Portland Guitar Co.

( 231 ) 3-May-2013

To create the cub I use a cartoon and punch little holes along the outline. This is how Michelangelo did the Cysteine Chapel.

( 232 ) 3-May-2013

I fill n the outline and then use my Dremel tool to route out everything that makes up the cub.

( 233 ) 3-May-2013

Then I fill the channels with a wood mastic.

( 234 ) 3-May-2013

After sanding the surface smooth I made the Baobab tree from a veneer.

( 235 ) 3-May-2013

Then a bit of color magic, embossing and detail work and the contra-rosette is ready.

( 236 ) 3-May-2013

A view through the sound hole.

( 237 ) 3-May-2013

And in the context of the body.

( 238 ) 3-May-2013

Here I am removing the cutaway section of the back plate.

( 239 ) 3-May-2013

I use the go-box to attach the contra-rosette to the back.

( 240 ) 3-May-2013

Here I have mounted the sides in its form and bolted down the top flange.

( 241 ) 3-May-2013

After turning the form over I apply a layer of glue to the kerfing shelf.

( 242 ) 3-May-2013

I work until there is an even layer of glue.

( 243 ) 3-May-2013

Then the back gets positioned on the rim and the bottom flange is bolted down pressing the back into place.

( 244 ) 3-May-2013

Turning the form over I clean up the glue that has been pressed out.

( 245 ) 3-May-2013

I let the assembly set up over night and then remove it from the form.

( 246 ) 3-May-2013

I mount the guitar body in my body vice and start using a router to remove the overhang.

( 247 ) 3-May-2013

I have to work carefully to make the bottom is flush with the sides.

( 248 ) 3-May-2013

A look at the cutaway section... looks like a lion's claw.

( 249 ) 3-May-2013

I return the body to its form and apply a layer of glue to the top shelf.

( 250 ) 3-May-2013

I carefully aligning the top on the rim. The fiducial buttons assure that the top and back are aligned properly.

( 251 ) 3-May-2013

Then the top flange is bolted down pressing the top into place.

( 252 ) 3-May-2013

The next morning the body comes out of the form.

( 253 ) 3-May-2013

I use the small router to first create the heel channel wings.

( 254 ) 3-May-2013

These small extensions help hide the seams between the neck and the body.

( 255 ) 3-May-2013

I continue routing off the overhang on the top.

( 256 ) 3-May-2013

Here I am drilling out the neck attachment bolt.

( 257 ) 3-May-2013

I use this template to guide a router to cut out the fretboard cantilever support block.

( 258 ) 3-May-2013

I use a big router to create the channel.

( 259 ) 3-May-2013

Here is a look at the finished channel.

( 260 ) 3-May-2013

To reinforce the channel wings I create a fillet with epoxy paste.

( 261 ) 3-May-2013

A nice 1/8 inch radius fillet.

( 262 ) 3-May-2013

And finally a few views of the assembled body.

( 263 ) 3-May-2013

A dramatic and beautiful back.

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