Making the jigs for binding cutting

20200911
All along I am using the default trimmer router base for routing the binding channel.
It works well to certain extend, the only problem is that the binding channel reference is always to the top or back of guitar.
For the back where the curvature or doming is quite pronounced, the binding channel will be skewed.
So this time round I decide to make a jig that allows the binding channel to be routed with reference to the sides instead.
Most binding jig out there is based on this principle of referencing the sides instead of the top.


So I began to make the jig it actually quite a simple design, it acts like the router holder but with a longer guide so that it can reference the sides better.
Basically it acts like a marking gauge.
So I make the base and the guide rail separately and the way to secure them togehter is very similar to my circle cutter jig.

Making the guide

Checking the squareness

The binding jig

20201031
Next I need to make the holder for the guitar.
Normally, I just put it inside the solera with the side mould.
But in this case, because of the longer reference sides needed, the side mould cannot be used.
So I decide to modify one of my previous solera to be able to clamp down the body while exposing most of the sides for the binding cutting.
However, the solera has some warping so I added some wood members to correct the geometry accordingly.
Also I added a special way of clamping the body down.
As there is no neck attached, the clamping has to be a bit special.

I also drilled the dowels for rope tying for the binding.
I created a structure too to allow me to work on 1/2 the side of the guitar independently.
But this will make it more restrictive during the binding stage.

Drilled and glued the dowels for the rope tying for the bindings

Make the structure that allows 1/2 side of the binding to be done independently

Checking th geometry of the solera

Patched the rear end of the solera to correct the geometry

Holdng the guitar body. The clamp acts like a T-track clamp

Testing the binding cutter jig.

New workbench!

20200716
I ordered a new workbench and it finally arrived after 1 month of sea shipping.
I spend about 2 hours assembling the workbench and it's quite easy to assemble it.
Weight is not that heavy which is good for me since I am the only person around to carry it.
I assemble the base with cabinet first and then leave the top separate.
In the next good half of the day I spend the time to clean up the workshop to make space for this new workbench.
Some thinking was done to see how better to organise the workshop.
Finally I was able to carry in the base and install the top on the spot.
With the new workbench I need to figure out how best to clamp the work pieces.
The table isnt of uniform thickness; so I need a caul at the below surface in order for my cam clamp to work properly.
Also there is limited space due to the cabinet so the F-clamp doesnt work. I had to make some dog hole clamps which work fine

After several weeks of playing around I finally figure out how best to make use of the workbench.
Normal workbench caters for thicker pieces of wood to work with while guitar making make use of thinner pieces of wood.
So there need to be some modification of the workbench in order to use it efficiently.
But I was happy to have some extra space to work with.
Especially now I dont need to disassemble my go-bar deck after use.
But my old workbench 's free table top space was fill up pretty quickly.

The package

Opening the package

The workbench top

The base parts

The base cabinet assembled

Base is done weighs not too heavy

Clearing the workshop

Space cleared

New workbench moved in place top assembled with the base

In use, new features will be shown later.

New vise 6" width

Dog hole clamp that I made

Dog hole clamp in action.

Full view of the dog hole clamp.

Repairing my block plane

20170804
I had dropped my low angle block plane on the ground and the cap screw which holds the cap level broke.
Argh...
Now I need to try find the spare part or it will become a white elephant.

The broken cap lever screw after I dropped the block plane.

20170908
I didnt manage to find any spare part for it.
So I turned to use normal threaded bolts instead.
As it's an imperial threaded screw I had to guess the nearest size.
I measure the width of the thread and it's about less than 5mm.
The nearest imperial thread unit I can find is 3/16"and so I ordered some from eBay.
When the item arrived I cut to length and tried.
Voila it works great!
Now I am back in business.

I replaced it with a normal bolt and it worked perfectly.

Shop Tour

20160328
Well I didn't have much action these few weeks due to work, so I thought I do a tour of my workshop
Essentially my workshop is just small table.
That's where the main action is.
Well I did wanted to have a proper workshop with a proper workbench etc... but well due to space constraint that's not really possible.
My workbench is a just a simple writing desk with a slab of MDF on top.
The art of clamping the work piece depends a lot on my vast number of clamps and some jigs.
Below the workbench I stored my power tools.

View of the work shop

Another view

Main work bench

Underneath the table is where I stored the power tools

My main storage rack is just beside the workbench.
This is where I store my woods too.
The top portion of the rack is where all the sides and necks are.
At the 2nd section (from the top), I stored the tops and backs.
3rd section contains the tools mainly.
Ground section contains the fingerboards bridges in the storage box.

Top rack stores the sides necks

Next higher level stores the backs and tops

This section is my tools mainly (planes etc...)

Bottom section are where the fingerboard and bridges are.

Behind me is atable where most of my clamps are held.
Actually it used to be right at the rack but that's just waiting for accidents to happened.
And if the clamps come undone during when I work on the guitar, the technical term will be bad.
So I shifted to clamp the clamps behind me instead.
I have lots of F-clamp and cam clamps.

Behind me by the side is where the dehumidifier are.
It's pointing mainly to the woods and workbench

Also at the other end I store my soleras or workboard

My dehumidifier. The fan has died so I attached an external fan instead.

Clamps!

Soleras

I also hang quite a number of tools by the window grille.
Including one of my unfinished top
Below the grille is a section where I kept miscellaneous things like my veneers bindings etc... and my 1st gen solera which I am going to modify for binding work.

Tools and tops hanging on the window grille.

Misc things are kept here. Just under the grille.

At the other room I temporary store my go-bar deck.
Normally I will dismantle it if I am not using for sometime.

Go-bar deck.

Making Purfling Cutter

20140620
Although recently I bought the gramil cutter from LMI, I discover that I like my own version better.
My version has a longer handle which allows me to exert force to make the cut.
The cut is near the reference guide wall, both version is about the same.
But if the guide is some distance apart my version will allow more control

When I was about to make the 2nd cut on the sides for the purfling, I discover my cutter's has delaminated.
After gluing and over clamping, the cutter began to fall apart.
There is where I decide to rebuild the cutter v2 with some improvements in design and material.

I use African blackwood for the main material.
The guide and center hole pin will be reused as those parts are still functional.
For holding the blade in place I will be using wedges instead as it holds better and tighter.
When using in a circle cutter mode i will insert a piece so that the cutter will be same height as the center pin portion.
This piece is removable so that in the purfling cutter mode it will function better.

The old cutter starting to delaminate

The new body of the new cutter using African Blackwood

The purfling cutter. The guide is still the original part. The protruding wedge will be saw away though.

Some new tools

Well I didn't have much time to continue the build.
I did acquire some new tools though.
Amongst them are 2 new squares to replace the old one which is broken at the locking part making it not really a square.
I acquire some new veneer caliper manual version too.
The digital one still works but I was lazy to replace the battery.
I also bought a new small drill press for drilling bridge holes but I have yet to test it out.
Anyway I should have spent more to get a real drill press this small one doesn't have enough power at all.
My main consideration was the noise actually; cant really get a noisy machine.
Also I bought some more clamps; you just cant have enough of them.

More cam clamps! You cant have enough clamps!

Quick release clamp? Bought about 10 of them as it is easy to deploy them with one hand

Small drill press.

Measuring tool, to replace my old square.

Making the radius stick (sanding block)

I made a radius stick sanding block for the back.
Nothing special here draw the arc, spokeshave it and ensure squareness.
Finally glue some ply wood to join the 2 sticks to have enough area for sandpaper.

Spoke shave the radius stick (2 sticks)

Glue them together with 2 spacer block in between.

Apply glue to the plywood.

Clamping time

Can see the arch here.