Short Week, Long Days

Even though we had a short week after the Labor Day weekend, We were hit with a ton of information and projects to do.
As I said- The math is a real problem for me, I am trying to embrace it, but I just do not have a head for numbers.
I am sorry there oar no pictures this week, I just didn't have the time to do any. We are into many projects in order to get our guitars done-we have thickness sanded the sides of our acoustics-book matched the scraps from the sides in order to use that for the headstock head cap, (re-designing headstocks for approval this weekend.) although I have not done all of this we have cut out the backs of our acoustics, and will be preparing an inside center seam with a wood strip that runs in opposite wood grain directions so that when the wood "changes" with cold, heat, humidity or dryness, the back seam where the wood is book matched will not separate. This process of gluing the center strip is don with "go sticks" I will try to do a pick of mine when I do it next week. We have also begun to learn the art of inlaying, mother of pearl, abalone, wood marquetry, almost anything that can be sanded flat enough to inlay can be. I think I undertook a little too much for my first inlay when I began cutting out J.D. Casey, in a script kind of font. It is all dine with a jewelers saw-very fine blades that break easily! And a little bench mounted sawing jig
called a birds eye that is nothing mire than a small piece of flat scrap wood that has a small slot and a small hole that looks a little like a birds eye. The material you are sawing has the design drawing glued to it, and then it just a matter of cutting it out slowly and carefully. The dust is not very good to breathe, actually a little poisonous, so breathing protection is worn. It was a struggle- and lots of broken blades but I did it! Hot water takes the design paper off and then all the rough edges are sanded smooth with needle files. An arduous task but hopefully it will be worth the trouble. I think carving necks for both of our guitars is in the near future-as well as starting to cut out the electric guitar bodies and putting on the decorative tops.
I was prepared for a lot of hard work and learning, it has become increasingly more intensive as far as workload and the knowledge and information that must be assimilated. I hope this old body of mine will be able to keep up with the youngsters!
I sure do miss everyone and I am looking forward to a brief visit in October. Thanks, as always for your continued prayer and support. More pics next time- I promise!
I put a couple pics of some of the design work drawings- Headstock and inlay design and the small mushroom shaped dealies are the neck fret position markers, ( re-thinking that design!)
Love you all!