Q&A | Radial Rosettes, Soundhole Binding, Pinless Bridges, and More!

In this episode of DIY Guitar Making, I answer YOUR questions!
Questions/Topics:
- Tasmanian Blackwood
- Radial rosettes
- Binding the inside of the soundhole
- Making radius dishes
- Paste wax for preventing glue from sticking to jigs
- Pinless bridges
- Box elder for guitars?
- What is your sharpening process for chisels and planes?
- Inexpensive Wenge
- Avoiding lint and dust in finish
- more on shattered saddles
- Stewmac's customer service
🔴 All episodes available at diyguitarmaking.com
🔴 Register for an 9 day Hands-On Guitar Building Workshop in Bernville, Pennsylvania: www.ericschaeferguitars.com/l...
🔴 Check out the online course "Building an OM Acoustic": www.ericschaeferguitars.com/c...
🔴 To commission an instrument from Eric: www.ericschaeferguitars.com/i...
🔴 Check out the Radial Rosette Maker Jig: www.ericschaeferguitars.com/t...

[@short6691]

Regarding Paul’s question about waxing the interior of a mold to promote glue release…
I build my ukuleles with a Spanish heel. The neck sides and top are all joined in the same glue up event w within the solera mold. I used turtle automotive wax on the lower corner/edge of the mold that the sides and top press against. The tite bond original glue that holds the neck to the top (Spanish heel construction) and sides to the neck, as well as the kerfing between the sides and the top have not stuck to the turtle wax. This also works great at the tail block area. The glue releases just fine from it. Note that the wax (quite pasty when first applied) was allowed to dry overnight before the big glue up event.

[@braddokuchie4175]

For soundhole binding I used a circle cutter, thickness based on inside to outside thickness, on a solid piece of stock, such as claro walnut.

[@tonys2615]

Eric, to answer your question on sharpening. I sharpen by hand using water stones and diamond plates ranging from 150 to 8000 grit, and finish with a leather strop. I rarely need to use the rough grades and tend to sharpen before they get bad. I also strop often to reduce the need for full sharpening. On another note; I am finishing up two Dreadnoughts. One is Koa and one is EI Rosewood. Thank you for your content! I have learned a lot from your videos.

[@docjoe1]

I use the scary sharp system for my plane blades and chisels. It's based on using a glass plate and 3M very fine abrasives. I was turned onto it by Crimson Guitars and it is a method that works for me and is very easily reproducible!

[@dalgguitars]

Doc joe. Ace hardware $17. Minwax. I got mine 16 years ago still have more than half. I use it on all my shop tool beds, drill press, table saw, jointer, spindle sander, disk sander etc.

[@walterrider9600]

thank you Eric

[@Rileyinfo9]

If I need to regrind the edge, due to deformation or something, I take it to my bench grinder and lightly grind it, while frequently dipping in water, and give it a light hollow grind. I then move to diamond and japanese water stones and hone by hand. This gets to a near mirror finish on the shoulder and edge, then finish on a barber's strop. Generally I touch up on the barber's strop when needed or the stones unless I damage the edge or the hollow grind it totally gone.

[@jonahguitarguy]

I sharpen with glass ceramic water stones and then use a strop to finish. My strop is an old leather belt with some compound on it. I don't like the pin-less bridge concept. I've had to fix a couple of them. But I've fixed plenty of pin bridges as well. Pins just make more sense to me. As far as waxing a guitar mold. What could it hurt? Sure you can be more careful with the glue but just in case.

[@davidharris7431]

I use sandpaper on a slab , with a cheap angle clamp . You just have to do it lots , then you get proficient at it . Great video as usual Eric . Peace ✌

[@davidharris7431]

Next , build a 12 string , so we can pick your brains along the way . Peace ✌