Post a picture of what's on your bench?

[fscotte]

Refinish with a new back.

[GarY Nava]

Next few!

Cheers Gary

[fscotte]

Being my first complete refinish and replacement of a new back, a learned it is not an easy task, but pleased.

[buckhorn]

I just took on two repairs that both need new tops.. one's an A and the other is this K style . neither one is a top of the line mando, but is important to someone.. but I'm doing them more for the experience..

[GaryTimmons]

Got one of my earlier A's back after it was overly dried out due to air-conditioning. The center seam opened up so this is the attempt to reclose it. There are also a couple cracks that developed on the treble side F hole that I plan on closing up with CA. Then I can do some touch up on the finish.

[Tom Haywood]

Technically, this one is hanging near the bench. Preliminary varnishing.

[Marty Jacobson]

I'll see your sunburst and raise you by 11.5" of scale length...


P.S. Tom I was glad to see you do not have any tips of musicians stored in that jar.

[Timbofood]

You know, not being a competent mangler of material (other than foodstuffs), I must say I very much enjoy seeing what you folks are doing! It's all so pretty but, what about the disasters, the day the bench is covered in chips, scrapings and agony?
You all seem to make it look so wonderfully easy!

[GaryTimmons]

Every day is a beautiful day when things go the way you plan. If you want to know about the agony just try building one of these beasts. I'd rather share my successes as they arise.
---Gary

[Marty Jacobson]

what about the disasters, the day the bench is covered in chips, scrapings and agony?

That's every day. Carving is basically just controlled destruction, and a botched finishing job can be a real nightmare. Really every step of the process until the very end involves the potential for destroying the instrument, or at least the part you're working on. I do actually keep some of the worst train wrecks to show folks in the shop. I recently threw a bunch of them away though because there were just too many of them.
So you just have to go slow, and to not take any irreversible steps until you're sure it's going to work out.

[Tom Haywood]

I'll see your sunburst and raise you by 11.5" of scale length...

Electric Octave? Looks fascinating.

No tips, but you may have noticed I keep all the marbles in a jar nearby.

[Marty Jacobson]

No, it's just a geetar, I have strayed from the straight and narrow.

[Dobe]

Love those obscure body shapes Marty ! As little as I build, I'm done with the norm. Each one is (hopefully) a one of a kind thing from now on.

[Tavy]

That's every day. Carving is basically just controlled destruction, and a botched finishing job can be a real nightmare.

Ain't that the truth!

Just yesterday I started adding colour to a guitar top, checked everything beforehand, ran test strips using offcuts of the actual wood, but my what a disaster! Colour went on in great blotches, some areas of medullary rays actually went black even though I was applying a mild yellow-tan colour... fortunately the water based stains don't penetrate too far and I was able to wipe the worst of it off and sand back the rest... managed to get a sealer coat on this afternoon with no more black stripes showing up, so hopefully disaster averted... I was just about ready to call the customer and ask what he thought about a black top

But yes, some days are all about trying to rescue several weeks work. That guitar was already on it's second neck BTW (first one carved too thin), didn't much fancy making a new body as well!

[Eric Foulke]

Not all failures are tragic, some can be amusing- I drew a set of body mold templates that I sent to a friend with a laser cutter to cut out of 1/4" plexi. The file scale wasn't set correctly so in addition to the full size templates I wanted, I also received a wonderful set of 1/2 size templates as well.
Does any want a 1/2 scale D'Angelico?

[Tavy]

Not all failures are tragic, some can be amusing- I drew a set of body mold templates that I sent to a friend with a laser cutter to cut out of 1/4" plexi. The file scale wasn't set correctly so in addition to the full size templates I wanted, I also received a wonderful set of 1/2 size templates as well.
Does any want a 1/2 scale D'Angelico?

Picalo mandolin?

[Dan Douris]

Just of the bench. Stringing up this evening.

[Pete Brown]

This is my first Irish bouzouki, which I strung up yesterday. Some minor adjustments and I'm calling it done.

[Taran Guitars]

On the bench this week and for a good few to come...

The next run of Springwell Mandolins.
A Mahogany/Adirondack Tenor for Dougie MacLean.
An African Blackwood Taran Mhor.


www.taranguitars.co.uk

[Charles E.]

Taran, That looks nice. Are those strips of linen or silk under the back braces? I have never seen that technique before.

[Magnus Geijer]

Did someone say guitar?

[Marty Jacobson]

Did someone say guitar?

Great minds.
Stringing mine up tomorrow.

[Pete Jenner]

Good.

[Tavy]

Great minds.
Stringing mine up tomorrow.

Just waiting for the owner to get back from France and pick it up:

[Austin Clark]