Install the waist clamp from the backside of the guitar. (Later,
after the top’s installed, you’ll switch the waist clamp to the
top side). When sliding the waist clamp on, hold the guitar
sides tight against the cardboard form to avoid cracking the
sides. If the fit is too tight, remove small amounts from each
side of the U-shape until the waist clamp slides snugly onto
the waist, but not so tightly that it’s hard to remove.
page 4
The two pieces of heavyweight cardboard supplied with the
kit are for creating a guitarmaking form to support the body
during the early stages of building.
Using the paper pattern, cut two matching pieces in the
shape of the guitar body. Cut carefully on the lines of the pat-
tern, leaving no extra cardboard outside the lines.
Build the cardboard form inside the guitar body. First, place
two scraps of 3/4" plywood onto the work surface inside the
guitar. This will lift the cardboard form up to make room for
the kerfed linings, which will be installed later. Lay the first
cardboard piece onto the 3/4" plywood inside the guitar
body.
Next, glue several 3/4" thick blocks of scrap wood onto the
cardboard, and then glue the second piece of cardboard
onto them. Now the two cardboard forms are fastened
together with blocks of wood between them, creating a
three-dimensional form for supporting the guitar sides
(2)
.
Now use the paper pattern to make the U-shaped “waist
clamp” from 3/4" plywood. The purpose of the waist clamp is
to hold the guitar’s waist tight to the inner cardboard mold,
maintaining a constant shape until the back is glued on.
Use a file to smoothly round the two inner edges of the waist
clamp. Square edges wouldn’t slide over the tight curve of
the guitar sides at the waist, and they could crack the wood.
With Titebond glue, and clothespins as clamps, install the
kerfing on the top and back. The kerfing should start at the
inner edge of the neck block and run to the inner edge of the
tail block. Leave the kerfing raised slightly, approximately
1/64", above the side’s edges, both top and back
(3)
. This
guarantees that the kerfing will be flush with the top edge of
the sides after sanding (as described next), and makes up for
any possible misalignment during gluing. In guitar building
it’s safest to err slightly on the high side — you can always
remove wood, but it’s hard to put it back! Let the glue dry at
least 4 hours.
Installing the kerfed lining (“kerfing”)
2.
The two cardboard forms are fastened together with blocks of
wood between them, creating a three-dimensional form for sup-
porting the guitar sides.
Making the inner-body form and waist clamp
3.
The kerfing is installed with 1/64" exposure above the side's
edges.
