Thanks Mark, I shall check it out Darren

Is there a guide to the ideal weight for a soundboard complete with all its braces? Clearly this would vary a little with different woods and more with different sizes but is there an accepted formula...

My first soundboard pretty much finished I think. Just got to cut the channels into the sides/kerfing and it can be glued on. Having cut a couple of channels by hand I think I might make a jig for the...

The problem with any gas burner is that water is produced in the combustion process so if you are trying to reduce the humidity this method of heating will be adding more humidity that your dehumidifi...

I have accidentally clicked on the big ‘Delete Course’ button and have lost access to the acoustic build videos. Could you reinstate me please? Thanks Darren

Ok, time to work on the back of the soundboards. Marked them up with a laser cut template and then shot the bottoms of all the braces prior to bonding. It’s been a long time since I made shavings like...

Dremel it was! A bit smelly on the first cut when going through into the MDF core but after that it was fine. Sanded the edge flat in between cuts to ensure one good face for bonding into the machined...

I bought some black/white/black inlay but it really doesn’t seem happy being bent, even with moisture and heat. Decided that it would be better to laminate some myself pretty much to the shape require...

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Ok, took it out of the press and put it through the sander to trim the laminate flush. Cut up an 80g sanding belt and stuck glue film on the back before carefully applying it the the machined did. Hav...

My last sets of laminated sides! Promise! This time I have used the same veneer all the way through ie macassar ebony, with two internal layers running at 90 degrees. Not sure if this will make a diff...

Machining my R4800 sanding dish. Rough cuts taken with a 9mm straight bit and then final passes with a 10mm ball nose cutter on 2mm pitch. This gave small ridges between the cuts but these were so ins...

Thanks, I will do. My natural tendency is to prefer science to art but I guess I'm going to have to let go a bit on this one! I have one cedar soundboard that seems very much floppier across the grain...

Just whether it would be a useful thing for me to make. Sounds like it is, so I'll machine one later today. Thanks Darren

Good morning, Has anybody got experience of using sanding dishes? Darren

Ok, so here’s a question. The massur birch parts don’t sound as hard and ringy as the ziracote, with the santos rosewood somewhere in the middle. Would it be better to match the massur birch with a ve...

Oh, I meant to mention that sticking tape around underneath the kerfed strips and around the neck and bottom blocks when gluing really makes cleaning up a doddle!

Hi again, So, another weekend of work and a few more steps of progress. I have made an external mould with expanding internal clamps and have machined the neck and bottom blocks from maple. I have cut...

Anything that soaks in is going to darken the wood be it wenge, cherry or sycamore. You are trying to achieve something that every finishing company and the vast majority of instrument/furniture/cabin...

Hi again, there’s one other point that is worth making regards using laminated backs and sides. I don’t bang on about eco topics very often (FSC requirements are a constant pain in my day job!) but us...