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Private member DiscussionTools and Jigs

Hackman Finland Wood Pecker chisels?

I picked up a set of these chisels a couple years ago at an estate sale. They were in a very sorry state but had clearly been used and loved. I gave them a good cleaning and sharpened just the smallest one, which took a very nice edge. I'm debating sharpening the rest in order to sell them along with my Narex chisels (which I haven't loved) and replacing them all with a couple Lie Nielsen chisels only in the sizes I really use. Anyone h…

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Hey @member the Narex chisels are ok. Out of the box they needed a good amount of sharpening and polishing, which I put off for literally years. But I finally used Rye Bear's method and got them to a…
Private member DiscussionElectric Builds

alternative to mixol?

Hey guys, does anybody know of a good alternative to mixol? I use it in lacquer for mixing opaque colors and it's great but I've been on the lookout for something more affordable and haven't had much luck. Wondering if anybody here knows of anything. Thanks!

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Ian Davlin
It used to be the colortone pigments from stewmac that were quite good and didn't require a ton of material to go to opaque. It seems like we are left with just Mixol for guitar grade pigments that wo…
Private member DiscussionCAD/CAM

Contriver Node Atlas

A visual dependency map for Autodesk Fusion. It turns complex Fusion designs into an interactive map of model logic, helping users understand how parameters, sketches, construction references, features, bodies, and other design elements relate to each other. Instead of digging through dense timelines, browser trees, and feature chains, Node Atlas gives users a readable graph of how a design is connected. It is built for designers, builder…

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Private member DiscussionTools and Jigs

Hide Glue Pot

Does anyone have a good glue pot they can recommend. I'm planning to try some hide glue work. Regards, Gerry

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I made this 3d printed top for a wax pot a long time ago, I think the links are there. I highly recommend keeping the glue in squeeze bottles, it keeps the glue uncomfortably hot all the way to the i…
Private member DiscussionDesign and Testing

AI hallucinations-Claude fessing up

I am working on an article to post here on the Looth Group regarding the history, and problems, with scale temperament. In the process, I asked Claude about a particular point, and Claude gave me a quote that perfectly encapsulated the concept I was exploring. I asked Claude to provide the specific citation for the quote. Claude fessed up to outright misrepresentation. Probably nothing new here, but I thought it was worth sharing.…

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There's a really cool book, not specifically about intonation but dives deeply into it, called Harmonic Experience by W.A Mathieu. Highly recommended. Cheapish used.
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Wipe on poly over Z-Poxy?

Hello — I would like to finish a mahogany electric neck and body with wipe on poly (probably Minwax satin) and would like to pore fill with Z-Poxy. I can’t find a definitive word on their compatibility. - Can I just wipe on the poly coats after block sanding the 2-3 Z-Poxy coats? - Should the Z-Poxy be sanded all the way back to wood or just smoothed/flattened? - Is a coat of unwaxed shellac between the Z-Poxy and the wipe in…

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I personally like to do a washout of shellac just in case.
Private member DiscussionShop Organisation

How do you all keep track of your builds/repairs?

Hey all. I apologize if this type of post isn't allowed here but wanted to share anyway. I've been building a tool called Looth specifically for luthiers and repair techs, and I'm looking for a small group of interested looths to help shape it a bit more before it goes public. I got tired of managing spreadsheets and decided that it could be simpler and more automated. The core idea is simple: one place to track every build…

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I've got some great feedback on this app so far. Anyone else using something similar or different? What is working for your shop?
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Replicating Kurt Cobains 59 Martin - bad idea?!

Greetings fellow Looths! I recently received a request from a customer to replicate Kurt Cobains 59 Martin, starting with a Sigma DM3. I have pasted the customers email to me below. While I have been a looth hobbyist for many years, I just recently opened my official business, Finger Lakes Guitar Works, and am just getting off the ground and a good flow of repair work is already coming in. While I feel 100% confident in my abilities to…

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Seems kinda annoying to me. The guy wants to spend a ton of money building a replica of a guitar but he's going to not use a guitar by the actual brand to do it? I'm going to go with this is going t…
Private member DiscussionCAD/CAM

“I live my life a 1/8 mm at a time”

Guitar neck topology is worth going microscopic. 🔬🦠 After building my starting surface from a wireframe network in the sketch environment; a system of 4-degree control point spline rails, tangent to projected isoparametric curves along the shaft — I can convert the NURBS surface to a T-Spline and start cleaning up the artifacts left behind by the original loft. In this demo I’m turning on Box Display, which feels strange at first because…

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Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

LuthierTool Neck Angle Jig

Is anyone using the LuthierTool Neck Angle Jig. I have a quick question about setting up to cut the tenon and getting the correct angle dialed in for cutting the heel block. TIA for any help

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No, it was made by LuthierTool in Kettle Falls WA. Chris the owner recently retired. Thanks Ian
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Wood Pergatory and Storing it for Future Use

Greetings and thanks in advance for your help. I live in one of the most inhospitable places in the world for wood storage (Mojave Desert CA) and later this year will be moving to another more inhospitable place (Sonoran Desert, Buckeye AZ). The realative humidity is currently 16% and that will drop when summer comes. I'm attempting to collect and store wood for future builds and today I spent some time wrapping all of it in seran…

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Ian Davlin
Where is the wood at in cure right now ? Is it ready to build ? One thing we did at Breedlove (Oregon desert and quite dry) was wax the end grain before stickering. I'm not an expert on wood storage, b…
Private member Discussion3D Printing

FretSander Spool Design Updates

Modified Feed Spool to have two sandpaper slots: one for 400 grit or lower and one for 600 grit or higher. Modified Take Up Spool slots to hold 600 grit and higher papers without slipping. Updated files are available in .zip download. https://dev2.loothgroup.com/loothprint/fretsander/ Images

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I'm loving the original version, can't wait to try this one out!! Thanks!!!