CARVING a QUILTED MAPLE top with HAND TOOLS - Great Guitar Build Off 2021

CARVING a QUILTED MAPLE top with HAND TOOLS - Great Guitar Build Off 2021 - Episode 1 of 6

Рет қаралды 28,475

3 жыл бұрын

This is the first episode in my great guitar build off 2021 entry where I am carving a quilted maple top with gouges, thumb planes (violin makers planes) and scrapers, I also cut out the top and body with the band saw and us the table router to shape the top prior to carving.
I am making a semi hollow (with f hole) quilted maple double cut carved top guitar with a walnut neck and body, with ebony fingerboard, maple binding and hand-cut custom inlay.
Please like the video if you enjoy it and consider subscribing to my channel
Thanks to Grudgewood for supplying the prog, check them out here:
instagram - / lostinthegrudgewood
spotify - open.spotify.com/artist/5AKGr...
My details:
website - www.adfinlaysonguitars.co.uk
instagram - www.instalgram.com/adfinlayson
facebook - / adfinlayson

Пікірлер: 116

@CrimsonCustomGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

30 seconds in and I'm already LOVING this build! Bring it on :) B

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ben 😎

@Doug_Seidlitz 3 жыл бұрын

Ha ha thats exactly what I was going to say.

@frostedhead 2 жыл бұрын

The carving on the top just made the maple pop.

@CrimsonCustomGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

I hesitate to mention the sheer amount of thumb planes I have permanently lost in shavings :( you would think once would be enough of a lesson! B

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I've lost a few tools down to untidiness. Right after I filmed this, I boxed everything up and moved house and I found several tools that I'd previously lost and bought replacements for. I've been working with my tools in boxes for the last couple of weeks and it's been a nightmare. I'll be so happy when the new workshop is finished and I can start building permanent homes for everything.

@steveroberts 3 жыл бұрын

Really nice work. Looking forward to the rest of the build.

@DevilAndSons 3 жыл бұрын

Great selection of woods. Good luck.

@TempleGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

So much patience! I watch this build with interest... it's looking great!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud, it sure is a slower way of doing things than the angle grinder (which I do use if I'm pressed for time), but it's nice and quiet so I can do it late into the evening and not annoy anyone, and there is no dust involved :)

@NoeHervas 3 жыл бұрын

Spectacular piece of quilted maple. Amazing carving skills. Good Luck mate

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

@larscw74 3 жыл бұрын

I clicked on the link because it said carving a quilted maple top by hand, which is basically someone who must be masochistic enough to try this or someone incredibly skilled while still being masochistic. Looking forward to the series.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Well I did have a few blisters afterwards

@larscw74 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson I was aiming at the change of grain direction in quilted wood and how it's a lot harder to work with while preventing it to tear. I can imagine you having some blisters.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@larscw74 yeah in addition to the horrible grain, this European maple is extremely hard compared to any of the Canadian maple I've carved in the past. The only wood I've found more challenging to carve than this was Ziricote. Oh maybe I am a masochist.

@larscw74 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson you did a great job on the build though. Keep making content like this and i will keep watching

@adairguitars 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing quilting. It’s going to look great!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud

@zolar55 3 жыл бұрын

Appreciate your craftsmanship!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud

@starcustomwoodworking9879 3 жыл бұрын

Wow super excited to see how this turns out. Good luck sir!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, you too. Checked out your first vid. Some nice machines you've got there 👌

@rayrayokmusic 3 жыл бұрын

Welcome to the ggbo! Looks good so far.

@samwinstanley6820 3 жыл бұрын

This is looking good.

@edadpops1709 3 жыл бұрын

Yellow/amber /orange burst. Lots of bling

@scajesback 3 жыл бұрын

beautiful wood, really hard to work but worth it, congrats

@AntalvanHassel 3 жыл бұрын

Looking forward to the rest. good luck! :)

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud

@CrimsonCustomGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

Masterfull avoidance of the inclusions there.. nice! B

@dingdong7440 3 жыл бұрын

You need to sharpen your tools and bits. 😉

@DaveDickens 3 жыл бұрын

Looking really good, I admire your detailed carving on that top. Excellent. Cheers Dave

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dave, I was watching your mini spray booth build the other day as I'm thinking about building on for the new shop, are you planning to make a bigger one?

@DaveDickens 3 жыл бұрын

I don’t really have room, so I spray round the back of the workshop when the sun is out 😎. Cheers Dave

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@DaveDickens That's worked for me for the last couple of years

@coregeek 3 жыл бұрын

So glad to find this. I started pretty much the same build yesterday. Learning a lot to apply to mine. Thanks so much.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

cool, if you're posting your progress anywhere, link me up and I'll follow along :)

@coregeek 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Thanks! I mostly post WIP over on instagram. My first build is documented at my main account @coregeek This PRS will be documented @emj_customs

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@coregeek Following, nice bit of quilt you've got there 👌

@kearnsguitars2236 3 жыл бұрын

Nice wood choices, good luck

@theweekendluthier 3 жыл бұрын

That's a great piece of quilted maple. Nice carve, watching you use those huge router bits had me sweating!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Lol, I bet you weren't sweating as much as I was

@mellowyellow3309 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome

@Hazochi 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely beautiful build, wish I'd checked this out earlier!

@ADFinlayson 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Harry

@MarcDanielsMusic 3 жыл бұрын

Waiting for the nex eposide :D Amazing Job!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Marc, trying to get it done, life getting in the way at the moment.

@jonahguitarguy 3 жыл бұрын

Looking very good A D.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud :)

@trident1314 3 жыл бұрын

My teeth were gritted watching you carve that top waiting for it to blow out at any moment....🤣

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

It did :P

@davemckinney6555 3 жыл бұрын

I think the double cutaway is my favorite shape. Didn't see many of them last year. Good luck to you.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Mine too. I drew around my old core Mira so it's very close to the classic DC shape but not identical.

@harrisonandrew 3 жыл бұрын

Now THAT is a guitar build. That video was fantastic, I loved it. When is part 2 due for release?

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate. Part 2 is on it's way. Since filming part 1 I've moved house and built a proper worksop so I'm just getting back to guitar building

@avielkharrat5788 3 жыл бұрын

Coming hard on the GGBO 2021!

@realitystudioscustomshop 3 жыл бұрын

I've heard quilted maple is a bugger to carve by hand, props for putting in the time on it

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Yep, third time I've done it and quilt has been an arsehole every time, it also likes to move a lot!

@realitystudioscustomshop 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson duly noted! will steer clear until I reach some level of practical competence lol!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@realitystudioscustomshop Well the best way to learn is by doing, jump right in I say :)

@realitystudioscustomshop 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson I have an interesting build ahead of me and 5 months to do it, I reckon I should be able to fit some carving in... first time for everything!

@tobiasradmer4276 3 жыл бұрын

I've always admired your builds on the amateur lutheirs Facebook group. I didn't realise you did videos, but I sure enjoy watching this! :-D Love your choices and methods as I may have told you some time or another, and I'll see if I can't pick up a few nice tips from a more experienced woodworker than myself for the violin archings I'm about to do in fairly tricky pieces of maple... Looking forward to the rest of the build :-)

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud, but from what I saw of your violin build, I doubt there is much you can pick up from me 😆 All the best Ash

@tobiasradmer4276 3 жыл бұрын

Oh I don't know, I'm really rather curious to see how you do your thing! I still have so, so much to learn... But thanks anyway, I'll take the compliment :-P

@zolar55 3 жыл бұрын

Red and yellow burst!

@MarkLedfordCustomGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

very nice

@joebryant8500 3 жыл бұрын

"This is why you should plan your guitars before making them." Ben Crowe doesn't. ;o)

@jaistanley 3 жыл бұрын

Lovely piece of wood! I'm currently trying out Keda dye... A deep purple red/maroon, sanded back followed by a light blue/green teal. Colours blend in the grain and make a dark purple to black, with bleuy purple highlights and teal on the last bit of white/open grain. I saw an instagram post where the chap made a PRS northern lights style stain. I've exhausted all of my figured maple offcuts and veneers so I'm going to have to just try it on the guitar!

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I like to test on offcuts but there isn't normally enough surface area to got a proper test out of and I find it never really looks the same as the end result on the guitar, I've ended up bookmatching offcuts a few times to get more surface area on my testers, it's a bit of a pain. I dunno what colour I'm going to do on this one, I'm leaning towards red/yellow/amber. But I do want to have a go at a burst too

@jaistanley 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Well... I was brave! But my greeney teal was very blue so I went a different route and it evolved into a purply blue in the centre fading into a more royal purple on the outside. Similar to a Gibson blueberry burst or an 'inverse' PRS violet burst. Not like the northern lights at ALL but absolutely stunning. Very happy. Did you choose a colour?

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@jaistanley That sounds like it will look nice. I've done a couple of testers, but not sold on either yet, will feature in the next episode.

@jaistanley 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson I put some photos in Instagram. Same username if you fancy a looksie.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@jaistanley yeah I see it, that colour is damn nice 😎

@petecoates6410 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice indeed . Thanks for sharing. Any tips on where to source Bosnian maple stock ?

@petecoates6410 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that. I closed my FB account so may need to find a different way to source some. Have followed all your build videos with great interest - you do some fantastic work and your videos have helped me greatly with my own builds so far, especially my first couple of carved top DCs. Keep up the really great work. Nice to see some real craftsmanship on your builds.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Pete!

@timhallas4275 3 жыл бұрын

With the right router blades you can "rough in" about 70% of a PRS carved top.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I know, but I like hand tools

@timhallas4275 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson But you used a router and electric sander. That's not exactly "Carving a quilted maple top with hand tools",, is it?

@markscheiner3952 Жыл бұрын

do you happen to know the make/model or link for the two router bits you mentioned for the pots recesses? Also any recommendations on thumb planes that are a little cheaper than the Ibex ones and better than the Aliexpress ones? Many thanks

@ADFinlayson Жыл бұрын

one of them was a whiteside round nose bit. Can't remember where the other one came from.

@briw4647 3 жыл бұрын

Wonderful job. I vote blue, bright blue.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate, it won't be blue I'm afraid, I've made more blue guitars than anything else

@briw4647 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson ok, that's cool. umm. Tobacco burst would hide the back so also not that

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

@@briw4647 tobacco burst with natural binding and natural back could look cool

@briw4647 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson mmmm, yes.. Nice. I like that.. would suit the top nicely

@smudgetherealmc 3 жыл бұрын

Colour? I’m a sucker for the Les Paul 59 style sunburst

@CrimsonCustomGuitars 3 жыл бұрын

Crimson! :) B

@luiscuixara4622 3 жыл бұрын

Would it help if you sharpened your chisels and locked down your (looking a very nice shape) top?

@Lutonbodyhome 3 жыл бұрын

Green to dark blue burst

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I don’t think that’s a colour combo I’ve seen before

@Lutonbodyhome 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson I guess that means it could go two ways :D

@ChrisFranklyn 3 жыл бұрын

When you're jointing them like that together do you orient them as if you've folded down along where they'll join - or do you flip one? I'm trying to picture the geometry in my head and breaking my mind a little. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone use those tiny comedy planes before, but now I can see the point of them :)

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

No mate these aren't flipped - it comes as a billet about 2" thick, 8" wide, 22-24" long, resawn down the 2" to make 2 1" thick boards and literally open it like a book (hence the term, bookmatch), if you flip one you won't necessarily get the figure mirroring out from the centre. Don't have to do a bookmatch though. If you've only got a thinner long plank, you can flip one side and give the appearance of a bookmatch, I did the same thing with this piece of walnut - instagram.com/p/B40XfXWgB5t/?

@ChrisFranklyn 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Oh cool, that makes sense. Cheers.

@thomascperez 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice, I'm wanting to try a carved top, semi-hollow build myself! What is the thickness of your maple top and body?

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I make it up as I go along normally but generally I’ll go as thick as I can on the top without it looking pancakey. This one will be about 18-20mm on the top and around 30mm body. I generally work to around 47-50mm overall thickness in the middle

@thomascperez 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Thanks!

@davedupuis2069 3 жыл бұрын

Sharpen those tools bro,you'll get a much smoother cut. Looking good tho 👍

@Tomish069 3 жыл бұрын

Make it blue or purple

@littlebittycustoms923 3 жыл бұрын

Black cherry

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I do like a red guitar 😎🎸

@thomascperez 2 жыл бұрын

What size/number gouge go you use?

@ADFinlayson 2 жыл бұрын

A 3/4” no5 gauge and a 1/2” no5 around the horns

@thomascperez 2 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Thanks!

@nancyoshiro6929 3 жыл бұрын

who is the band playing?

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Grudgewood, link in the description

@StephenGallacher 3 жыл бұрын

I think it needs to be red.

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I think you might be right

@skippserrano6771 3 жыл бұрын

I thought it was supposed to be done with HAND tools? When did a band saw become a HAND tool?

@norcalbob3838 3 жыл бұрын

The band saw wasn't used to carve the top, but the planer was...

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

I know, I'm a liar and a cheat, disregard everything I say.

@skippserrano6771 3 жыл бұрын

@@ADFinlayson Nah not a liar. I’m a sucker for click bait. You had me at the mention of strictly hand tools. Not a problem it was a nice build.

@dingdong7440 3 жыл бұрын

You need to sharpen your tools and bits. 😉

@ADFinlayson 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip