I've started my nylon string crossover guitar

[Kevin in California]

For the record, I finally started this guitar yesterday.
I decided to use Sapele for the B & S, and Western cedar for the top. I got the sides bent and in the mold. Not much but a start!
Pics to come.

Kevin

[Lonnie B]

Looking forward to it Kevin.

[Kyle Barbour]

Sounds like fun. I'll be watching for pics!

[Kevin in California]

So I thicknessed the back plates, and I have readings at .110 down to .090" one side to the next..........my thickness sander is screwing up!!
I'm going to use it as this guitar is a OM body, not very deep, and I want it light anyway, but I'm going to have to see what's going on with my drum sander. 20 thousands is alot! from one side to the next. .005" I could live with but not this. Arg!

Kevin

[John Link]

My empathy, Kevin.

A well tuned and well sharpened plane takes off .001 inch at a time. There is something to be said for old fashioned, superbly well made hand tools, as I say to myself today, unpacking my new Veritas #6 that cost a fraction of what my Performax 24" drum sander cost. Drum sanders have their place, obviously. Mine has been in its shipping box for over 5 years. To be honest, part of why mine is still in the box is finding a place to set it up. It raises a very nasty dust cloud that complicates using it immensely. There are times when I wish I had it going.

[ken cierp]

Flip it and run again through the sander, so both outside edges are thinned -- should work out nicely for a nylon string guitar. Blend the center section after the top is glued to rim. I always thin the perimeter anyway -- just a thought.

[Kevin in California]

Ken, that is pretty much what I did, the joint is at the desired thickness and it thins out from there to both sides. It will be fine, but NEXT TIME, I will check out the sander first. That is what I was thinking too for a nylon string, should be fine. I won't do the top the same, it is cedar anyway so I will bring it down my hand.

I hear you John, before I got the drum sander, it was planes and sanders....alot of work when you start out at 3/16" or thicker but I am beginning to appreciate my hand planes more and more.