Gosh twang it

Well I'm all over the place with this, one of these days I'm going to have to use a plan but this is fun just the same
Some of the following pictures may be out of the order they were done, but it's not like I'm documenting this for someone else to follow ....anyways.......

Cut the kerfing strips and test fit as my first attempt the relief cuts weren't deep enough and cracked in a couple of places...


Cut the tail & neck blocks so I could install the kerfing to length...


Got the headstock clamped to the neck...


Laid out the fret board dimensions...more on the pattern in a bit...


and added some wings to the headstock to allow some more room for whatever shape I decide on...


For the fretboard pattern I use FretFind2D
I print the page{s} out full size and use it as a disposable...that fretfind site offers a lot of variables allowing you to choose most any dimensions you could wish for
I place it in place with tape and score the frets with an Exacto knife...


Then saw them to depth...this is some Bocote I'm using as the fretboard...


as to depth of the cuts, being as I don't have one of those fancy highfaluting thing-a-jigs, I just lay a section of fret wire lengthwise along the edge of-and on the fretboard and draw a pencil line, then hope for the best at stopping at the line


Couple of more shots to get to where I'm at right now...in a moment or three...

On to the back of the guitar....again no idea where I'm heading, sometimes knowing takes all the excitement out of it

I cut the bracing oversize...then laid them out, marked them and cut half-lap joints...


then I drew an arch thingy that looked good to my eye and sanded all but the center one to match...really have no clue what so ever about arching the back{as it probably shows lol} but I dove in, just have to see if I'm going to sink or swim


No idea if this is even on the right track, but it's keeping me glued to my seat with anticipation ...


Glued and clamped it all up and left it over night...


seems to have worked at least to the point I envisioned...


and where I stopped tonight> starting to shape/shave the braces...



That's it til next time...Hope all have a great week!

Someday, we will all wish we owned a genuine Ken Cook Guitar...

Thanks for showing the steps Ken, This is fun.

Brent Dowell said:

Someday, we will all wish we owned a genuine Ken Cook Guitar...

Thanks for showing the steps Ken, This is fun.

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Just what is the alcohol content in your home brews?

Ken Cook said:

Just what is the alcohol content in your home brews?

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Depends on the brew. They vary depending on what I make.

The latest batch, "Holler Tower" Pilsner, is 5.5% abv.

A nice floral nose, A slight bit of chill haze, but could probably use a little longer lagering. But I'm not that patient.

Or did you want to talk about beer? LOL

Ha, luv that 'Holler Tower' name, kinda lays out the coming evenings events

I'd luv to get into brewing, but my patience is lower than yours, I mean even walking to the frig for the next one takes too long...Hey that might make for a good project, a insulated beer holster

Hah!

Yeah, this was a single malt, single hop beer, or whats known as a 'SMaSH'.

Genuine authentic German Pilzner malt, and Hallertauer hops. Was fun to brew, Fun to consume!

Well, she's out of the form


so that allowed a test fit of the back...looks good, need to add some shim pieces to tighten the kerfing up at the head & tail blocks...


Being set free from the form also allows the soundboard to get underway...I've had this piece of mahogany for over a year waiting on the next box swap...Oh well, a different kind of box has been chosen{git-box}
no worries though, when we have another swap I'm sure I'll find some osb or the likes to participate


Got her laid out and rough trimmed...


Then ended up using one of those wing-cutters to make a groove for a rosette...



and for cutting out the sound-hole... I need to pick-up a Dremel tool and circle cutter before diving into the next one my last one let the smoke out a year ago or so, haven't had a need for one until now. Free hand with a portable drill is not the way > DAMHIKT< ...my little drill press doesn't reach far enough, so....


As to a rosette, I'm trying my hand at a wood one...first couple of tries went south using the bandsaw to separate the ring...success with the table saw on #3...


We'll see in the morning how things went, For now it's....


Oh yeah, been playing with headstock shapes and as of right now I'm leaning towards this...



Moving pretty much forward. Sooooo, please don't mention this to Murphy
More as they come along...

Really coming up along great!

Looking good. Interesting wood pattern for it too.

Looking good!

Jim Burr said:

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What he said ^^^

this fun watchun yu fuddle with new ideas as you go ken,, gonna be a show to stay up on

Rock on Ken!

FretFind2D is veeerrryyy interesting. Hmm!


I must also ask - have you made one (or how many?) of these before because man you're cooking along at light speed!

Wow, Ken, you're really cookin' along here. Oops! a pun here.

And to think just last week you were doing surgery on your finger. BTW, how's it doing?

you guys all are thinking the fret software is neat and how fast he is going on this but i want to know where that ambrosia maple came from

larry merlau said:

i want to know where that ambrosia maple came from

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In this case what I don't know can't hurt me...

Thanks everyone

@Scott,
"interesting" is putting it mildly LOL, kinda backwards with the nicer stuff on the back, but I figured {<says a lot right there } using veneer on both sides of the pine piece really isn't what the doctor would of ordered, but fit the financial situation...The Mahogany isn't nothing special but at least it's solid wood. I'm no luthier but I'm hoping the laminated back being stiffer will help some in the volume level...maybe those in the know can confirm or set me straight???

@Ryan, first attempt, though I have built a few cigar box guitars, whole nutter whirld i'm finding

@Carol, finger is about healed over, but I'm still keeping the bandage companies in the black
Between abrasions, slivers, razor knife skip/slashes and an uncanny week of smashing my fingers in a hundred different ways, the infected finger hasn't crossed my mind much

@Larry, That Amb.maple was growing on a sales tree at Rockler...12 board/ft package of what they call 'hobby veneer' for about $20.00...Probably the closest I'll get to the real thing. It was worth it for dipping my feet into the veneering pool...though I think I drank too much of the chlorine, I've lots more to learn> just the basics


Now what I want to know is who talked to Murphy

So the rosette attempt came out half way decent I guess...


So I was on cloud 9 and got to thinking{see the sign on the wall lol}...this could use another, though slimmer ring between the walnut and the hole itself. Soooo, I haven't made any sparks with the grinder lately and had another cutting bit for the wing cutter and, well, lets add tool maker to the 'I'm no' list


anyways got 'er down to shade under an 1/8", did a test cut on some scrap and then no sooner did I start to lower the bit into the top, when> 'kerr-pow' right in the kisser...


It's a wonder I'm not more of a drinker than I am

There is a thought/plan on my hope to save face, but I'm not counting chickens just yet...stay tuned