That neck looks stunning with the oil on it, can't wait to be doing that.

@robin Thanks Robin, it’s an indoor job at this time of year. I think the trick is to get your sanding right, go through sandpaper grades properly to remove all scratches. After that the oiling (or any finish) is a dream. This is a nice piece of cherry that I picked up a while back, it’s got an ebony fretboard. You’ll soon be at the finishing stage but the devil is in the detail and the finniting detail is what makes a great finish. 

@johnnierox-boo

This is a nice piece of cherry

That almost looks like it’s got a bit of flame in it?  
I got a couple of planks of cherry back when I started building.  Made a lovely body from it, simple oil finish, and it seems to have 8mproved with age.

That almost looks like it’s got a bit of flame in it?

@tv1010101 Yeah I think it has too. I bought a load of it from the same batch so I’m hoping it’s all like that. I know I like to paint guitars but I would not paint any piece of wood that is that pretty. 

A miraculous transformation today, it seemed to take forever with the rasp to reduce the thickness of the neck, and then after smoothing the corners, suddenly it apears to be the right shape.

A special moment when a stick turns into a neck.

suddenly it apears to be the right shape.

@robin Yes! It’s a great moment isn’t it, I’m hooked on the feeling. It looks great, very nice indeed. Well done sir. You will build more now. 

A miraculous transformation today, it seemed to take forever with the rasp to reduce the thickness of the neck, and then after smoothing the corners, suddenly it apears to be the right shape

 As if by magic!!  That is, indeed, one of *the* moments in the guitar building process.  You pick up that lump of wood, and for the first time, it feels comfortable in your hand!

Iv'e had a wee break from guitar building, iv'e been making jigs and tools instead.

I made a jig to work on the fretboard.  I used the pre made fretboard as a guide to make a 12" radius fretboard gauge. I used the gauge to make a 12" radius scraper. I used the scraper to make a fretboard sanding block. I used the fretboard as a sanding block to sand the sanding block. And there was this old lady that swallowed a fly.

@robin

iv'e been making jigs and tools instead.

You are having *way* too much fun.

I've spent most of the day driving a mouse around a desk  🙁

iv'e been making jigs and tools instead.

@robin That’s great Robin, excellent work! 

I've spent most of the day driving a mouse around a desk

Ditto...

Another landmark moment yesterday when I routed the neck pocket. Due to my previous experiences with the router, I  approached this with a bit of trepidation, but it went well this time. My wife has now acknowledged that it looks like a guitar.

My wife has now acknowledged that it looks like a guitar.

@robin That’s one of the best bits, when your wife approves and realises that it is possible and we can actually be quite good at it. The next landmark is getting her to accept that this is now an addiction and you will be building a lot more. Every so often I have to buy more guitar wall hangers but I’m quickly running out of wall space. My guitars are already occupying 4 out of 6 rooms we have in our home. Good luck, you will need it. It actually hones your negotiating skills too. 

Your guitar build is looking good Robin, keep going and keep us up to date. 

@boo   Iv'e begun the negotiation process, iv'e been encouraging her to keep knitting more of these jumpers and following more complicated patterns. And iv'e sewn the seeds that I  would probably have to go on a Bailey course to build an acoustic.

Iv'e got the dots on now. The fret wires are cut, sandbag ready

and waiting delivery of my Thor hide hammer. I might get it tomorrow or maybe next week, nothing happens quickly in Argyll.

After a bit of a delay waiting for my hide hammer, a trip home for my wife's flu jag and then a loss of phone signal/internet, I'm back.

Iv'e adapted my headstock angle jig to to a neck angle jig.

 The jig worked well, unfortunately I I didn't.  Another router mishap, I only needed another 1mm off it. I haven't got a putting back on router, so glued a bit back on and started again.

 Got it right second time around, so all good now.

@robin

I haven't got a putting back on router

If only such a thing existed ... like an "undo" function in software ... how many hours would be saved!!

The jig worked well, unfortunately I I didn't.  Another router mishap, I only needed another 1mm off it. I haven't got a putting back on router, so glued a bit back on and started again.

@robin It’s all looking good Robin and it good you are documenting your mistakes. It’s good that we all see each other’s mistakes (happy accidents) so we can all see that we all do it and that we can recover from them. Great adaptation of the jig as well. 

If only such a thing existed ... like an "undo" function in software ... how many hours would be saved!!

@tv101 Well, with 3D printing, we could see that kind of thing. For thousands of years we have used a subtractive method to create things but now there is an additive method in 3D printing. What would you prefer? With the subtractive method, there is a lot of waste. The additive method leaves very little waste, if any. 

I'm home from the caravan now, summer is over. Iv'e got my lock up garage to work in now and no mains electricity in there. So now iv'e got LED lights around my workbench, powered from a 12v battery and a small solar panel on the roof. Now I can see what I'm doing and resume the guitar building.