Posted on July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Dale Phillips Novice Notes Novice Notes by Donald Curry Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Newsletter Vol. 4, #4, 1976 Tools are a prerequisite to any art or craft and so it is important for the beginner to have a thorough knowledge of tools and their proper applications before purchasing the first one. The quality and types of tools available to the luthier will have a direct effect on not only the finished product but also on the ease with which the work progresses. It is for these reasons that the amateur or novice luthier should have thorough knowledge of the tools utilized by the craft before beginning the work. It is also a good idea to know exactly what type instruments (violin, guitar, etc.) you wish to construct before you purchase tools. This will enable you to buy only those you specifically need avoiding the purchase of non-essential and duplicative tools. Tools of the luthier may be divided into three broad categories: (1) General woodworking tools; those tools used by all types of woodworkers such as carvers, cabinet makers, joiners, etc. (2) Special tools manufactured specifically for building or repairing one type or another musical instrument. (3) Special tools the luthier must either modify or adapt from an existing tool or fabricate from scratch. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Dale Phillips Novice Notes Novice Notes by Donald Curry Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Newsletter Vol. 4, #3, 1976 After having read my first two issues of the “Quarterly” and the G.A.L. Internal Affairs bulletin no. 2, I feel there is a need for more positive material and less criticism of everything and everybody. It is to this end that I hope this letter will serve. First I wish to address the problem of materials. In Vol. 4, No. 2 on page 19, Rick Boling has a poem which suggests a tree planting project. I am in full favor of such a proposal and I think all luthiers whether they be amateur or professional, beginner or master should support such a project. Without doubt a luthier depends on wood of high quality unless you are willing to accept a future populated by instruments with fiberglass bodies, aluminum necks, and made on assembly lines. Remember, trees are a renewable resource. To meet the more immediate needs of some luthiers, I would like to see a materials exchange program sponsored by the Guild. It would seem that there must be numerous professionals who have, over the years, obtained woods which for one reason or another they feel are not up to par for use in the very fine expensive instruments they make and so discard these pieces when these same woods might be perfectly satisfactory for the beginner who is still experimenting and does not want to invest in fine expensive wood. Those who have such discards, rather than letting it go to waste, could offer it for sale at reasonable prices through the Guild whereby they would be helping the beginner at no loss to themselves. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Dale Phillips Heat Pressing Necks Heat Pressing Necks by Tim Olsen Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #86, 1978 and Lutherie Woods and Steel String Guitars, 1998 Heat pressing a neck to improve the playing action is a rather simple process both in theory and practice. Basically, the procedure involves heating the neck to soften the wood resins and the fretboard-to-neck glue joint. Then the neck is held in the desired position until it is thoroughly cooled and the glue and resins are hardened again. I will assume that you know what neck shape you’re shooting for, although this is a subject of much subtlety and debate. The heat pressing setup that I used for several years consisted of one 250W Sears infrared bulb (red), a porcelain socket on a clip base, two C-clamps, several 1/4" leather pads, and the edge of my bench. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Dale Phillips Lemon Oil and Carnauba Wax Lemon Oil and Carnauba Wax by Jimmie Van Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #97, 1978 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume One, 2000 In a living tree the cell walls are saturated with water and pretty much keep their shape. After a tree is cut down and the wood is processed by air drying or kiln drying, most of the water is removed. The wood can shrink up to 20%. This wood is now like a sponge and even a finish like lacquer, varnish, or shellac only slows the rate of moisture absorption or loss. Thus, over time, the cells lose part of their ability to remain at or return to the size that you had originally intended. We see the results in swelling, shrinking, and cracking. Using pure lemon oil as a cleaner and carnauba wax as a sealer can further protect woods and slow down the changes on finished instruments. It is important to start with lemon oil that you know is pure. Most products sold as lemon oil contain considerable amounts of petroleum distillates and synthetics. Avoid these. You may be able to locate lemon oil through an essential oils store or a store carrying natural products (if it’s food quality, it’s probably the right stuff). First I make sure that the surface of the guitar or other wood instrument is free of old wax by using a mild wax remover. (The lemon oil will dissolve previous coats of carnauba wax.) I keep a soft, oil-moistened cloth in a sealable glass jar to keep it from evaporating between instruments. With this cloth I spread a coat of lemon oil over the entire instrument, letting it stand for fifteen to forty-five minutes or until most of the oil has been absorbed. Wipe any remaining oil off after this time as the wood will only take in what it needs. Pure lemon oil will not harm acetate or celluloid, but it can damage styrene. This can be a problem on some cheap instruments. Although pure lemon oil does not harm most finishes, I recommend caution, especially around stains. Lemon oil is also good for removing rosin buildup on violins, cleaning strings, and bringing up the sheen of finished or unfinished mother-of-pearl. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
Posted on July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Dale Phillips Novice Notes Novice Notes by Donald Curry Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Quarterly, 5, #3, 1977 Editor’s Note: This column marks the last of the regular “Novice Notes” series which has run in the GALQ for a full year now. Mr. Curry assures us that he will continue to follow the Guild’s activities with interest, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him most warmly for the excellent and reliable manner in which he has presented this informative series. This final step in the making of an instrument is the finish, which includes preparation of the wood, applying the finishing material, and the final polishing. This subject probably has more diversity than any other in lutherie. Every luthier and every book on the subject differ as to how to produce a proper finish. Many different methods have proved equally successful and for this reason I will not go through a specific procedure but comment on some important aspects often overlooked. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
