New build another Drednaught

[Kevin in California]

So it has been about 3 months since I finished the last one. Too long, but I finally got started today, Yah!
Not a lot of progress, but it felt good to be in the shop.
This guitar is for an American missionary in England, but not the same guy I made the walnut OM for a couple of years ago. This is a different guy.
Here are the specs:
EIR Back & Sides
Carpatian Spruce top
Honduras Mahogany 3 piece neck
Madagasscar rosewood fretboard and bridge
Bloodwood bindings.
Gold frets and machines
Abalone rosette and top purfling

I made the mahogany kerfing for this one. It takes some time, but a good way to use scraps, and not that hard to make. No special jigs, just the bandsaw and disc sander.
I thought I'd have a couple of years to complete this guitar, but now it looks like it will need to be done before August next year.
I hope to also start the OM crossover guitar for me and build them along side each other.....we shall see if that happens.

So today I thicknessed the sides, bent them and put them in the mold, made the end blocks, cut out all the rough spruce bracing for the back and top, and made the kerfing.
Fun fun fun. By the way, my light bulb bender got up to 400 degrees....yikes!

Kevin

[Dave Bagwill]

Re" bloodwood bindings - you might try that supersoft 2 veneer softener - soak overnight before bending. I hear it can be difficult to bend without snapping.
Unless you've already used the stuff and have it down pat. In which case I'll give you a sitting ovation. :-)

[Kevin in California]

Ha ha.
I did use the blood wood once. Had a terrible time with it until I thinned it to .060". I was bending it on a pipe though. This time it will be at .070" and I'll be using my bending machine. I'm going to put some rosewood bindings on the outside of the grouping and do them together hoping they will be supported.
I've heard about that super soft, it really works huh?

[Dave Bagwill]

I haven't used it on .070, but I have used it on highly figured stuff at .050 and it worked a charm.

[Kevin in California]

A bit of progress this last week.
Kerfing is in, back joined with center strip and back strip glued to the inside. The braces are made and ready to be glued in next.

Kevin

[Lonnie B]

Kevin that's totally awesome. Great work.

[TonyinNYC]

Nice wood Kevin.
Supersoft II works very well. I highly recommend it for bending difficult wood or even easy wood as insurance. It doesnt take a lot, so a bottle lasts a while. Spray it on, and once the wood looks dry, it is ready to bend. I have used it on bloodwood bindings at .080", ebony, ziricote, curly claro walnut, it is just good stuff to have in the shop. Especially for us hobby builders who don't have multiple sets of wood as back up in case we break a side or some binding. I love it.