$100 Local Materials Challenge: classical guitar-Edmundo Azalde

[Edmundo Azalde]

I debated on joining this challenge since I am 0 and 2 on completing the previous challenges on time, but since the theme of this challenge is right up my alley I couldnt resist. I plan on building a classical guitar. With the exception of the top and the fingerboard all of the woods used were salvaged by me, within a 30 mile radius.

back and sides: Carob (Ceratonia Siliqua)
top: red cedar cosmetically challenged $5.00
neck: douglas fir (recycled old growth)
linings: Monterey Cypress
bridge: Almond
Head and Bindings : claro walnut
Fingerboard: tbd
bracing: redwood fans and doug fir bars

[Edmundo Azalde]

I don't seem able to post any pictures. I keep getting a message about the board attachment quota being reached.

[Jim McConkey]

There is a temporary Forum-wide problem preventing anyone from uploading images. Please be patient. It should be fixed soon.

[Jim McConkey]

The image problem has been fixed now, Edmundo. Please try again.

[Edmundo Azalde]

Thanks Jim
I always assume that I am doing something wrong. You never know with software.
I managed to mill some of my wood. I made the head and bridge and also ripped some bindings.

[Edmundo Azalde]

The Carob tree that I got the wood from was cut down by my neighbor across the street about six years ago. It was growing in the strip between the sidewalk and the road. It was small 12" in diameter at the most, which dictates that my back will be 4 pieces. I wanted to make the inner two pieces narrower than the outer two but as can be seen by the template I barely make it with equally sized wedges.

[Edmundo Azalde]

I jointed and glued the inner pieces first. I inserted a walnut spacer between the joints. I repeated the process for the outer two pieces.

[Edmundo Azalde]

Here is the completed back plate after cutting and cleaning up.

[Tristan Williams]

Wow, I'm loving the way that back plate worked out! Great stuff

[Thomas Dooher]

I love the look of that wood. Really different!

[Patrick DeGreve]

Very nice start. I like the walnut strips between the panels, and the way they taper to the top. I think this is going to look very interesting.

[Edmundo Azalde]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. The Carob is a visually striking wood, it has tan hues and some bright red streaks that makes it look like it's bleeding . The taper to the back pieces is something that has been done throughout the history of the guitar when multiple piece backs were being used. It seems to have been very prevalent in 19th century Spain. I seem to be drawn to the guitars of that period.
I havent been able to work on the project much recently. I got a nasty flu that set me back a week or so. But before that I was able to complete a soundboard. Unfortunately it snapped on me while I flexed it, it must have had a defect because I didn't really flex it that much. So I got it into my head to make the rosette of the new soundboard with all native California woods. So I jointed and glued the new soundboard and milled some veneers for the rosette.

[Edmundo Azalde]

I made the inner mosaic ring out of Claro walnut and Monterey cypress. and inlaid them on the soundboard

[Edmundo Azalde]

The inner/outer ring is a diamond mosaic of Redwood and Douglas fir. The lines are Claro Walnut and Madrone. I sawed my veneers and then thicknessed them by pull scraping them. I like how you can thickness the veneers quite accurately with this crude tool.

[Steve Senseney]

Nice rosette!!

[Tristan Williams]

+1, that's a super cool rosette

[david frassetto]

That rosette looks great! I wish I had the patience to do something like that.

[Josh Humphrey]

I really like the interesting woods you are using in this build! And I also love the wood based decorations. Very nice so far!

[Layne Campbell]

I have never heard of thickness scraping, how does that work?