Making Patterns for an Access Panel

by Lloyd Marsden

Originally published in American Lutherie #80, 2004 and Big Red Book of American Lutherie Volume Seven, 2015



The article by Larry Mills and Chris Jenkins on access panels (Al#76, pg 52) was a valuable explanation. I was beginning a new series of guitars and decided to try the system on one that will receive electronics.

After thinking about Mills and Jenkins’ method for some time, I wanted to alter two aspects. The first was the initial patterns for the door and its opening. Not being the greatest at fitting things by bandsaw and sanding, I wanted to find a way to make the patterns so they would automatically fit together. The second was a picky desire to keep the side material continuous. I wanted the door to be veneered with the side material and be replaced so that the grain would remain continuous.