Closing the box

Acquiring more tools
Before this session, I manage to tour the Kelantan Lane once again.
Guess what I managed to find this time?
Marples (Irwin) chisel for SGD 9!
Well though now Marples chisel are no longer manufactured in England, (Now made in China as with many other products), they still use the Sheffield steel.
The chisel is coated with a layer to protect it from rust.
Note that this layer will clogged the sanding stone when sharpening the chisel.

I also bought a carbide sharpening stone for SGD 6.
However, I noticed that the same stone selling for SGD 2.25 at HomeFix...
So not all things in Kelantan lane are cheap.

Another tool was a wooden palm plane by MuJingFang (tw).
It reputated to have very hard blade.

Also I bought a Bahco 1" gouge from HomeFix.
It turned out that it wasn't that useful as I thought it is...
The cutting was really that good; the smaller Japanese gouge for wood carving was easier to handle.
Wasted SGD40...

Finally I ordered from more tools from Amazon.
This time round I ordered via VPostUSA instead of Amazon delivering directly to me.
This is because some of the tools cannot be shipped outside US directly.
The VPost service is quite lousy; they mixed up the processing resulting in one undelivered packaged and had to go for next round (higher cost as they charged another round of base charges) and they take very long to reply to my queries.
I had wanted them to waive the base charge but knowing their service standard, I must say it'll probably take eons before they give a no reply...
So in the end I just order some more chisel to make the next round more cost effective.

I bought a Stanley spokeshave, Takumi douzuki saw (pull saw), Grizzly 1 cm thickness dial gauge.
These are mainly in preparation for my next build.

Here is the picture of the new tools.



Preparing the caul
The caul was half done previously.
This time round I tried to use the Bahco gouge but it didn't work out either.
In the end I tried the Marples chisel and (Wow!) they are real sharp.
They cut the MDF like butter.
I managed to clean up the channels for the brace.

Cleaning up the channels




All cleaned up


Fitted caul


Harmonic brace kerfed lining extension
After seeing David LaPlante's post in the OLF about a replica of a Torres' guitar, I decide to follow suit with these:
A kerfed lining extension above the harmonic brace.
Well it look more authentic.

Tiny kerfed lining extension above the harmonic brace.






Sound port
Finally after weeks of design I settled on this design for the sound port.
It was kind of inspired by the Chinese Eight Trigram (Pak Kua).
But if you look carefully there is an S in the centre, representing Sen. :)

I first drilled small hole all around the design using my B&D RTX.
Then I use fret saw to cut through the holes.
Fitting the fret saw through the hole can be a tricky task, to generate enough tension for the blades.
Finally after sawing I use files to file the excess portion to size.

Fitting the fret saw blade


Filed to shape


Another view


Looking through the port


Shaving the brace, top patch
Well after having good experience with the Marples chisel, I decide to try it on the braces.
One of the brace was having a notch in it due to a blunt chisel.
The Marples cut through like hot knife through melted butter.
As I remove more and more, I realise the profile of the brace was changed.
So I decided to carry on more and make it into triangular profile instead.
The for outer 2 braces due to space constraint I decide leave it as it is.
Well I wished that the chisel were a abit shorter in this case :)

Triangular profile


Another view


Also I added another patch of spruce to reinforce the top part of the sound board.
It is said that this will improve the treble response.
Fleta had the entire upper bout coverd with hard maple.
Aguado? extended the neck beneath the top board for the entire length of the finger board.
Hauser reinforced with another traverse strut.
I never had a strut and so I reinforce with a pad instead.

Top reinforcement pad


After that I held the caul in place using tape.
Now the guitar is all set for back assembly.

Holding the caul in place


Another view


Closing the box, Back assembly
I am clamping the back using just F-clamps.
I have 4 big ones and 10 small ones: this should be just sufficient for the assembly.
Originally I thought of reinforcing further using strings, but noting that the back overhang is pretty long and strings might cause the back to uplift from the lining (with the edge as the fulcrum point)
The wooden blocks which I bought at Daiso was very useful.
I used them on several occassions.
In the end I found a better solution using those wooden blocks are caul.
They served to protect the back and apply a more even pressure.

As I use yellow glue (PVA) for the assembly I had to work fast.
The four main clamps were used for the heel, tail and 2 waist section.
The rest of the clamps were spaced out in between those 4 big clamps.

Applying the glue.


Various views of clamping the back.










The closed box
The next few days I remove the clamps.
So far so good the assembly.
I tap the top for the tap tone and it sounded with a bassy thud in the bridge region.
Then I realised there is a caul underneath the bridge region so it wont give an accurate tap tone.
So the next step? purfling and finger board headplate and french polish and finally setup.

Front view


Back view


Side view


Oblique back view


Another back view


Another end view the back curve can be seen.


The sound port. The middle portion is supposed to look like an 'S', but my good music pal commented that it didn't look like one. Seems like I need to remove more material in the middle part to make it looked more like one.


Looking through the sound port


You can see the strut pattern here.


The back struts


The caul in place.


Tools shopping spree
Well I think I was bitten by the tools shopping bug.
I went shopping for tools again: both online and Kelantan Lane.
Due to the mess-up by VPost, who failed to deliver one of my package and they are going to charge me the last (lost) package another base charge, I decide to make use of the opportunity to buy some more tools.
This time time I order a chisel set from Diefenbacher Tools instead.
Well their packaging is just nice: the correct sized box for the tools.
One caution about the free shipping for Amazon, they tend to use overly size boxes.
This might be ok for continental US shipping since it is free, but when it comes to VPost shipper, which goes by weight, the shipping charges is expensive.
This is the lesson which I learnt.

Anyway I tried out the Diefenbacher chisel, they were great!
They much better than the disappoint 2 Cherries paring chisel which I got from Amazon.
If I had know better, I would have gotten the paring chisel from Diefenbacher too.

I managed to tour my favourite hunt, Kelantan lane and this time round managed to acquire a Maktec (Makita) Laminate Trimmer(SGD 78) and 1.5" Marples Blue chip chisel (SGD17).
Maktec is the Makita's subsisdary in China which manufactures the trimmer.
Though it is stated that it accepts 6mm bit or 1/2" bit (6.35mm), in actualy fact, the 6mm bits are just too loose.
If I on the power, I'll probably be facing some shuriken(手裏剣) (Ninja darts) flying from the trimmer.
The 1/4" bit which comes with the trimmer fits exactly without any problem.
Now I am all set to cut the binding rebate.

The tools acquired recently (includes those from previous batch of shipping)


The Maktec laminate trimmer - comes with an edge guide, so I need not build one.


Another view

Preparing the Back for attachment

Sanding the rim
First of all, I taped the sand paper to the board and began sanding the side rims.
I read this method from the Cumpiano book.
When I worked on the upper bout, I realised that the Spanish foot section will disrupt sanding as the foot area is taller than the surrounding side rim.

At first, I wanted to make a radius bar, in order to sand the upper bout, but decided against doing it because it was too much work and the benefits wasn't alot.
In the end, I found a simpler way: attached 2 board on each side of the foot and paste the sand paper on the raised board.
The raised board is clamped to the main board using C-clamp.

Sanding the rim. One end is for upper bout with a raised side, the other end is for lower bout.


The raised side are held by a C-clamp.


Sand till no gaps in between.



Back struts
After finished sanding the rim, I proceed to work on the back struts.
Nothing special except for marking the position of the back struts to the rims.
The rest is just standard trimming and cutting process.

Back struts cut.


Taping the struts to the back.


Fitting to the rim


Sides marked (tape) and struts trimmed to fit the side rim.


Back fitted.


Shaping the struts
For shaping the struts, I did not use any predefined radius, but rather draw a free curve joined using french curves ruler on a vanguard sheet.
Then I cut out the curved sheet and draw a center line on the struts for transfering the curve to the struts, aligned on the center line.
To keep the gluing edge square and flat, I use a shooting board method.
I learn this method from a Erik Schmidt who was also a first time builder but with great organisation and great woodworking skill.
You can read the forum thread of his build here

I did not make a shooting board but simply raised the struts height using a cut out MDF and plane the curve accordingly.
(It was the same MDF which I had intended to make for the radius bar :) )
It was a simple and effective way compare to free hand method which I used the last time I did the back struts.
Keeping the gluing surface square is important for optimum gluing strength.

Shaping the struts using a shooter board method.


Another view


Yet another view


After the curve is done, I proceed to scallaping the struts to reduce the weight of the struts while keeping the strength (height constant).
My idea is to keep the end square and anything in between to have a curve cross-section.
I intend to keep the struts at full height and no tapering at the ends.
That is the main reason why I keep a curve cross-section in the middle and square at the ends.

Here is how it looks in final state. I think the curve can still be improved on.


View from the end.


All three struts done. The lower bout strut is thicker as it is the longest.


Another view.


I did some further work on the back struts.
I re-read the Rommanillos book on Torres and the back struts height was about 17mm.
Mine was over 20mm.
So I decided to reduce the height of the back structs.
Again the shoot board method was used but this time round I make the curvature less sharp more round instead.

Middle strut profile


Side view of 3 struts


Oblique view


Gluing the back lining
Finally the last task of the day is to glue the back lining.
I did consider to use laminated solid linings as I had 2 pieces of basswood about 90cm long.
But in the end I decided to just use the lining which I bought from lmii to save time.
I was lucky that I have bought clips previously from Daiso.
Surprisingly the quantity of the clips was perfect: 4 boxes of 8 clips each: just nice for the entire back lining.
The process was similar to the front lining except that now the back struts were there when I glue.
I had to position and match the lining according to the marking on the tape which I had done earlier.
All in all, it was a familiar process.











The lining glued.


I also glued the lining under the brace.
By accident I discover the height of the brace is about the same as the height of the lining.
So it kind of make it neat and tidy.
Maybe next time I will make a brace pocket holder for the line at this part.

Gluing the lining under the brace


Gluing done


Brace fits just nice




Glue the back crack

I finally thought of a way to glue the crack at the back: Clamp 2 pieces of wood sandwiching the back on each side of the crack and use 2 F-clamp to draw the 2 pieces of back towards each other.
Look at the pic for a better explanation.



The gap looks closed and hopefully the CA glue will do the job.
However, I was worried about the CA coloring the Maple back insert between the 2 back pieces.
Well just have to wait and see.

Here is the back after the gluing. The darkened part hopefully can be sand away.


Reinforcement for sound port
I also bend some basswood for a sound port reinforcement.
First I thickness it using my Stanley #4 (it's been a long time since I used it as I use block plane more)
The result wasn't too good but can be smoothen using a file.
Nonetheless I proceed to use a heat pipe to bend the piece and periodically checking the curvature with the guitar.
It was quite easy to bend especially with the water.
This is the first time I bend a straight piece from scratch the experience was very satifying.
The result was quite good.

The bent piece.


Cut and plane to side. However the back still needs to be smoothen.


I had glued the reinforcement piece to the back of the sides inside the body.
It will be ready for cutting of the sound port in the next session.
However, I still have yet to finalize the sound port design...

Clamping the reinforcement


Inside view



Consideration for gluing the back on
I had 2 options:
1) Glue the struts to the back and the back to the body
2) Glue the struts to the rims, and the back to the body.

Both of the way required different sets of tools.
1) I had to make some cam clamp or have clamps with enough throat length to reach the center of the struts.
2) I need to build some supports underneath the brace. This method is from Romanillos way of gluing the back.

You can read the Romanillos method of build from another great first time builder
Waddy, who is also another fellow OLFer.
Or his Photobucket Album

After some serious decision I decide to adopt the 1st method.
I got hold of some more new F-clamp with a longer throat.
The clamping was a familiar procedure.

Clamping middle and lower bout brace


Clamping the upper bout brace


After gluing the brace, I began to fit the back but it just wouldn't fit into the slots.
I had to adjust the lining (chisel away and glue new ones) in order to fit the back.

Back enclosed (not yet glued)


Fitted back inside view


I had also started making the caul.
Trying to get it fit the brace and curvature of the doming.

Caul


Binding attachment for the B&D RTX
To cut the binding, I needed 2 more tool: one is a attachment holder for the B&D RTX and the other is a gramil scriber.
I have began building the attachment out of MDF, basing the design on the Stewmac version of the dremel attachment.
There is a second part of the attachment which will allow the adjustment of height.
I intend to use spring and adjustment control using screws.
Again the base will be made of MDF.
There will be an edge guide to cater for binding purposes with screw adjustment: something similar to the Stewmac version which is a very refined made tool (but expensive)
The main holder for RTX body is not fixed, to allow for adjustment for tool squareness to the front panel.
However, I think the front part is abit too bulky and may reduce the footprint of the frontal portion.
This attachment can also be attached to my drill stand for using it as a bridge hole mini drill press.
Hopefully I am able to complete the whole attachment by the next session.

The B&D RTX Attachment holder 1/2 done: top view


Back oblique view


Front oblique view