Je constate que, d'épisode en épisode, le processus de création de vos instruments ne doit absolument rien au hasard, aussi bien en ce qui concerne l'outillage que les les étapes de fabrication. C'est pour moi - au risque de me répéter - une immense source d'inspiration. Un grand merci pour cette générosité.
"I see that, from episode to episode, the process of creating your instruments owes absolutely nothing to chance, both with regard to the tools and the manufacturing stages. It is for me - at the risk of repeating myself - a huge source of inspiration. Many thanks for this generosity." Thank you very much for this! Of course things can go wrong, but it's (usually not always) better when they don't and that means trying our best to watch out for the many things that can slip out of control. You're very welcome, I'm sure! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to share my work with our group, it's really gratifying! Merci beaucoup pour cela ! Bien sûr, les choses peuvent mal tourner, mais c'est (généralement pas toujours) mieux quand ce n'est pas le cas et cela signifie faire de notre mieux pour faire attention aux nombreuses choses qui peuvent échapper à tout contrôle. De rien, j'en suis sûr ! Je ne peux pas vous dire à quel point ça me fait plaisir de partager mon travail avec notre groupe, c'est vraiment gratifiant!
I’ve been wondering about how you make your necks since I began watching this series. I never would have guessed at how it was actually done with that custom metal jig machine that you created. Everything I’ve watched here is fascinating, and Chapter 15 really is cool to see. Thanks!
These necks are something else and really inspiring. Maybe some day I'll try and dabble with carbon fiber on a lute, it seems a little less intimidating now that I've seen the whole process. What a journey this has been! Hopefully I can make a journey down to the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival and get to see one irl. Thanks Ken.
I will have guitar or two as representation at the RMAF, but sadly, life has conspired to prevent me from attending this year's event. Have fun! The one you'll be able to see on "Frankentop" is the first article, or test of this neck construction from 2005.
I have enjoyed all of the videos. Thank you so much. Did I miss a video about the lay up mold? I saw the Hammond saw video and cutting coves to bend veneer but I didn’t catch anything about the aluminum mold used in the part lay up process. I’ve searched for it but didn’t find anything
Well, somewhere I did mention that I built this mold "By Hand", using the Bridgeport mill to remove the bulk of the waste, then cleaning up with handscrapers and sandpaper glued to a 1 1/8" diameter tube, If I remember correctly. It's important for the interior mold surface to be the correct neck shape, but it needn't really be polished the way I did it, just showing off, really, because the veneer surface is not really defined by the mold so much as by the linen used to help it bend across the grain.
I do not, but the sharp young undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have been wrestling with this problem ever since the daft purchasers of Parker Guitars threw away the beautiful production tooling that we created to produce this complex spring design. Hard to figure how anyone could have thought this was a good idea! The WPI students have re-created this tooling, tested the material and crucial heat treating specifications, and are nearly ready to offer these springs for sale. Check on FlyClone.com for the full story, and also for your other potential needs regarding any Fly Guitar parts.
Je constate que, d'épisode en épisode, le processus de création de vos instruments ne doit absolument rien au hasard, aussi bien en ce qui concerne l'outillage que les les étapes de fabrication. C'est pour moi - au risque de me répéter - une immense source d'inspiration. Un grand merci pour cette générosité.
"I see that, from episode to episode, the process of creating your instruments owes absolutely nothing to chance, both with regard to the tools and the manufacturing stages. It is for me - at the risk of repeating myself - a huge source of inspiration. Many thanks for this generosity."
Thank you very much for this! Of course things can go wrong, but it's (usually not always) better when they don't and that means trying our best to watch out for the many things that can slip out of control.
You're very welcome, I'm sure!
I can't tell you how happy it makes me to share my work with our group, it's really gratifying!
Merci beaucoup pour cela ! Bien sûr, les choses peuvent mal tourner, mais c'est (généralement pas toujours) mieux quand ce n'est pas le cas et cela signifie faire de notre mieux pour faire attention aux nombreuses choses qui peuvent échapper à tout contrôle.
De rien, j'en suis sûr !
Je ne peux pas vous dire à quel point ça me fait plaisir de partager mon travail avec notre groupe, c'est vraiment gratifiant!
Nice work Ken! Amazing detail. ☮️
Thanks!
I’ve been wondering about how you make your necks since I began watching this series. I never would have guessed at how it was actually done with that custom metal jig machine that you created. Everything I’ve watched here is fascinating, and Chapter 15 really is cool to see.
Thanks!
Thanks to you, xo! Glad you're enjoying Archtoppery!
Really enjoyed these four episodes. Thanks for uploading! 👍
Glad you like them!
thanks for these 4 chapters - fascinating ride
Glad you like them!
These necks are something else and really inspiring. Maybe some day I'll try and dabble with carbon fiber on a lute, it seems a little less intimidating now that I've seen the whole process. What a journey this has been! Hopefully I can make a journey down to the Rocky Mountain Archtop Festival and get to see one irl. Thanks Ken.
I will have guitar or two as representation at the RMAF, but sadly, life has conspired to prevent me from attending this year's event. Have fun! The one you'll be able to see on "Frankentop" is the first article, or test of this neck construction from 2005.
Very interesting to see the whole process. Love the design of the neck jig- lots of clever stuff going on there.
Big fun Puzzle, thanks!
Oh man I would mess the belt sander part up so bad.
The cool part is that Ken adapted the belt sander to have a footswitch on/off button which looks like it gives you a lot more control.
This should be required for any belt sander! Works perfectly!
Well, my man, here's what you'd do, Practice, until you got the feeling then you're a hero!
I have enjoyed all of the videos. Thank you so much. Did I miss a video about the lay up mold? I saw the Hammond saw video and cutting coves to bend veneer but I didn’t catch anything about the aluminum mold used in the part lay up process. I’ve searched for it but didn’t find anything
Well, somewhere I did mention that I built this mold "By Hand", using the Bridgeport mill to remove the bulk of the waste, then cleaning up with handscrapers and sandpaper glued to a 1 1/8" diameter tube, If I remember correctly.
It's important for the interior mold surface to be the correct neck shape, but it needn't really be polished the way I did it, just showing off, really, because the veneer surface is not really defined by the mold so much as by the linen used to help it bend across the grain.
Riveting.
It sure has been for me! Thanks!
have you a 010 flat spring for parker fly?
I do not, but the sharp young undergraduates at Worcester Polytechnic Institute have been wrestling with this problem ever since the daft purchasers of Parker Guitars threw away the beautiful production tooling that we created to produce this complex spring design. Hard to figure how anyone could have thought this was a good idea!
The WPI students have re-created this tooling, tested the material and crucial heat treating specifications, and are nearly ready to offer these springs for sale.
Check on FlyClone.com for the full story, and also for your other potential needs regarding any Fly Guitar parts.