@robin I put mine in for crunchy stuff and take them out for chocolate, ice cream etc 🤣

I've got a little bit more done. It took me a couple of attempts to join the top, after the first attempt, a split appeared about 3mm from the joint, so I cut it and tried again. The top is stika spuce that I bought pre thicknessed and sanded.

@robin Looks great. 🙂

I spent most if this afternoon in my hut, all I've got to show for it is three spruce braces, maybe I'll make better progress tomorrow.

Nice braces they are too @robin. 

🙂🙏🎸🎶

I've been a wee bit more productive today. I glued a stop block onto my workbench and sharpened my plane blade, that helped things along. So got the rest of the braces done and marked out where they go. Not cut them to length yet, I'll wait until I bend the sides and see what shape I end up with. Neither have I cut out the cutaway, again I'll wait to to see how the side bending goes.

Nice work @robin. If you're happy for a wee bit of advice.....I would leave the braces a little long until after you've carved them. It makes it easier to mark out on your sides where you need to notch out on the kerfed lining. Also it's a good idea to carve out the slope on the ends of the braces that will butt up against the X-brace before you glue them on as it's difficult to carve it without gouging into the X-brace. Looking forward to seeing this one develop.

🙂🎸🎶🙏

@russ 

Thanks for the welcome advice, I'll keep that in mind when I get to that stage. Its all back up on top of the wardrobe again for wee while, I'm back at the caravan now for a couple of weeks, got some hut and boat maintenance to do here.

Cheers @robin. Enjoy your wee holiday. 

🎶🙂🎸🙏

I'm home again for a few weeks so should be able to get some time in my shed. I made the upper front graft, back grafts, diamonds and bridge plate today. I also made the heel block blank and marked it out.

@markbailey   Then I watched next course video for cutting the tenon slot and realised I've got the grain running in the opposite direction. The slot is cut across the grain on the video, my slot would be along the grain. Is that going to work or should I make another block?

Posted by: @robin

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The slot is cut across the grain on the video, my slot would be along the grain. Is that going to work or should I make another

@robin

Hi Robin, I've seen it done both ways. Some have said that it can be better if the grain is running up and down on the block rather than running across in the same direction as the sides. It can't prevent a split in the block if there is a split in the sides. 🤷🏻‍♂️ 

🙂🎶🎸🙏

@russ 

I've seen it done both ways. Some have said that it can be better if the grain is running up and down on the block rather than running across in the same direction as the sides. It can't prevent a split in the block if there is a split in the sides.

That kind of makes sense. The grafts and diamonds on the glue joints of the back and soundboard have the grain at 90° for the same reason.

I've got a nice bit of mahogany, 150mm x 100mm to cut my neck blank from. Can someone remind me what direction the grain should be. Unfortunately its too big for my bandsaw, I'll maybe have to mill it down with router first.

@robin

Hi Robin. Ideally you want the grain running top to bottom on the end on your neck blank (quarter sawn).

🙏🎶🙂🎸

@russ 

Ideally you want the grain running top to bottom on the end on your neck blank (quarter sawn).

Thanks Russ, its big enough that I can cut it either way.

The neck blank is cut and squared now, and headstock angle routed. Waiting for my trussrod to be delivered so haven't routed the slot yet. I've ordered a Hosco two way trussrod, 360mm. I had intended putting the adjusting end inside the body, but I've miscalculated the length, I forgot about the heel block inside the body. But not to worry, I'll put the adjustment at the headstock and it'll be fine.

I had always imagined my biggest stumbling block would was going to be bending the sides. I've made made my bending heater this morning it consists of a hobby hot air gun and an aluminium tube. The aluminium tube is a 70mm dia gas cylinder that I found washed up on beach on the Clyde last year when I was walking my daughter's dog, my wife saw rubbish, I saw a guitar side bender. 

It got up to 116°C in about 10 minutes. I had a bit of practice with an offcut from my side and after half an hour I had a guitar shaped bit. It may not be a difficult as I had imagined.

@robin Hahaha….. Nice one Robin, that’s really cool. I love the fact that your wife saw rubbish and you saw a bending iron. I’m exactly the same, I never want to throw out the stuff I find.

@boo 

Hi Boo, I think it's a trait that I inherited from my dad, and I've got my daughter thinking the same way too. She sends me photos of stuff she finds washed up asking if i want it.

@robin 😂 Brilliant! I bet your wife loves that. It must seem like everyone apart from her, to her.