Recycled wood

Cool story about using recycled wood for building guitars.

Carmine Street Shop Makes Guitars From Hotel Chelsea's 'Bones' - DNAinfo.com

More Patrician Restoration Photos

Just catching up on some old restoration photos. I used epoxy to fill the three cracks on the back and to fill a small gouged hole on the front. I mixed the epoxy with with mahogany sawdust to match the color of the wood. I then sanded off the excess epoxy after it dried. I also glued a cracked f-hole using Titebond wood glue and a clamp. I sanded the body smooth to 220 grit. The grain is filled. Then sanded and wiped clean. After removing the frets and the inlay blocks I sanded the fretboard with a 12 inch radius block to 1000 grit. The shine on the fretboard is thanks to wiping it down with mineral spirits. The body is being finished with several layers of Shellac.


Up next I will try to tend to the fretboard, adding jumbo frets.

More Red Special Progress

Time to drill the holes for the DPDT switches - six of them. I started by carefully measuring the spots on a piece of paper for each switch and the angle that they would be cut at. I ran a test on a thin piece mahogany. (I'll use this test piece again later when I solder the switches before placing them in the body.)






I tape the paper to the top of the body. First drilling a small hole through the top. I then follow with a 6mm brad point bit, carefully lining the bit up with the hole.


















I fit the switches, the pots and the output jack to see just how this will look once I'm down.










A view from the top of how the switches, the pots and the output jacks will look.










Next, I move onto the rear electronics cavity cover. I will use a piece of padouk picked out to match the front of the body. I found this 3/4 inch piece with a nice figure.






Using the bandsaw I carefully re-saw off a 5mm thick piece of padouk. I then cut a rough shape to match the opening.








I then cut a rough shape to match the opening.





















After carefully shaving off excess wood, I end up with a nice fit. I'll still need sand the edges smooth and drill the holes for the screws.

The Red Special

Very productive day, three pickup cavities, and the output jack have been routed, holes for the bridge post have been drilled. I've started reconsidering using a single concentric volume and tone pot. I may instead opt for the traditional separate pots.



The second photo is to help me see what this will look like once completed.

Neck Pain Relief

So after simplifying the routing jig, I discovered solution to my inability to route a clean straight line. In this jig, I clamp the neck into place and use a guide on only one side. It took about 5 or six passes to route to the proper depth of about 9mm. This new neck blank is made of curly maple and will likely be a replacement for the Firebird neck that I have been working on. In the background is the Red Special I have been working on.

Pain in the Neck

So, I'm having trouble routing the truss rod channels on my necks. The issue is that I am having problem routing a straight and clean channel. In my latest attempts I have switched from using the router braced in place on a table to using a jig that keeps the router straight. The jig is an improvement, but just not clean enough yet. Since I am making several passes, the neck blanks have a tendency to slip slightly. I will probably move onto a different version of his same type of jig.

The Red Special Latest Update

I've made a great deal of progress in the last week on my Red Special. The neck pocket has been routed, the abalone dots have been inlayed, the face and back of the body have been sanded to 120 grit, the neck now has a rough profile and has been sanded to 120 grit.

Harmony Patrician Restoration

About 5 years ago I stumbled on this guitar in a local antique shop here in Clintonville. It was sitting in two pieces, just as it is in the first photo. Without knowing anything about it's age or the model, I picked it up for $25. After doing an internet search when I got it home I discovered that the Harmony Patrician I picked up was either a 1940 or 1941 pre-war archtop guitar.The top is Mahogany with a Spruce center panel. The back and the sides are also Mahogany.

My goal with this restoration project will be to get this guitar playable again, specifically so that I can sit on our porch and play the blues.

My first step is to sand off the old lacquer.









On the top just above f-hole is discolored from where player's would rest their fingers.




The headstock of the Patrician is a sweet piece of handy work. I'm looking forward to making this shine.

























The lacquer has aged so dramatically that the spruce center panel is almost as dark as the mahogany.

























There are numerous cracks in the body. This one on the back will be exceptionally difficult to repair.
















Another crack, this one on the top, will present a different kind of a challenge.

Red Special

The truss rod channel is cut, and the neck and body take shape.

Scarf Joints

I mark the angle for the cut, 10 degrees.

I've created an angled jig for use with my band saw to help me make a precise cut. I clamp the neck

blank to the jig just behind the blade. I then brace the neck blank on the opposite side a

s I slowly make the angled cut.

The jig helps make a clean cut.

The scarf joints are ready to be glued together.