Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Hello there, the router table is self built in that I bought a flat pack cupboard and installed the bench top- I have a bunch of mobile bases in my garage. The router table tends to be the main free working bench. The router table insert is from Carbatec.

Hello all, I am one of those lurkers that reads lots and gets ideas but doesn't post much. I have recently completed a radius sanding block jig simply because I couldn't stomach spending the money on some radii I didn't have. I have now made all that I need and thus won't likely use to jig again for...

Hello all, I hope you don't mind me adding another set of lapsteel pics. The owner of this one asked if I had shared it and what people thought and I thought I had shared this but I have realised I only put it on my facebook page so here it is. Solid tasmanian blackwood with a chambered body, flamed...

Here is the brilliant bottle opener. Let the buyer beware (as I wasn't) it was made of hardened stainless steel. I started trying to dill holes for mounting screws and failed, ended up taking to the machinist who did the bridge and he did it - had to buy a set of fancy bits to do the job though whic...

Just wanted to make sure that everyone knows this guitar did finally make it to it's new owner. Not sure how many Auspost workers had a play while it was missing but it arrived safely in the end.

Thanks Greg, I'll have to see where I stored the process pics. The P90 in this is one I had in the parts drawer so I'm not entirely sure what brand it was. I had been getting some good but affordable things from a UK ebay seller. I tend now to lean more towards the likes of Mick Brierlys gear simply...

Another lapsteel I completed recently. Solid Tasmanian Blackheart Sassafras with an Indian Rosewood fretboard, maple inlayed fretmarkers, sassafra blockish inlays. Single P90 and just the volume control. Finished in Tru-Oil. I bought this piece of wood years back thinking it would make a nice drop t...

Thankyou for the input Peter, I have put 10-36 gauge D'Addario strings on her but I'll change that ASAP. The gentleman who owns the instrument has seen it and is very pleased with the condition I have put her back in despite the warp and will likely just leave it as is. Many thanks.

Hello all, A client asked if I could fix a little old mandolin he found in an antique store. It's an old italian bowl back made in Sicily. It came with missing pearl inlays, a loose top brace and dry, cracked fingerboard with a significant warp in the sound hole. I happily took it as the brace repai...

No explanation other than it was incorrectly scanned as delivered. Doesn't explain where it sat for nearly a month and why such a massive parcel would go unnoticed. I wouldn't be surprised if something dodgy went on and they've just covered it up. Either way I am relieved and the owner is very happy...

Good news, guitar has been located and delivered safely. New owner is very pleased and we're both very relieved. Auspost is unfortunately no longer on my Christmas card list.

Still waiting- I've sent more faxes to the CEO of Customer Experience for auspost.....my experience has been one of feeling ignored and wasting my time perhaps Mr Geoff Sutherland isn't doing his job either. On the other hand I made another online complaint and listed all the emails I'd sent that ha...

No luck yet.... In fact the plot thickens. It was marked as delivered on Monday and no they didnt actially deliver it to the new owner at all. After emailing without any response i rang to be told even thought the address was correct it's been likely sent to some business....of course now it's marke...

I've got the complaint form ready to go- will present it tomorrow. It makes sense that presented with the possibility of having to pay me money they'll work harder to find it so I'll do that ASAP. Thanking all for sharing stories, makes me feel a little more hopeful about the whole drama.

Thanks Martin. I'm very fortunate that the customer is being exceedingly patient and very understanding about the whole debarcle. Will just have to use a courier service next time.

Hello all, This is just a cathartic post hopefully to garner some advice and perhaps be of some help. I recently completed a custom 10 string lapsteel for a Melbourne musician. I was very pleased with the final result and sent it off to the new owner on Tuesday 26th August expecting it to arrive by ...

Hello all, I know mainly acoustic instruments appear here but I thought I'd share my latest completed instrument, a custom 10 string electric lapsteel guitar in the style of a National New Yorker. The brief was to create a travel capable instrument for a pedal steel player that he could easily cart ...

Thanks folks, I have considered mirotone and even gave them a call before I bought my last batch of nitro but being unfamiliar with what pre-catalysed lacquer was I just gave it a miss. I think my head is a bit stuck in the vintage romance of nitro lacquer but also have used some regular acryllic on...

Happy to stand corrected by Perry re: glue joint. Guess you can do either and all will be good.

Thanks for the input. I am not at all insulted by your advice. It's this sort of stuff that you miss out / don't get or perhaps just a bit slow on the uptake. I haven't changed the canisters for a while. I don't take them out and store them in an airtight container - here I think we've found my bigg...

Hello there all, I've been using nitrocellulose lacquer to finish my guitars for many years now-many years equals about 3-4 per year for the last decade or so. I've used nitro almost exclusively and really loved the results even though I only now feel like I've mastered the process and the desired d...

Pete,

Sorry, I meant to say the mortise is shallow - for a glue in, it's perfect as is for a bolt on.

Pete, I've seen the guitar. The tenon is quite shallow so I'd be a little bit concerned you wont have enough purchase/gluing surface to make a really solid glue joint. I could be wrong but it still worries me. Of course this could all be rectified by deepening the slot and adding material to the nec...

Allen,

I really love the elegant simplicity of your inlay. A lovely job once again.

Hello there, Thanks for the positive feedback. I'll search out some build photos and perhaps post a little later. In answer to your question Jim. The bridge is rosewood that I ebononised- hand carved. The finish is Durobond 851 guitar lacquer- nitrocellulose over a nitro sanding sealer. Tuners are S...