Rosettes, Rosettes, it is a pleasure to make rosettes.  The guitar is coming along well now that I am finished making the tools I needed for the process.  One of the tools is this cutting scribe compass used for cutting out the Rosette.

I like it when a tool can have beauty as well as function.  I like to use the small hand router to get out the excess wood as well.

I am also enjoying using my new bending iron.  It works great for bending the guitar sides.  It uses two alcohol lamps.

I was thinking of buying one of those electric heaters, but I like this one much better. It has a very direct heat.  It took some time for me to build a good mold, but when the time came to bend the sides, it went into the mold quite quickly and accurately.

Here is a picture of planing down the Adirondack spruce for the guitar bracing..

I hand plane it so that I can true everything up perfectly with the grain.  Doing it this way insures that I get the maximum acoustical quality out of each brace.  I think it is important to take every step intently because each step adds up to a great sound and a beautiful piece.

Until next time,

Martin