New Build Day.. London Plane DC

Rabs · June 2021

Well its finally here.. Been a few years now since I did any building for many reasons..... But yesterday I went to the workshop and got the first bits done. I used to work in this place at a wood shop but this is my first time back, this time doing my own thing.

I do have a couple of other builds I started a year ago, then covid struck and I stopped again.. But ever since I first saw London Plane I have been dying to make a guitar from it.

This will be ALL London Plane too..

So I start with the body piece.
https://i.imgur.com/shgApVX.jpg

Cut it in half and straighten the edges and then thinckness from 55 to 40mm. Using a proper bandsaw is such a pleasure.
https://i.imgur.com/lnMj1wS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Dr8g5rP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JrpyDgo.jpg

And then glue
https://i.imgur.com/PhIMecy.jpg

While that was drying.. Time to bookmatch one amazing looking bit of wood...
https://i.imgur.com/hGdyq3A.jpg

First, square it all off
https://i.imgur.com/VQdyd2b.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rIbVKbs.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/bGY5gVR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QIHskkf.jpg

Then the fun part.. You must make sure that the ends are flat and square or this will go wonky. Draw a line down the middle and make a first cut which I pull back and then check is straight.. Then go for it.. You must not push to quick when doing this or again it WILL go wonky.
https://i.imgur.com/RMwEtsr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cmCALdo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WToANDJ.jpg

And.. Success Boomatched spalted symmetrical goodness

https://i.imgur.com/OSwn26K.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/SbZWRZd.jpg

Rabs · June 2021

Then the neck...

https://i.imgur.com/48VWP9s.jpg

I draw my lines on it and over to the bandsaw.
https://i.imgur.com/cPTo8uu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TcZWC6y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tGXmjDy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KN7N1YK.jpg

And then as I was only there for a few hours I just roughly cut the body
https://i.imgur.com/YARuZkI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/V8euM3A.jpg

And thats all for today.. Have another session booked on Friday. So will report back then

https://i.imgur.com/aJRgffY.jpg

Roland · June 2021

Yes! Yes! Yes! As Sally Albright would say. Following with interest

Grangousier · June 2021

That's lovely! Also following. I decided after a particularly horrible hayfever season this year that one day I'll have a guitar made out of Plane wood, just as an act of revenge, and it's nice that it turns out to be such a pretty wood, too.

Rabs · June 2021

Grangousier said:

That's lovely! Also following. I decided after a particularly horrible hayfever season this year that one day I'll have a guitar made out of Plane wood, just as an act of revenge, and it's nice that it turns out to be such a pretty wood, too.

Cheers and indeed.. And actually the story of this wood is somewhat controversial..

The wood shop I used to work in specialises in English hardwoods. Apparently 5000 trees a year are taken down just in London alone.. And the councils, being councils had no idea what to do with them so they used to all get chipped and burned... Which is really sad since something like 90% of the wood available to buy over here is imported.. So he now gets the trees off the council and mills and seasons them and sells them to various types of makers..

This wood specifically is from the trees that used to be outside Euston Station (yes I know HS2 boooooo). But again, if he had not taken them all of this amazing looking wood, would have been chipped... So as sad as HS2 is and what they are doing, at least the wood can be used for something else now.

And out of interest. When you see the lacewood on the top that means its quarter sawn...

TTony · June 2021

I wow'd your post, not for the beautiful wood, but for this ...

Wow - that's some impressive cutting!!

Rabs · June 2021

TTony said:

I wow'd your post, not for the beautiful wood, but for this ...

Wow - that's some impressive cutting!!

Cheers

I was told by several people there who really know their stuff, not to use the fence when doing this so thats how I always did it. I did have a few go wrong in my time there but its not really different to anything else.. Just need to do it a few times and have a good eye I guess for lining it up..

HOWEVER I do have to say.. When you do this, how ever good you are its never going to be quite flat. So after you have to stick it through the thicknesser to flatten it again (if nothing else but to get rid of the saw marks). The problem with this is if you have to take too much off you will loose the bookmatching effect as most of it goes diagonally through the wood. In this case I did do it so well that I only needed to take 1mm of the tops to flatten them again.

If you look carefully at the picture of the bookmatched top, there are two. One is before I re-flattened and one after. You can see it lost a little of the bookmatching. Still amazing though.

Rabs · June 2021

Very quick update.. Just did the truss rod channel today so that tomorrow I can concentrate on getting the fretboard done.

I surprised myself just how quickly I can do this now. A very simple method.. Clamp it in the workbench. Get a straight bit of wood I have and line it up. The router has a flat edge at the back of the base so will run along it. Then I just make sure its in line, clamp the wood, set the depth stop at 9mm and go for it.

https://i.imgur.com/MUaAKCK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/soWxHPe.jpg

DrBob · June 2021

Great to see you back at it @Rabs and such a great looking bit o Wud

Rabs · June 2021

DrBob said:

Great to see you back at it @Rabs and such a great looking bit o Wud

Cheers.. Yes its great to be back at it again.. Been too long and now working in a proper workshop makes so much difference. And yes, London Plane is a beautiful wood.... Its got a nice hardness too.. Not too dense but no way soft.. I will be chambering it out to keep the weight down.

earwighoney · June 2021

Good to have you back Rabs.

I've seen a few acoustic guitar makers use London Plane, I think Faith used it for a few high end models, but for whatever reason it and maple often seem to be the ugly ducklings in the acoustic guitar side of things.

Corvus · June 2021

Very nice Rabs, lovely bits of wood there too.

Rabs · June 2021

Thank you both. Its great to be back at it. Even though its kind of a part time thing at the moment.. Kind of building myself back up a bit... But its also nice when I am making these that these are just builds I want to make and theres no rush... Today was one of those bits and bob type days.. Only got a few bits done. Its one of the things about working in a shared workshop, you have to make sure you dont get distracted talking to people all day, kind of happened today but again I was only there for 3.5 hours...So yeah, not such an interesting update today.

I also realised last night I dont have a bridge yet for this build and decided to go all out and am getting a schaller 3D 6 bridge that looks like this if you dont know
Schaller 3D-6 Guitar Bridge Roller Saddles

Schaller 3D-6 Guitar Bridge Roller Saddles

I was just a bit bored of TOMs, wraparounds and the standard hardtail (like a non trem strat or tele)... They arent cheap but I wanted this build to be special.... Got some Gotoh tuners on the way too. Used to use Schaller tuners but the last few years the quality of them has seemed to have slipped and they have got more expensive too (probably due to brexit)... Gotoh are kind of what Schaller were a few years ago.

Started with the two ebony boards. Got them to the right size (43-56mm)..
https://i.imgur.com/7BfeecY.jpg

Marked them all up, so they are ready for their inlays.
https://i.imgur.com/purbKvY.jpg

Also prepared and glued some wings on the headstock to make it wide enough.
https://i.imgur.com/4EMDnS5.jpg

You can also see here next to the clamped neck a mahogany neck which I cut to shape. I do actually have three builds going on.. The others I will report on some other time
https://i.imgur.com/eP6FGha.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gl9X0Qj.jpg

Then I also had the mahogany body with me which I needed to get down to 40mm (from 45) as it is going to have a flamed maple cap. Man the tear out on this one..
https://i.imgur.com/njMIKip.jpg

Cleaned that up
https://i.imgur.com/DUiCXm4.jpg

And then lastly I started working on how to do these odd oval shaped inlays I have (not sure which build will get them yet).. I didnt have all my bits on me and the ones at the workshop are a bit rubbish so I will do those maybe Monday at home.. Tried to do it freehand with my dremel tool but it didnt really work that well.
https://i.imgur.com/F1ph1ni.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wazV01V.jpg

And that was it really for today. As said, just one of those nothingy days where you only get bits done. But it happens.. Also I kind of need the bridge for the next stages anyway which should arrive Tuesday. So hopefully one day on the weekend I will glue a fretboard and then get back to it next week when the hardware arrives.

normula1 · June 2021

I realise they were just markups, but the crosses at the twelfth fret would look great as inlays

Rabs · June 2021

By the way... What do you guys reckon on this?

As has been mentioned (and seen in some pics above) I am also doing what will be an all black walnut DC... I did these mock ups ages ago and cant decide if I want to use an Ebony or Rosewood board.. It will be getting black hardware too (but a wrap around bridge)..

Which do you think looks better?

https://i.imgur.com/tCy6LAQ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/p5RAqme.jpg

SteveRobinson · June 2021

Ebony for me

Roland · June 2021

Black for colour.

TTony · June 2021

Black Walnut varies so much, I think it’s hard to say until you see the actual piece of wood, and decide on how it’ll be finished.

Rabs · June 2021

TTony said:

Black Walnut varies so much, I think it’s hard to say until you see the actual piece of wood, and decide on how it’ll be finished.

Its the one you can see in this picture.. It will be fairly dark
https://i.imgur.com/4EMDnS5.jpg

This is a finished example from the same batch
https://i.imgur.com/EvIXDgz.jpg

normula1 · June 2021

Ebony for me

TTony · June 2021

I’d say Ebony then. Better to have a clear contrast than a near-miss clash of colours.

Love the Walnut!

Rabs · July 2021

Well I am back at it again... The last week or so I have been using my shop time to make some stuff for one of my sisters and it turned in to a real nightmare.. Anyway, its done now so back to this build.

Very little to add at today as I say I have been busy doing other stuff but the body is mostly ready... Still needs some fine sanding on the sides and horns..
https://i.imgur.com/66BerWE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Vqe22QP.jpg

Love seeing the spalting on the sides
https://i.imgur.com/Logf5nw.jpg

And today I got the fretboard glued on.
https://i.imgur.com/5djRykA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OyjzNGJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ilpnjCZ.jpg

So... Tomorrow I am at the workshop for an afternoon session.. I am hoping to get the body routed out and the top glued on. Then things should start moving quickly again.

Hopefully more tomorrow then

Andyjr1515 · July 2021

Lovely.

normula1 · July 2021

That's lovely

Rabs · July 2021

Thank you both.. I am looking forward as much as anyone to seeing the end result here.. I have gone on about London Plane before and a couple of people here have used it. And even after a year and a half of working with it most days I never ever get sick of looking at that wood grain.. AND its all from home too. All good...

Anyway.. Today I did get a bit more done, partly due to loosing a dot inlay and partly as I think I have decided that while I like working at the shared workshop, it is very distracting. I find I never have enough time and its not the same as when I am doing it alone in my own workshop (mums garage).. So I think while I will still go there from time to time to use the machines I will probably mostly go back just doing it in the garage..

My main jobs today was meant to be getting the inlays done and the fretboard radiused and fretted (was only an afternoon slot today)... But then as said.. Lost a dot inlay on this floor which was full of dust and wood chips. I cleaned it to look through the pile but theres loads of small glue spots all over this floor..
https://i.imgur.com/3hLrMsX.jpg

Needless to say after looking for a while I didnt find it. But I got the rest done anyway..
https://i.imgur.com/8HJBC4O.jpg

Then glued the top
https://i.imgur.com/M2gEyGz.jpg

And started chambering the body (I will finish that out with my router)
https://i.imgur.com/XLT8MPq.jpg

And then the rest of the day was just doing fine tuning of the body shape and two others I am working on
https://i.imgur.com/7sJM3m1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hWJh6nF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DRnOUDU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LBkQhdI.jpg

Check out this close up of that spalted London Plane top
https://i.imgur.com/t03Y77E.jpg

Hopefully this weekend I will finish that chambering and get the top glued on... Nice.. More soon then

TTony · July 2021

Spectacular!

Rabs · July 2021

And the top is now on... I couldnt find my templates for the chambers anywhere so I just did it all freehand. But then once the top is on no one will ever see it again anyway

https://i.imgur.com/gvMhGXW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/4nzjdM1.jpg

And the wiring channels
https://i.imgur.com/p73gkBx.jpg

Then glue and as many clamps as I can find

https://i.imgur.com/DTFMUwQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0xnfFUH.jpg

So, not much to show but an important part done. Glued in that missing inlay too so the neck is ready for radiusing and fretting now.. More next week..

And while I am not really that in to football COME ON ENGLAND !!

Rabs · July 2021

Todays update...

Made another couple of silly mistakes.. One is just about an issue I forgot about with my router.. The bit needs to be ultra tight or it can slip down a bit during cutting.. And it happened when I was doing the binding channel. Which is really annoying as while its all ok now, its 8mm deep rather than 6.. So now my binding is too shallow... DOH!! So will have to see if I can order some 8mm high binding... And also you will see in the later pictures of the body, I chipped a bit of the top just above the lower horn.. Again it can be fixed. I always knew spalted wood is fragile and got to that point without any chip out so, not too bad I guess.

So here is the body.. Just need to trim the edge with a router bit that has a bottom bearing

https://i.imgur.com/LBFyd9H.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/8CCaKif.jpg

And all done.. Nice

https://i.imgur.com/vVw36dR.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/p1k8Sk7.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/T2tJ0B6.jpg

And then despite the slight issue, did the binding channel with a rabbeting bit

https://i.imgur.com/OFW1oG8.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jN4txgK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ay7mokv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Aai0lIE.jpg

Here you can see above the bottom horn where I chipped the top a bit trying to get it square in the corner with a chissel.. Bloody spalted wood

https://i.imgur.com/6Wdfkgy.jpg

And then a round over for the back

https://i.imgur.com/Mo8t4aV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/bzxFJmb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3r4JLK9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mAr7wI3.jpg

And thats all for today.. Will now need to order new binding and correct that chip out... But hey, thats what happens when you are away from this for a few years.. You forget these small little things about your tools and techniques. Its all good though, nothing that cant be fixed.. More soon then

Jazzthat · July 2021

This is going to be bloody lovely guitar . That spalted wood looks awesome too .

SteveRobinson · July 2021

Rather than deeper binding, why not add two strips of 1mm binding below w/b/w or b/w/b?

Rabs · July 2021

SteveRobinson said:

Rather than deeper binding, why not add two strips of 1mm binding below w/b/w or b/w/b?

I was thinking something like that actually.... And I just went and looked.. No such thing as 8mm deep binding.. Lol.. So I will have to get creative with it.. Which actually is not an issue.. Should look cool.

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New Build Day.. London Plane DC

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