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"How do they DO it?!"

About 6 months and 5 builds into my CBG obsession, I've been making very good progress, especially considering that I did not come from a technical or mechanically-inclined background. Plus, I've met some very helpful and fascinating people since I've joined with CBNation.

That being said, when I look at the photos of other peoples' build here, and see just how bloody gorgeous they are, I want to pull my hair out.

In fact, I feel just like Robert Crumb in this comic strip he did about his hero Harvey Kurtzman, the cartoonist and founding editor of MAD...

I sincerely hope I'm not alone in this.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on December 23, 2010 at 2:20am

Definitely, some good pratical advice being thrown around here. Oddly enough, on TV this morning they were talking about keeping positive during long term projects. Personally, I have found trying not to get too "idealistic" is key. Usually our expectation can't live up to the reality of the world. Try to foster an attitude of equanimity in all your endeavors and you can proceed freely. Get stuck in extremes and your trapped. Enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on December 23, 2010 at 3:51am

Indeed, some sage advice going on in this thread. Although I yearn to know more about these jigs for F- holes that people are talking about... I've been drawing them out on my boxes and carving them with a jab saw, a drill, and a Dremel. Can anyone shed some light on these jigs?

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on December 23, 2010 at 4:00am

Also, i will say this: it may appear as if I don't believe in myself enough, but I'm cognizant enough to know that I've made some leaps and bounds in progress over six months, considering that before I took up this hobby, I had never built anything, with tools or my hands, since grade 8 Technical Education class... :-)

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Permalink Reply by colin mcgrath on December 23, 2010 at 4:41am

My boxes are all different I have never thought of a jig for sound holes. It seems one would have to have all the same boxes or different size jigs. But I use a pencil, drill, xacto knife and dremel in that order too. One thing I have done is draw the shape out first and then copy it to cardboard for a template. Or you could drill circles and install the rings like others do.

Scotty C. said:

Indeed, some sage advice going on in this thread. Although I yearn to know more about these jigs for F- holes that people are talking about... I've been drawing them out on my boxes and carving them with a jab saw, a drill, and a Dremel. Can anyone shed some light on these jigs?

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on December 23, 2010 at 5:26am

Jig Shmig, these are hand made old world simple instruments, don't fret (lol) over them and enjoy the building process so you can get to the playing of it. Keep building on your experience from each one and go from there. (just kidding about the jigs, if your building lots of them for whatever reason jigs do speed things up).

colin mcgrath said:

My boxes are all different I have never thought of a jig for sound holes. It seems one would have to have all the same boxes or different size jigs. But I use a pencil, drill, xacto knife and dremel in that order too. One thing I have done is draw the shape out first and then copy it to cardboard for a template. Or you could drill circles and install the rings like others do.

Scotty C. said:

Indeed, some sage advice going on in this thread. Although I yearn to know more about these jigs for F- holes that people are talking about... I've been drawing them out on my boxes and carving them with a jab saw, a drill, and a Dremel. Can anyone shed some light on these jigs?

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on December 23, 2010 at 5:29am

The way I've been doing it was to print out the f-hole shape on thick paper stock and take an Xacto to it, leaving a hole in the sheet. Then I tape the sheet onto the box and shade-in the space with a pencil. Then, like Colin, it's drill, jab saw, dremel, sandpaper.

colin mcgrath said:

My boxes are all different I have never thought of a jig for sound holes. It seems one would have to have all the same boxes or different size jigs. But I use a pencil, drill, xacto knife and dremel in that order too. One thing I have done is draw the shape out first and then copy it to cardboard for a template. Or you could drill circles and install the rings like others do.

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on December 23, 2010 at 5:48am

Scotty, I do the same thing ( I hand draw it onto paper ) trace the edge onto the box then drill the end holes, I save the stencil for future builds if i like the shape, then I cut it out with an electric sabre saw with a fine narrow blade. It makes a nice smooth cut and if you don't go outside the lines there is almost no sanding needed. Sharp drill bits and saw blades make for less sanding, tip of the day.

Scotty C. said:

The way I've been doing it was to print out the f-hole shape on thick paper stock and take an Xacto to it, leaving a hole in the sheet. Then I tape the sheet onto the box and shade-in the space with a pencil. Then, like Colin, it's drill, jab saw, dremel, sandpaper.

colin mcgrath said:

My boxes are all different I have never thought of a jig for sound holes. It seems one would have to have all the same boxes or different size jigs. But I use a pencil, drill, xacto knife and dremel in that order too. One thing I have done is draw the shape out first and then copy it to cardboard for a template. Or you could drill circles and install the rings like others do.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on December 23, 2010 at 7:25am

Hey Scotty,

You already alluded to it, but I was going to point out how hard it is from your perspective to see how far you have already come. I have watched your posts from the very beginning, and noted your questions as you progressed. You have done well, just keep yearning and learning, it will come.

Many of your questions have in fact given me ideas for things I would like to present ideas and tips on, and if I ever get caught up I hope to do some of that!

On the template thing, I would suggest you could get ideas from mainstream woodworking sources. Stuff like Woodcraft router handbooks. and there are many online sources for these ideas as well. Just scale the techniques and tools down a bit and you should get some ideas.

Happy holidays!

Mark

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on December 23, 2010 at 7:30am

Before I shuffle off for holiday-related stuff, I just want to thank all of you for your suggestions, kind comments, and encouragement. It's nice to have such a helpful community for this hobby. Happy holidays to you all!

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on December 23, 2010 at 7:50am

Hey Scotty
we are all in this together so it's always good to help each other out when possible - for the short while you have been building you have com a long way as you said the lat time you did anything like this was back at school i think you aught to give yourself a good pat on the back for what you have achived to date

if you want to know a little more about jigs check out this album i added some info on the working out of jigs and Cutters along with Router Guid bushings - if you want to use jigs you will need a Router or a Router Base for the Dremel you already have - a Dremel router base comes with guid bushes

router jigs

hope you have a good holiday mate and 2011 enjoy

juju.

Scotty C. said:

Before I shuffle off for holiday-related stuff, I just want to thank all of you for your suggestions, kind comments, and encouragement. It's nice to have such a helpful community for this hobby. Happy holidays to you all!