One For The Woodworkers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fred Railsback on December 6, 2011 at 9:40am

Tim,

I am very new to CBG's.  The only construction design I know is through the body.  It's alot to ask, but do you have any pictures of the methods you are talking about?

Permalink Reply by Ellwood T. Bear on December 6, 2011 at 12:24pm

Yes you can rip the Oak to any size you want. You can buy 1 1/2 wide oak in 4, 8 12 16 foot lengths.  Download the various plans from CBN http://www.cigarboxnation.com/page/free-plans , and How to articles http://www.cbgitty.com/?cat=3 , and download this PDF file http://joshuagayou.com/downloads/AdvancedCigarBoxGuitarConstruction... .

Permalink Reply by Tim Gale on December 6, 2011 at 3:18pm

In the "free plans" section, there are some old plans from Popular Mechanics (I think) that describe how to make a violin, guitar and mandolin.  They all use bolt on necks.  I made a mandlin with a bolt on neck in the pics below.

The bolt through the bottom allows me to counteract the tension the strings create while still allowing the box to be opened.  You could glue the box shut and it would probably do the same.  I am currently building a resonator cbg that I have a bolt on neck similar to this.  The box is glued shut, so I did not put the bolt in.  I do not have it strung up right now because I am working on the pickup setup.  When I did have it strung up, it held up to the tension very well.  If you don't use the tension bolt, I would dfinitely make sure all the joints on the box are glued very well.  Maybe even glue extra pieces of wood in the corners to add strength as well as cross braces in the top.  I have some pics on my page of a guitar I built where I put a square, steel tube inside the box then glued a threaded rod into the neck.  This threaded rod passed through the tube where I was able to put a nut on it and tighten it for tension.  Worked great, but I think I might just stick to the design above.  Hope this helps

Tim

 

 

Fred Railsback said:

Tim,

I am very new to CBG's.  The only construction design I know is through the body.  It's alot to ask, but do you have any pictures of the methods you are talking about?

 

 

Permalink Reply by Fred Railsback on December 9, 2011 at 9:28am

Hey Tim,

There's a new Menards about 70 miles from me where just yesterday I found "Hardwood Heaven".  They have it all just as you described.  I bought some oak and maple in 1x2x6.  Just had to do a little searching for the straightest pieces.

Thanks for mentioning Menards, it will be a huge help.  BTW, I am familiar with the Princeton area, I taught in their  high school for a while about 35 years ago.

Tim Gale said:

When I lived in Illinois (Princeton area) I could get all kinds of wood from Menards.  Oak, mahogany, walnut, maple, etc. I have never found a wood selection like that anywhere.  Where I live now in Alaska, Lowes had all the wood I needed in oak and maple for necks and finger boards.  Lowes just closed and Home Depot doesn't carry the 1/4" stock. 

 I think the suggestion above about laminating two pieces together would also help with any tendancy to warp.  I've done laminate necks on some of my guitars and you end up with an incredibly strong neck.

Permalink Reply by William McCauley on December 9, 2011 at 12:49pm

Good for you, now we need a store like that in eastern Pa.

Fred Railsback said:

Hey Tim,

There's a new Menards about 70 miles from me where just yesterday I found "Hardwood Heaven".  They have it all just as you described.  I bought some oak and maple in 1x2x6.  Just had to do a little searching for the straightest pieces.

Thanks for mentioning Menards, it will be a huge help.  BTW, I am familiar with the Princeton area, I taught in their  high school for a while about 35 years ago.

Tim Gale said:

When I lived in Illinois (Princeton area) I could get all kinds of wood from Menards.  Oak, mahogany, walnut, maple, etc. I have never found a wood selection like that anywhere.  Where I live now in Alaska, Lowes had all the wood I needed in oak and maple for necks and finger boards.  Lowes just closed and Home Depot doesn't carry the 1/4" stock. 

 I think the suggestion above about laminating two pieces together would also help with any tendancy to warp.  I've done laminate necks on some of my guitars and you end up with an incredibly strong neck.

Permalink Reply by Tim Gale on December 9, 2011 at 2:12pm

I grew up in Tiskilwa.  Glad you could find a Menards.  Wish we had one in Alaska.  Very difficult to find hardwoods up here other than oak and maple.

Fred Railsback said:

Hey Tim,

There's a new Menards about 70 miles from me where just yesterday I found "Hardwood Heaven".  They have it all just as you described.  I bought some oak and maple in 1x2x6.  Just had to do a little searching for the straightest pieces.

Thanks for mentioning Menards, it will be a huge help.  BTW, I am familiar with the Princeton area, I taught in their  high school for a while about 35 years ago.

Tim Gale said:

When I lived in Illinois (Princeton area) I could get all kinds of wood from Menards.  Oak, mahogany, walnut, maple, etc. I have never found a wood selection like that anywhere.  Where I live now in Alaska, Lowes had all the wood I needed in oak and maple for necks and finger boards.  Lowes just closed and Home Depot doesn't carry the 1/4" stock. 

 I think the suggestion above about laminating two pieces together would also help with any tendancy to warp.  I've done laminate necks on some of my guitars and you end up with an incredibly strong neck.

Permalink Reply by Tim Gale on December 9, 2011 at 2:18pm

Alot of flooring stores sell solid hardwood flooring.  Not the laminate, but actual wood.  Sometimes they get a damaged box that they will sell cheap.  Also check craigslist for people selling there leftover flooring.  I haven't gone this route yet, because you usually have to buy a full box.  However, you can often get some different hardwoods then can be gotten off the shelf.

Permalink Reply by Jim burt on December 14, 2011 at 6:29am

Most all woods in HD and Lowe's are kiln dried.. Because it faster...Time is money...

Permalink Reply by Randy S. Bretz on December 14, 2011 at 6:59am

http://www.rockler.com/c/lumber-sold-in-pre-cut-lengths.cfm      Rockler carries a fine assortment of pre- cut exotic`s and domestic woods. Their prices are resonable and they send it right to your door.  Alot of builders by their fretboard material from them. Their nice because they come in 1/8" and 1/4" and 1 1/2" wide, prefect for a 1x2 cgb neck. They also carry thicker stock for necks if you would want to get that pre-cut wood also. But i`ve learned over the years that if your using an oak neck without a truss rod or inner neck support to use an exotic wood for the fretboard. It helps in supporting the neck from bowing and looks killer !!

Permalink Reply by Wiley Rutledge on December 17, 2011 at 11:24am

A poplar neck with walnut fretboard would probably be strong enough and look nice. You can order thin stuff from Woodcraft or several other online shopswith minimal shipping costs. Lowe's can special order oak without added shipping costss. HH probsbly can also and I know they carry maple too. You may be able to order online to be shipped to store with no upcharge.

Permalink Reply by Jim Olean (JimO) on December 26, 2011 at 11:31am

Fred, if you have the milling capabilities, like a jointer and planer, you should try and find a source of un finished wood. You can get allot of yield out of a stick of 5/4.  Oak seems to warp, de-stress, more than other woods.  Whatever you buy it would be good to acclimate the wood to your environment before and after you rip it, slightly oversize, in case it de-stresses and you need to straighten it again.  Temperature effects raw wood allot. If your shop is un heated at night etc. you might want to paint the end grain of all your raw wood with paraffin the keep it from checking. Hope this sheds some light.

Permalink Reply by Chris Thomas on January 2, 2012 at 12:53pm

Hi Fred, I live in the good old UK and we have some real lousy weather and wood moves day to day depending on the conditions, winters wet and windy, summers hot wet and anything that the gods throw at us and a well seasoned oak should be six years air dried or terminal kiln dried to be fine. I don't have that problem as I have the cheek to go to joiners shops, furniture manufacturers, shop fitters etc cap in hand as we say and very politely ask to see the man in charge and ask if they can spare any off cuts. You might get a real bargain price, or sweep the floor as payment or as I have always done, come away with a wood yard of exotic wood in the back of the car and done the return visit to pick up the rest and on one occasion an invite to the office party! Talk to people, ask politely and once they get the swing of things you will start getting short of space to store the bloody stuff. Honest mate ask around and someone knows someone who has more than you can cope with then who gives a bugger if it warps or bends or does the twist. More wood than I can cope with, shame you don't live next door. Let me know when your cursing me and can't give it away, won't be long mate. Chris. :) Theirs nothing nicer than nice people, went down memory road and never came back. :)

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