KMG Ditson - Walnut and Sitka Spruce

[Daniel P]

Inspired by some comments from George Lowden about attention to even the surface of the brace material before glueing, I decided to give each of the back brace's radiused surfaces a light pass with a plane - now they glisten.

The top two have been lightly planed - the bottom two are sanded.

Who doesn't love photos of tools and guitars (or guitar parts)...





I also did some final thicknessing the braces - a sharp blade set lightly, with a tight mouth gives wonderfully thin shavings for precise control.

[Daniel P]

This time around I want to keep even better track of measurements - specifically plate thickness. Out in the shop there were some aluminum extrusions that I've been saving for years - unable to part with them, knowing some day they would be useful. The day arrived. In about 20 minutes I knocked together a little luthier thickness guage with a $10 HF dial gauge and a few pieces of the extrusion. Opposite the dial gauge is a leather pool cur tip I found - should help isolate the thickness reading while protecting the top/back from any damage.

(I didn't cut any aluminum on the table saw - just used it as a square surface for assembly)

[Daniel P]

I'm getting closer to being able to reliably sharpen a card scraper - a year of sharpening is what they say, right?

When I do get it right, the scraper works great for precisely thinning the backs and tops.

[Daniel P]

I was hesitant to purchase one of these vices last year, unsure if it would be as useful as other options - but having completed one guitar with it, and now starting my second, I must say its been well worth it. Necks, blocks, braces, body when installing and end wedge, fingerboards - I even used it as a nut/saddle vice. This thing is great.
I picked one up on sale at Woodcraft, and added the threaded stud kit from Stew-Mac - they keep the jaw mounting bolts from loosening when you turn the jaws. Definitely one of the most useful tools I've picked up.


The little plane is not a required tool, but an absolute joy to use - a wonderful birthday gift form my family this year. Its the perfect size for light brace work.

In the background is a can of Minwax furniture polish - I used that on plane soles to reduce friction, and to protect the steel from skin oils. I lightly waxed plane sole glides effortlessly, and helps you focus on the correct pressure, angle and alignment of the blade. A light rub of candle wax works equally well.

[Daniel P]

Time to install the back reinforcing strips, in preparation for back bracing.

I'm using 1/4 back braces - plan to keep them tall and thin for higher strength to weight ratio. The back reinforcing strips are cut so that the seams land at the center of each brace location - just as outlined in the KMG instructions:
http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/ki ... embly.html

Once the back strip is dry, each brace width is measured and and matching channels cut into the strip. A sharp marking knife and a little 6mm chisel work great for cleaning out the channel for a snug fit.

(#4 back brace is just sitting atop the strip, its not yet been fit)

[John Parchem]

As always, clean sharp looking work. I do love my LN block plane. I think others than one of mf my paring chisels, I use it more than any other tool.

[Daniel P]

And starting to prep for bracing the top. For all of the top components I've been documenting the weight of each brace, just in case I want to reference it in the future.