Portland Guitar Co.

( 27 ) 20-May-2013

In this picture I have laid the binding strips on the heating blanket.

( 28 ) 20-May-2013

I button up the heating assembly.

( 29 ) 20-May-2013

And the binding strips go into the bending machine.

( 30 ) 20-May-2013

The cover comes off to help them dry and set.

( 31 ) 20-May-2013

I won't need these for a while so I store them in a form rack. I have another set of binding for another guitar in the rack already.

( 32 ) 20-May-2013

I have prefabricated the kerfing, but I like to put a bevel on the top to make them look finished.

( 33 ) 20-May-2013

( 34 ) 20-May-2013

I am going to shape the kerfing in the bending machine.

( 35 ) 20-May-2013

The bent kerfing being dried out.

( 36 ) 20-May-2013

Here I am marking out the shape of the side on the bent piece of walnut.

( 37 ) 20-May-2013

And I use my bandsaw to trim the sides to shape.

( 38 ) 20-May-2013

I like to clean up the interior surface of the sides before I glue on the kerfing.

( 39 ) 20-May-2013

The side goes into the form, and I mask off the area where the heel block will go.

( 40 ) 20-May-2013

A bit of glue goes on the kerfing.

( 41 ) 20-May-2013

And I start to glue in the bindings.

( 42 ) 20-May-2013

I have lots of clamps.

( 43 ) 20-May-2013

A clean up the glue squeezout.

( 44 ) 20-May-2013

And blow the kerfing clean.

( 45 ) 20-May-2013

The other edge gets the same treatment. ... did I say I have lots of clamps.

( 46 ) 20-May-2013

Oh yea, lots of clamps.

( 47 ) 20-May-2013

After the glue sets up overnight the side piece comes out of the form.

( 49 ) 20-May-2013

And the band saw trims of the over hang.

( 50 ) 20-May-2013

Just to make the inside of the guitar look nice, I like to clean up the surface of the kerfing with a pneumatic sanding sleeve.

( 51 ) 20-May-2013

The front of the heel block need to conform to the shape of the sides. To guide me I use a special fixture and template.

( 52 ) 20-May-2013

The template has the same shape as the front of the sides.

( 53 ) 20-May-2013

I need to cut away the kerfing where the heel block will go. I use two small sticks to mark the edge of the heel block.

( 54 ) 20-May-2013

When I remove the heel block I can cut on the inside edge of the sticks.

( 55 ) 20-May-2013

With a little care, a perfectish cut.

( 56 ) 20-May-2013

The heel block drops right in.

( 57 ) 20-May-2013

A bit of glue on the heel block.

( 58 ) 20-May-2013

And a few clamps press it into the sides.

( 59 ) 20-May-2013

And a little cleanup before the squeezout sets.

( 60 ) 20-May-2013

For the tail graft I am laminating a vertical piece of mahogany to back it crack resistant, should you drop it on its strap button.

( 61 ) 20-May-2013

I use the same technique with the sticks to locate the tail graft.

( 62 ) 20-May-2013

And I put a bevel on the tail graft to match the kerfing.

( 63 ) 20-May-2013

( 64 ) 20-May-2013

And a few more clamps press it into the sides.

( 65 ) 20-May-2013

The form gets put aside for the night.

( 66 ) 20-May-2013

In the morning the assembled rim comes out of the form.