Guitarnut - Walnut & Maple, D-35 Inspired Double Cut

[Mark Crenshaw]

Well, probably the last thing I need right now is another build going but I couldn't resist once the idea popped into my head...maybe I should have.

It's going to be shaped like my 2 prototype builds except without the "hook". I'll round it out to match the top contour. I'll have a mock up posted soon.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/outline.jpg

3-peice, chambered walnut back with maple laminates...center section angled like a D-35.
Bookmatched, flame maple cap, double bound in W/B/W binding...may go with flame maple instead.
Maple neck, rosewood board, 14 degree headstock.
25.5" scale, 22 frets, hardtail bridge.
Not sure on electronics yet.

The wood pile. Walnut and maple. Ignore the alder blank...it was an early thought that I changed my mind on.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body01.jpg

I laid out the center section so the space between the maple strips at the end of the neck pocket is the same width as the pocket. This will let the maple strips run out on the end of the body with no walnut against the neck...only below it in the bottom of the pocket.

After rough cutting the center on the band saw, I cleaned it up on the jointer. I saved the scraps to use as offset gluing cauls. Dry fit looks good.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body02.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body2b.jpg

Clamped up and drying. I used a clamp across the end of the boards to keep the wedge from spurting out...quite different from the dry clamp test when slick glue is applied.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body03.jpg

I had to cut some waste off the ends to get the blank under 13" so it would go thru the planer. I didn't plan on the angle making the outside corners a bit farther apart. Trimming worked out fine though.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body04.jpg

All planed and ready for profiling and routing.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body05.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

More progress on the body. I got my routing template done...man I don't like routing and sanding MDF. I need to find a better material for templates. Some sort of affordable, workable plastic maybe. Anyway, this one's done.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body06.jpg

I usually cut my lines closer but my 1/4" blade wasn't staying in the guide blocks. Need to make a trip to Woodcraft.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body07.jpg

I made one pass with the template attached and then removed it to use the body as a guide. I like to get the template out of the works as early as possible to avoid any damage to them.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body08.jpg

All trimmed out.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body09.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body10.jpg

I looked thru 3 top sets I had in the closet. Not thrilled with any of them...probably why they were in the closet.

The one on the left has nice figure but there are a few small knots on the upper horns. The middle has nice figure on the edges but weak in the center of each half and the the one on the right is really nicely figured but has some mineral staining close to the seam. I'll likely resaw something for this build.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body11.jpg

[Mark Crenshaw]

I made some progress on the top last night. I ended up resawing a new piece of maple. It was actually a 2 piece top that was glued up for carving but wasn't bookmatched. It's now resawn into 2 thin BM sets.

Here's one of them before planing to final thickness...

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body12.jpg

And after planing and glue up.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body13.jpg

After rough cutting the outline of the top, I'm ready to glue it up. I decided not to chamber the body since the it's only weighs 4.2 lbs before the top.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body14.jpg

I've learned to hang the cauls and body over the edge of the bench while starting the first C-clamp. It makes it so much easier to wrangle everything. Once it's set, I can flip it around and set the rear C-clamp and check the center line.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body15.jpg

Clampzilla!!!

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body16.jpg

I'm pretty happy with that. I had planned to do plastic bindings in w/b/w but I may do flame maple after all. I could do a faux binding on top but the top doesn't match the lam strips of maple...the bindings are from the same stock as the lams. A little more work, but worth it.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body17.jpg

http://www.crenshawweb.com/d35/body18.jpg

Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

The heat has been a bear lately and the shop has uninhabitable so I have made any progress on finishing. I've been able to spend a few hours in the mornings working on getting all my builds ready for finish. Here's the state of things. This build and the others are ready for grain filling (as needed) and finish.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/all12.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all13.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all14.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all15.jpg
http://www.crenshawweb.com/all16.jpg

More soon.
Mark

[Dave Gaul]

Very cool Mark! Will any of these be getting any color, or all left natural?

[Mark Crenshaw]

Thanks Dave! This one will be natural but I'm planning various sunbursts and dyes for the others. I don't know if you can tell from the pics but the top of the Strat has been bleached...it's getting a finish that's a first for me. I refer to it as frost white...the wife calls it White Tiger.

202357

[Dave Gaul]

Oh wow! That is awesome! Figured maple guitars is becoming a favorite ww'ing item of mine! (to see, not to make, maybe some day!)

[Scott Conners]

Beautiful work! I really like the wood on the second one from the back, big curls!
If you use plexi for templates, you can lay it on top of wood to choose grain positioning. It makes it really easy to choose orientation and visualize what it will look like. Color the edges and 1/8" in all around on both sides with marker so you can see the template edges.