simple glue up jig instead of clamps. A small wedge is tapped into place on a flat surface glueing the two halves together.  A template is used ...

Assembling the Sides

Gluing the head and tail block Gluing in kerfed linings   Dry and out of the form. Trimmed with the neck in place. The first half being ...

Making a Workboard

The work board is made of 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood and 1/2 inch bigger than the template.The matched side is made and both cut out for the head ...

Bending Sides

  Homemade bending iron Forms templates and some bent sides Wetting the sides bending on the iron and shaping to the template.  Clamped in the ...

Practice Headstock

Drilling jig for Classical style tuners and practice

Shaping a Guitar Neck

 The neck blank with head block   Layout and measurement  Cutting the ramps,the plane was not used for this.  Beveling  the edge with a draw ...

Making a Neck

The head block and the tenon on the neck blank. Sometimes it takes a long time to get what seems to be simple thing, done.The next time I do this I'm ...

Soprano Ukulele

Maple back and sides. stika spruce sound board and rose wood fret board. I got the rose wood from my brother Ed, he also has some old walnut that he ...

Making a Classical Guitar

Gluing a neck blank and making forms for a classical

30s Guitar, Neck Reset

  Resetting the neck, flattening the heal and new lower frets now I can put strings on. It may not have been played for more than 25 years, it ...

30s Parlor Guitar, New Back

1930s parlor guitar, replaced the back with one purchased from Guitarmakers  connection, the original north street factory at Martin guitar. we ...

Cigar Box Ukulele

Cigar box ukulele, my first instrument. The box is from Pennsylvania 1930s. I gave it to my nephew

Neapolitan Mandolin

I think it is early 1900s.  Repaired the body and inlay work. The butterfly was a common