Making the side port

Well before I close the box, I have to saw the side port.
The side port is a hole located on the side to have a monitor to the player.
It certainly works very well and the player can easily hear what he / she is playing.
But it does affect the sound by raising the box resonance.
To compensate the side port has to be located as close to the main sound hole and main sound hole has to be reduced in size.
To be effective as a sound monitor, I only create the sound port at the upper bout curve area.
In the classical playing position, that will point directly to the player.

To reinforce the sound port I added a layer of 3mm spruce to the behind of the sides.
3mm of spruce is definitely hard to bend.
In my 1st guitar I use Basswood for the backing and at 2mm it's definitely easier to bend
Well this time round I found a soundboard cutoff of the right size and decided to use it...
It goes well in the end though.

For the bend I used 2 wooden block to help bend especially at the edges where it's hard to apply the force to the small piece.
These wooden block I got from Daiso and they are very very very useful.
I have used them for many occasions.

Checking the size

Start bending (with 2 hands of course)

Another view.

More of less bent.

Glued

Now to cut the port.
I lost the previous template which I did for my #1 so I had to redraw it.
It didn't take long and I trace the shape onto the upper bout.
I use the fosterner bit to drill the hole and saw the rest.

Traced the shape onto the sides

Drill 2 small holes

Use the forstner bit to drill the larger hole.

One side drilled

Using coping saw to saw to the other hole

Both sawn

Filing the edges smooth

A look on the inside, the spruce did split from the drilling...

Carve some bevel on the edges to make it look better.
Well I managed to cut into my index finger tip when i carve it...