OM Acoustic Build (Mark Bailey Course)

ArchtopDave

Then I get to use my favourite tool - the Scraper. @Ttony will tell you that it became a standing joke, when I made my first Guitar with Mark, which was an Archtop. I'd be in the corner scrapping away to make the Top and Back of the Archtop Body, whilst others made whole (electric) guitars, and then yet more people would come and go,and I'd still be scrapping. Got there in the end.  Anyway, the Binding needs cleaning up ,and sanded, so that it's flush with the Body.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5UD5hBtrAEY/VrffLNc96KI/AAAAAAAABkU/f1_Mpp1L4PI/s800-Ic42/DSC_0267.jpg 

ArchtopDave

Here are a couple of closeup shots - I was pleased with the result.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FXYcGIFiswU/VrffI06gSoI/AAAAAAAABkU/ZVTcfzmMONk/s800-Ic42/DSC_0269.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4a5C9ujFpl0/VrffRzR2-UI/AAAAAAAABkU/YXPSmTE9BVM/s800-Ic42/DSC_0271.jpg

ArchtopDave

Next a crucial job. Making the Joint between the Body and the Neck. It's got to be right. To be totally honest, Mark set the Body up in the Jig, and I just did the routing.

 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--EZ6DRD9wOo/VrffQ_NKxHI/AAAAAAAABkU/zV60uc6aoxw/s800-Ic42/DSC_0276.jpg

End result.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vLmJnl5X0Gw/VrffVvzY9YI/AAAAAAAABkU/vuYCzDAPymE/s800-Ic42/DSC_0280.jpg

ArchtopDave

The Neck Side of the Joint. Again Mark set it up and I did the routing. Please note  - it wasn't me who chipped the end of the Template.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MhxvsBYUPDI/Vrffzj2_BfI/AAAAAAAABkU/vkSJM2ytg_Y/s800-Ic42/DSC_0303.jpg

ArchtopDave

The routing is done so that the joint is too tight, and it has to be finished by hand in order to get the joint fully located.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dGMx9hE796w/Vrff0PBjjII/AAAAAAAABkU/w2HKac8wkC8/s800-Ic42/DSC_0311.jpg

You keep going until the neck is fully seated and the centreline of the Body is in line with the centreline of the Neck.

Also, the corners of the joint are deliberately undercut  to allow space for the glue,

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7C0wIkKmW2o/Vrff8skFx3I/AAAAAAAABkU/nGbU00bHgzE/s800-Ic42/DSC_0312.jpg

Andyjr1515

Which method did you use to determine the neck angle, @ArchtopDave?

ArchtopDave

Andyjr1515 said:

Which method did you use to determine the neck angle, @ArchtopDave?

That's a hard one. It's just that Mark set the Jigging for the Joint up. If I remember right, Mark set this up when putting the Neck in the Jig for routing. I cannot remember exactly what the clamping mechanism was under the Template, but there was a means of setting up the angle. He has 20 years of experience, so it's often the case when you build with him, that he can set things up by eye. For example, he'll say " you need a 3/8" strip" and run a pencil line along a length of wood. You think "i'll just check out of curiosity" and you'll find he's bang on.

ArchtopDave

I made my own Truss Rod. Cut the thread on one end of the Rod.

 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Lf5HnlfZsSI/Vrff8q_g4qI/AAAAAAAABkU/1kRqmQeA_EY/s800-Ic42/DSC_0310.jpg

ArchtopDave

Then bent it in the middle. Notice that I filed a line in the area being heated to encourage the Rod to bend in the right place.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h6GMYaO4xYw/Vrff86DoF7I/AAAAAAAABkU/db83bU7tWYs/s800-Ic42/DSC_0314.jpg

ArchtopDave

Rod bent as far as it would go ,and then reheated until the metal is red before further bending it.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YgIfb0qn62g/Vrff_rRJymI/AAAAAAAABkU/qrUvxs9-Wag/s800-Ic42/DSC_0316.jpg

ArchtopDave

Once fully bent, it's clamped to hold the bend whilst it cools.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KVv-hM1fVL8/VrfgM1sg2FI/AAAAAAAABkU/hbfKAB-I9kA/s800-Ic42/DSC_0317.jpg

ArchtopDave

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HFU2Ous_-dY/VtqkU_foSWI/AAAAAAAABoY/u9NszgEYq2U/s800-Ic42/DSC_0321.jpg

Then cut a small aluminium block. One hole drilled completely through for the threaded section. Second hole only drilled half way into the block to take the non-threaded end (this has to be carefully done as the two holes are only 5mm apart). So the Truss Rod works by having one side of the Rod being fixed in length (non-threaded sided) , and the threaded side being adjustable.

 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dgtf5vcRiZs/VrfgL0QcnJI/AAAAAAAABkU/j22LshTu9-E/s800-Ic42/DSC_0324.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_6kF_5BNa34/VrfgN5BSy9I/AAAAAAAABkU/ON8J7K89gx8/s800-Ic42/DSC_0318.jpg

ArchtopDave

A piece of Mahogany the fitted over the Truss Rod. Glued in, and the planed and sanded flush.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kodc5vZOIJI/VtqkV2tQMnI/AAAAAAAABoY/Nu-jsoxR88c/s800-Ic42/DSC_0327.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MCNnmha8pAQ/VrfgTXTbPWI/AAAAAAAABkU/JjXrC-VyFIw/s800-Ic42/DSC_0332.jpg

ArchtopDave

The Fretboard was then glued on. The plastic block clamped over the Fretboard has some holes in it (to take account of the panel pins which you insert first). Before you glue it on, you position it correctly and clamp it. and the drive a panel pin through two of the fret slots to indent the Neck. When you put glue on the neck, you make certain the ends of the panel pins, which are sticking out of the underside of the Fretboard, go into the nail holes that you've made. This stops the Fretboard sliding out of position whilst it's clamped up.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RloTqDssEcQ/VrfgTdoiEXI/AAAAAAAABkU/yO1kCWKEI8o/s800-Ic42/DSC_0334.jpg

ArchtopDave

Back to the body. A slot has to be cut out to make allowance for the Truss Rod.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pP7eOKW7WZo/VrfgjAg4rmI/AAAAAAAABkU/oHUX7WgvjGU/s800-Ic42/DSC_0341.jpg

ArchtopDave

Now I've got something that looks even more like a guitar.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J8Ci5hyu-QQ/Vrfgn-6DbLI/AAAAAAAABkU/h6dulLQnz_4/s800-Ic42/DSC_0346.jpg

joeyowen

Such a good thread, bravo

ArchtopDave

Next up, a bit of decoration, and Neck carving.

I used 4 mm squares of Gold Mother of Pearl for the Fretboard inlays. You have to be a bit careful with Gold MOP because the gold colour only extends part of the way through the depth of the Inlay. It is therefore potentially possible to later destroy the gold colouration by sanding too vigorously. On a flat surface, like the Headstock, Inlays are put in slightly proud of the surface of the wood, but for the Fretboard, which had a 16" radius, the Inlays were deliberately put in flush with the surface to minimise the risk of destroying the gold layer in the MOP.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AT9_qJJ29fo/VrfgrE4vs8I/AAAAAAAABkU/p03Qir2_3y4PuFVfwuYIHM49ij3RZwElACCo/s800-Ic42/DSC_0351.jpg

Notice again how I numbered the Frets where Inlays were to go. The last thing you want to do is stick one in at the wrong fret level ( it has been done before, though fortunately not by me so far).

 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Cc9mTusQtlk/VuLh9FlfDQI/AAAAAAAABqE/tasVK5Vnxe0vyPPii8_TXd8NC_4UHCe0QCCo/s800-Ic42/DSC_0351.jpg

ArchtopDave

Then glued in and completely cover. Black Superglue used as it blends in with Ebony after sanding.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bkT5RbaYzTM/Vrfgr97N-hI/AAAAAAAABkU/xND8FHdnnHk8PsQWa5LmfUIST1wR8caZACCo/s800-Ic42/DSC_0352.jpg

ArchtopDave

After a bit of sanding, they all reappeared.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GmjLwP3lbkY/Vrfl5sGEtKI/AAAAAAAABkU/9vNyjAJdg4E8xc5G_q4Hgsxet_C1WKw0gCCo/s800-Ic42/DSC_0081.jpg