There are many adequate domestic woods to serve as finger/fret boards, as I mentioned in the previous post. Hard & long wearing, but maybe not the right color. Vacuum dyeing is an option, and any color could be used, royal blue or fire engine red..? I’m interested, but haven’t committed or invested in those capabilities.Continue reading “Persimmon 2”
Tag Archives: Woodwork
Persimmon 1
When I began making guitars about ten years ago, besides being very enthusiastic about it all, I was trying to figure out which local woods would work as replacements for traditionally used tropical woods. For most of the material used in guitars, i.e the back, sides, neck, bracing and soundboard, domestic woods work well, thinkContinue reading “Persimmon 1”
February 9, 2025
I haven’t worked on the banjos since my last post, but have made good progress on two guitars. One a ‘Plectrum’ guitar and the other a Weissenborn acoustic lap steel. Both made from Myrtlewood and Port Orford Cedar. I’ve written about ‘laminated’ sides or ribs in a previous post, they’re stronger and the idea isContinue reading “February 9, 2025”
December 2024
I’m back in my shop and starting to get into a bit of a rhythm there. It was a busy farm season even though there wasn’t much soft fruit due to a January freeze (-10F). Garden vegetables, apples and various other fruits, nuts and honey carried us through the market season. I’m enjoying the WinterContinue reading “December 2024”
Banjo Making 5 – May 2024
It’s been a while I know.. busy on the farm. After the rims are turned and trued up it’s time to veneer the outside and inside. I’ve experimented with regular veneer, which is pretty thin (about 1/24″, or 0.024″, or 0.6 mm) which is a standard thickness, and found it to be too thin. It’sContinue reading “Banjo Making 5 – May 2024”
Banjo Adventures – 4
After the ‘barrels’ are cut they’re ready to turn on the lathe. My current method is to use 3/4″ plywood screwed to a lathe faceplate, using two pieces of plywood is probably a better way, more stable. I center the barrel on the plywood and drill four holes (or more) through the ply into theContinue reading “Banjo Adventures – 4”
New Guitars – March 2023
It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I will try to do better.. I’ve recently finished three Koa Weissenborn type guitars. Two are all Koa, the top, back and sides, the third has Koa back and sides with a Red Cedar top. Almost all my work is with local/domestic woods, but I went exoticContinue reading “New Guitars – March 2023”
# 11
When I make guitars, I usually make at least two at a time. It doesn’t take twice as long, maybe half as long again as making two separately. I don’t have any inclinations to become a factory, but more then one at a time seems to work well for me. In 2018 I made four,Continue reading “# 11”
Hampel Guitars 