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After the side braces were glued on (as outlined i After the side braces were glued on (as outlined in my last picture post) the final step is to glue the top linings in place. This completes the assembly of the rim set. Only some cleaning up to do and a seal coat of shellac for the inside. 

#handmadeguitar #handmade #luthier #luthiersofinstagram #whatsonyourbench #guitarporn #guitarbuilder #guitarmaking #guitarmaker #customguitar #custommade #customacoustic #acousticguitar #iheartlutherie #luxury #luxurygoods #boutiqueguitar #guitarsofinstagram #highendguitars
I don't need regular side braces on my guitars bec I don't need regular side braces on my guitars because of the cross grain layer in my laminated side construction however I do put one chunky brace either side directly under the upper transverse brace. This provides extra support for the transverse which is a main supporting member. 

There is also one of the back braces which lines up with these side braces, combined with the extra tongue at the back of the guitar the idea here is to make the whole upper bout of the guitar as rigid as possible to prevent distortion over time. 

#handmadeguitar #handmade #luthier #luthiersofinstagram #whatsonyourbench #guitarporn #guitarbuilder #guitarmaking #guitarmaker #customguitar #custommade #customacoustic #acousticguitar #iheartlutherie #luxury #luxurygoods #boutiqueguitar #guitarsofinstagram #highendguitars
A little bit more inlay going on to link in the wi A little bit more inlay going on to link in the with the binding around the heel. 

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A few more shots of the solid linings being carefu A few more shots of the solid linings being carefully fitted to the rims. 

It's a tricky scribe where the lining meets the neck block. 

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Having taken a few weeks off from social media and Having taken a few weeks off from social media and guitar building in general due to a few things going on in my personal life I'm aiming to start getting back on track and sharing more content from now on. 

In these 2 images you can see the preparation I've started putting in place for side braces that will support the transverse brace. On the cutaway side this is incorporated into the cutaway block and on the other side the brace notches into the lining at the back of the guitar. 

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It's always nice to have good layout templates. It's always nice to have good layout templates. 

I've just finished making this template which will allow me to layout 2 slight variations of the traditional X brace for all 4 of my models, suitable for 2 different scale lengths. 

I will also use this template to layout where the transverse brace falls on the sides. I place a single side brace directly under the transverse to carry the load into the sides. 

This was a time consuming jig to make but worth it in the long run I feel, only 3 more to make, 1 baritone pattern and 2 back bracing patterns.😅

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Here's a little insight into my current end graft Here's a little insight into my current end graft inlay process. 

In the past I've always done this with saws and chisels etc but this time I opted for making a router jig which has opened up the opportunity to add a slight curve to my end graft. 

The N380F in Papua New Guinea ebony has a little bit of extra detail too towards the back of the guitar, using the same materials as the back inlay, ebony, burl and kintsugi/fracture recon stone with 24k gold. 

Another Nightingale signature feature added to the list. 😉

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So the rosettes are finally finished, tops are at So the rosettes are finally finished, tops are at final thickness and the shape and soundholes are also cut. 

I'll be onto some bracing soon and before long we'll have some closed boxes. 🥳

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Here's the deflection testing jig that I use to br Here's the deflection testing jig that I use to bring my tops down to a uniform stiffness. 

I use a piece of brass hexagon bar as a weight to deflect the tops and check the thickness as I go to see how much variation there is. 

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Here I'm wrapping one of my rosettes in satinwood Here I'm wrapping one of my rosettes in satinwood purflings. 

This is actually the second time I've done this, the first time I inlayed this rosette, despite sealing my channels with shellac, some of the thin CA glue I was using, soaked into the end grain of the spruce and created a stain that I wasn't happy with. So I decided to remove the rosette from that top and go again. Luckily I had a couple spare moon spruce tops around. 

I'm using water based glue only now for my rosette inlaying process, which is a little less convenient but seems to be the safer option. 

#handmadeguitar #handmade #luthier #luthiersofinstagram #whatsonyourbench #guitarporn #guitarbuilder #guitarmaking #guitarmaker #customguitar #custommade  #customacoustic #acousticguitar #iheartlutherie #luxury #luxurygoods
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