Posted on September 3, 2026September 3, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Spray Can Tongs It Worked for Me: Spray Can Tongs by Michael Turko Originally published in American Lutherie #86, 2006 Every time I would use spray adhesive on a small part, such as gluing a paper pattern onto a template, I would get sticky goo from the overspray all over my hand, wrist, and forearm. Yuck! So I looked around my shop and found a set of kitchen tongs I picked up years ago at a yard sale. Now I hold the part with the tongs when I need to spray it with adhesive. And I keep the tongs attached to the can of spray glue with a big rubber band so that when I need it, it’s right there. ◆ Photo by Michael Turko.
Posted on September 2, 2026September 2, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Danco Bend-O-Matic It Worked for Me: Danco Bend-O-Matic by Daniel Fobert Originally published in American Lutherie #90, 2007 Here are some pictures of my DANCO BEND-O-MATIC. I took on this project to advance my elementary machining skills and to get a laugh. My object was to be able to introduce a piece of fret wire into the BEND-O-MATIC, have a powered mechanism start automatically, bend the wire to a predetermined radius, and stop when the bend was complete — all without turning a crank. It was a great hit at last December’s LINT meeting (Luthier’s Interactive of North Texas) — at least as much as my one-handed 9v powered cam clamp. Everyone with a camera phone was maneuvering for a picture. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account. It Worked for Me: Danco Bend-O-Matic by Daniel Fobert Originally published in American Lutherie #90, 2007 Here are some pictures of my DANCO BEND-O-MATIC. I took on this project to advance my elementary machining skills and to get a laugh. My object was to be able to introduce a piece of fret wire into the BEND-O-MATIC, have a powered mechanism start automatically, bend the wire to a predetermined radius, and stop when the bend was complete — all without turning a crank. It was a great hit at last December’s LINT meeting (Luthier’s Interactive of North Texas) — at least as much as my one-handed 9v powered cam clamp. Everyone with a camera phone was maneuvering for a picture.
Posted on September 1, 2026September 1, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Classical Guitar Peghead It Worked for Me: Classical Guitar Peghead by George A. Smith Originally published in American Lutherie #86, 2006 To shape the end of a classical guitar peghead, a router can be used with a simple template which is screwed into the areas where the tuning-machine slots will be. But I prefer a system which gives better support so that there is less of a chance of the router wobbling and making errors. My peghead-shaping jig is made of 1/2˝ Baltic birch plywood, is larger than the guitar’s head, and uses interchangeable 1/4˝ thick templates. Before routing, the peghead’s centerline, dimensions, and side taper are established, and the end shape is traced onto the head. The neck is left rough to facilitate clamping. The shape is then bandsawn about 1.5MM outside the traced line. The jig is centered on the head and secured with two screws where the slots will be. I use a 3/8˝×2 1/4˝ long pattern bit #102-0632B from Eagle America. The bit’s bearing should run low on the pattern. Lower bit into the open area of jig and hold the router fast while turning it on. Rout the design, return the bit to the open area, and turn off the router. Do not remove the router until the bit has stopped turning. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on August 31, 2026August 31, 2026 by Dale Phillips Reducing Build Variation In Arched Plates Reducing Build Variation In Arched Plates by Mark French and Eddie Efendy Originally published in American Lutherie #101, 2010 It is generally assumed in manufacturing operations that build variation and build quality are inversely related. This can be problematic in instrument manufacture because of the natural variation in wood properties. The point of series production is to make identical products that match a blueprint or some other geometric description. For a group of instruments to be identical, they must not only have identical geometry, but should also sound the same. This is a very difficult task and there is probably not a single objective metric that describes tonal quality. However, one necessary condition is that the resonant frequencies of the instruments should be the same. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on August 31, 2026August 31, 2026 by Dale Phillips It Worked for Me: Fretboard Radiusing Jig It Worked for Me: Fretboard Radiusing Jig by James Blilie Originally published in American Lutherie #132, 2017 I have always found creating the fretboard radius a laborious process. I never liked sanding it all the way using a radiused sanding block: too slow, too much work. I wanted a way to get it close enough so that the final sanding with the radius block and the 180-grit sandpaper would complete the job quickly and without so much effort. I’ve seen several luthiers use a shaper to put the basic radius on. (I don’t have a shaper.) I used to sometimes use a plane to rough out the radius before sanding, but this method was laborious and hard to control. Dissatisfied with my previous methods, I designed and built a jig that bolts onto my 6˝×48˝ flatbed belt sander and provides the radius for the fretboard. The inner frame holds the fretboard using double-stick cloth carpet tape. This sits inside of and is bolted to an outer frame that clamps to the sander, using locating pins. (I drilled holes in the sander frame and put the pins into the wooden jig frame.) The interface between the inner frame and the outer frame is a radius. Both sides of the interface are cut from a single piece of 3/4˝ Baltic hardwood plywood (well, two pieces, one for each end; I screwed them together for cutting the radius). Take great care cutting the radius as this single bandsaw cut defines the interface. This radius is not the desired radius of your fretboard: It is the desired fretboard radius minus the distance from the interface to the sanding bed. This radius must be calculated as part of the design of the jig. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of the Articles Online featured on our website for Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. For details, visit the membership page. MEMBERS: login for access or contact us to setup your account.
