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need to dry run glueing the back (slowly and calmly)
Theres plenty here I'm unhappy with. Peones for 1. and an annoying mistake when glueing the wedges on the right hand side which meant my side came away from the side of the mold slightly andthe top of if is leaning inwards ever so slightly! its keeping me awake at night... but will barely be noticeable once finished im sure. oh well
that said. There's plenty more here im delighted with!
Nice Stu! Thanks for posting the pics! It’s an inspiration to get me working on my number 2.
Looks like some fine craftsmanship to me! You’ve been working! Of course there are those little mistakes only known to you, but thankfully you’ll forget about them in time! But it is annoying in the process. The rosette looks amazing
I would post more of the process, but often feels like the most active guys in here are pro builders and there isn't a huge thirst for process pics from some rookie! That being said. I know all of those guys here are incredibly supportive and generous so I'm probably wrong!
Glad you like the rosette! Was just some leftover stick from guitar 1 and changed the inner and outer a bit. mainly out of necessity. But I like the simple black and white lines!
Thing has been in the mold for a while now so haven't actually seen the finished rosette for a while!
Cool. Thanks Stephen. I'm trying to stick as close as I can to Stephen Hills methods...mixed with a little of pablo requenas who was also tutoring on that course. I have however found the odd different thing that immediately feels like it works better for me... No doubt as I learn further on future builds I'll refine some personal methods too.
I wonder how far you've developed you've process?
Regarding cost. Yeah, I can tell you the exact cost of materials that actually make up the guitar. Few hundred pounds. But that's probably nothing compared to the amount I've spent on tools, materials, consumables and fixings for various jigs.
General items for my fledgling workshop... Broom, vacuum, shelving, racks, storage to name a few.
That's almost the hardest part about this first build alone. At Stephens Hills workshop for his course. EVERYTHING is there for you. Jigs, tools, machines, consumables.... And lots of parts ready cut and ready to go.. Struts, the bridge slotted, peonies cut etc etc)
So I get back to England with some wood for number 2 and go jeez!! How the he'll do I do this with nothing?!! 😄
I've got things as and when I need. And could probably go back through my accounts and work it out. But like Jason says...I'm not sure I wanna know just yet! 😩
General items for my fledgling workshop... Broom, vacuum, shelving, racks, storage to name a few.
That's almost the hardest part about this first build alone. At Stephens Hills workshop for his course. EVERYTHING is there for you. Jigs, tools, machines, consumables.... And lots of parts ready cut and ready to go.. Struts, the bridge slotted, peonies cut etc etc)
You'll be surprised how easy it is to build with practically no tools.
The tool part is for those who continue to manufacture guitars to earn a living, or just have fun with it.
It is true, something similar has happened here, many new luthiers have come out, all accompanied by machines of all kinds, machines for bending sides, milling machines, calibrators ........ that is not the job. Others buy everything prefabricated, bridges, handles ... they assemble them and say they are made by hand ........ that they work by hand .......
Stu, I found I learned just as much from the novice posting as from the master. The big picture is in sharing our best and worst we become a community and like the pile of sticks and glue we assemble the sum equals much more.
I've been in envy of the guy who built a guitar with hand tools in his kitchen. I built my first with common wood shop tools and only bought strings and frets. At first when I noticed many were buying pre made pieces etc I thought to myself, well that's not right, but quickly got over it; alls fair in love and Lutherie. The hand full of planes I have were all rusty found hanging here and there that I resurrected and made serviceable. The one purchased luxury was a fourteen inch band saw, I made my old twelve incher work but it was tedious, the new one is precise and in the end also safer to use.
I've been able to convince the Boss that the tools I've purchased since have been used for our business, keeps the Machiavellian bean counter in her happy.
Between other chores I sliced up a small bucket of peones, mostly on the band saw, wondering how it would go with hand tools?
I would like to try and see how few tools it would take to make the whole guitar. Wondering if even Toress bought his fretboards pre sawn...
HR
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I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.
What are we taking?.... Block plane and a couple of chisels?
Maybe a small saw?
And glue.
Not much more than that. And the reason I had my bridges done by CNC is that it saved me a lot of time on things that don't matter too much. I wish I had found someone to build the necks for me.
As it is, it's the final build that counts with tonal quality.
Sure, I know how to build a guitar with a hacksaw, file and sandpaper, but that's just not going to work with earning a living today.
Brilliant Stu, you're going to learn so much doing this one. You might mess up a couple of times - (cos we're human and forget stuff) but this should cement the building process and help develop your building space, tools, method etc. Onwards......
Thanks for sharing this Stu, looking forward to the hearing it at the end :)
I also made my no.1 with Stephen Hill. I had the wish to make my own workshop as a hobby one day, but after seeing the amount of tools and jigs and etc needed I don't think I'll have it anytime soon.
Stu, I found I learned just as much from the novice posting as from the master. The big picture is in sharing our best and worst we become a community and like the pile of sticks and glue we assemble the sum equals much more.
Yes I agree. I may be wrong but it just feels as if the build threads on foroflamenco are few and far between when compared to other sites. but maybe it' just becuase there aren't so many builders on here? more player centric maybe?
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I've been able to convince the Boss that the tools I've purchased since have been used for our business, keeps the Machiavellian bean counter in her happy.
Haha. I know the feeling. I do that too! I also have to intercept the postman before he knocks the door and ferry my packages straight to the workshop/garage!
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Brilliant Stu, you're going to learn so much doing this one. You might mess up a couple of times
Cheers Rae! hope you're well matey! I've defo made few mistakes. Nothing too serious though I hope.
One thing I regret! I haven't been keeping proper notes/log of errors/things to do differently. But its not too late. I'm gonna get a not pad right now!
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but after seeing the amount of tools and jigs and etc needed I don't think I'll have it anytime soon.
Hey Filip! yeah its a lot and feels overwhelming. and something I struggled with. I think seeing/working in something like Stephen's workshop can actually be detrimental to the novice builders building plans if they aren't financially/spatialy set up that way. I'm still getting to grips with the fact that there is more than one way to skin a cat. But that leap of faith is tough. Biggest thing for me was just getting going. Like Tom is saying you can probably build a guitar with very few tools. But I wanted the workshop of a 30 year master builder before I felt safe enough!
If we’re talking about the same thing, it’s not really a mistake, it’s just cosmetic. I spotted it when you first posted the dry run, but I thought it was just a trial fit so I didn’t want to say anything. I should have sent you a PM...
It’s not the end of the world. The guitar looks great!
talking of "the process" heres some evidence of the process of correcting a blunder!
oh and the result of what I liberated from the mold
Stu, Next time just put the wing nut on the bottom of the solera, you know just in case there is a next time ;)
And next time you are on the insta give me a bump so I can follow you there, mine is in my sig.
HR
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I prefer my flamenco guitar spicy, doesn't have to be fast, should have some meat on the bones, can be raw or well done, as long as it doesn't sound like it's turning green on an elevator floor.