Build Update #1

And so it begins.
I started on Tuesday building the mold using a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood. I first cut two roughly equal pieces from it and used a Forstner bit to recess a couple bolts to hold the two pieces tight together. I traced the top profile of the guitar, including it's center line, onto tracing paper and adhered it to a side of the board. Using a band saw, I cut along the traced line and finished off the shape with a spindle sander.

I have yet to file the neck portion of the mold in the picture.
Why bolt two pieces together? Well, the final thickness of the side pieces of the guitar is 1". Two plywood mold pieces sandwiched together will give me a thickness of 1.5", which will allow some room for error whilst laminating the 1" side pieces. After the sides are laminated and hold their shape outside of the mold, I can easily separate the mold, flip one side over, and connect them together to create a fully closed mold, which will be 3/4" thick. The 1" laminate side pieces will rise above the mold (1/4"), so as to allow the top to be clamped on. This will be much later on in the build.Here is a sample piece of 1/32" 3-ply veneer (not what i will be using for the final build, by the way) i clamped into the mold just for fun. I placed the veneer into boiling water for 5 minutes and held it in place in the mold using a small round caul for the tight curve and 3 other clamps. This is the process i will use (I will use steam though) for shaping and laminating the 4-ply sides later on (4 x 1/16" veneer = 1/4" side thickness).

I don't think I will get much further with this build during my break. The next updates will probably be for when I order/receive parts.

(-$0.00)

-Andrew

Past project(s) and Update

Last summer, whilst watching the Discovery Channel, I saw an episode touring a Cajun accordion making factory (Here it is). The construction of the $2,000+ instrument looked simple, so I decided to build one of my own.

I couldn't find plans for this at all, so i bought the reeds (46 reeds total) and built the accordion around them, along with plenty of reference pictures.

This has a red/white oak fingerboard, poplar valve rockers (painted red), basswood treble valves covered in gold craft paper, aluminum valve rods, maple plywood for bass and treble side faces, and cherry for the bass button box and accordion frame. I built the bellows solely off of the aforementioned video and a single picture I found off the interweb. They are made from craft cardboard and thin sheepskin leather. Total building cost: $150 for the reeds + $80 for everything else = ~$230-$250.

The bellows still need work, there are no treble buttons, some of the body needs finished, and i don't have any shiny metal corner brackets, so this is still a work in progress (when i feel like it).

I should mention I had never played an accordion before when I began this build.

Click here for some photos I took during the build.

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Apart from instruments, i built a solid state Tesla coil a few years back. Photos||Video

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As for the guitar. I bought plans off of Amazon and found a source for wood i can use for the guitar top. I plan to build the profile mold over christmas break. Unfortunately, progress will be very slow after this break, for i won't be home to work on it. The bulk of the work will be done after my spring semester.

-Andrew

Welcome.

Please enjoy this building blog as thoroughly as possible.

This blog will outline my step for step process for building instruments. My first project I will cover will be a replica Gibson ES-335. For the few of you interested, I hope you enjoy.

-Andrew!