Day 6

Ahhh, yes.  Another good day at the shop.  This entry is documenting Friday, April 5, 2013.  I've been busy with work, so I haven't had time to update the blog.  I was up and at it early- it's always nice waking up early, and having your routine to go through, with time to spare.  Ned and I caught up a bit, and then got to work.

I began my day by using a chisel to scallop the ends of my already glued and shaped fan braces- all seven of them.






Once all seven of the fan braces were completed, I moved on to the two small lower ones, that you see below the fan braces.  I came to realize that planing and shaping the sides of the braces gets tricky, once you already have other braces glued in place, within a close proximity.  But I got it done.  I used a doubled-up strip of painter's tape to protect the ends of the fan braces, and then I shaped and scalloped the two lower ones.





Beautiful.  I was quite pleased with the outcome of the shape and scalloping of all of the braces.  There's something very satisfying about the forming of braces.  Turning a rigid and angular piece of wood into angular and aesthetically pleasing shapes...

The soundhole is now a hole!  This picture also reveals the
next bit of work I started- the gluing of the harmonic braces,
and a couple others, as well.

The next bit I did was a simple step, but a very substantial one, in my eyes.  It is one that makes the guitar really look more like a guitar.  I cut out the soundhole!  I used the same device (made by Ned) that I used to cut out the circumferences of the rosette channel- the only difference was that the blade was set deeper.  I had Ned calibrate it to the right radial measurement, and I double-checked things.  We did a couple test runs, then deemed it ready.  Ned fetched a scrap piece of wood, roughly 3/4" thick, to put underneath the soundboard, as the braces were facing down.  This piece of wood also had a hole drilled in the center, in which we placed a small peg for the incising device to be seated upon.  I used the cutter to score the circumference of the soundhole, around the interior of the rosette.  A small bit of cedar was left on the inside of the rosette, so that the edge of the rosette, itself, would not be exposed.  It's also more aesthetically appealing.  The scoring helps make for a smoother cutting process, and also ensures that no grain splintering occurs during the cutting.  After the initial scoring was done, I continued dragging the blade around in the trough that was left in its wake.  I did this a numerous amount of times, until the length of the blade was as far down as it would go.  I removed the device, and let Ned set the blade to cut a bit deeper, as I had not cut completely through the soundboard, yet.  Once it was set, again, I repeated what I had done, before, and continued making circle after circle, until finally, I heard the last bit of grain being cut.  I then removed the incisor, and extracted the cedar disk.  At last!  I examined the hole, and the piece that was once in its place- I think I will put a finish on the cedar puck, and make it a nice beer coaster, or something like that.  It's sort of like a little trophy.  As I was glancing upon it, Ned pulled out a small stack of soundhole inserts that he had saved, himself.  Pretty neat!

So, as the picture revealed, I glued my harmonic braces, next.  And long story short, I did a bunch more braces, after that.  That was most of the day.  Braces.  Gluing, clamping, shaping, and scalloping.  That's it.  Here are some more pictures:

The octagonal template/caul is still used, so that its curvature is
applied to the braces during the clamping, and thus, to the
soundboard.

Lower harmonic brace/strut

Back

Top/soundboard

This is the last photo of the day- I made a lot of progress!

I got all of my braces glued on, and most of them shaped and scalloped- I only have two braces left to glue on, which are ladder braces that will go on either side of the soundhole, for reinforcement.  Other than that, I just have a couple other braces to shape/scallop, that are already glued on.  Can't wait to be finished with my soundboard!  I'll also take a picture of it from the front, so you can see the rosette and soundhole.  Once I'm done with the soundboard, I'll move onto the neck!  Super-exciting.  Until next time...