In hopes of minimizing side warping in the teardrop hoop, and to reduce spring-back pressure on the headstock, I've decided to re-soak my hoop in the bathtub for a few hours and then put it into my forming-rack. This time I'll try re-shaping the neck with a reverse curve above the 8" drum-hoop part of my forming rack. That should make the two ends of my teardrop hoop go into headstock straighter, eliminating most of the spring-back pressure -- at east that's what I'm hoping for. Now, off to modify my forming-rack.
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I plan to get back into experimenting with this teardrop design this coming Fall. I'm planning to build a "full body" teardrop body shaping form out of MDF in the same way that Michael J King does his. (I have been watching his Youtube videos since returning this summer to the States. Usually, I'm in China where all video distribution web sites like Youtube are blocked, so I live in an information vacuum. Can't tell you how refreshing it is to be in the States.) Anyways, Michael J King's approach is certainly better than mine as the soaked boards are rigidly shaped along the whole body by the form, where as on mine there is not much rigidity for the whole body shape so the wood is fairly free fo shape itself (i.e.warp) as it pleases. It will take a lot more setup time to build the teardrop body form, but if I do a good job at building it, it can be reused over and over again.
These last few months, I been focusing on my paddlebox design as it is buch easier to build than either box guitars or teardrop shapped guitars. This summer, I'm away from my "shop" (the wife forbid me to pack any tools, but she did allow one stick dulcimer, so I'll be practicing playing the instrument more this summer.
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You don't have to explain it, during last 7 months I was twice in the People's Republic ;-)
MJK is a helluva good luthier and quite accomplished musician (like, he can play crwth).
The picture series is very informative, thank you and keep on strumming.
Hi Seaman J, Farull
I plan to get back into experimenting with this teardrop design this coming Fall. I'm planning to build a "full body" teardrop body shaping form out of MDF in the same way that Michael J King does his. (I have been watching his Youtube videos since returning this summer to the States. Usually, I'm in China where all video distribution web sites like Youtube are blocked, so I live in an information vacuum. Can't tell you how refreshing it is to be in the States.) Anyways, Michael J King's approach is certainly better than mine as the soaked boards are rigidly shaped along the whole body by the form, where as on mine there is not much rigidity for the whole body shape so the wood is fairly free fo shape itself (i.e.warp) as it pleases. It will take a lot more setup time to build the teardrop body form, but if I do a good job at building it, it can be reused over and over again.
These last few months, I been focusing on my paddlebox design as it is buch easier to build than either box guitars or teardrop shapped guitars. This summer, I'm away from my "shop" (the wife forbid me to pack any tools, but she did allow one stick dulcimer, so I'll be practicing playing the instrument more this summer.
Well, thanks for the comment.
-Rand.
Very interesting!
(It wouldn't make much sense without the rubber ducky)