Radiusing and Kerfing the Sides

I rough out the radius for the guitar's sides, attach the kerfing, and sand a final radius into the sides.
This is an excerpt from the Online Guitar Building School course, "Building an OM Acoustic"

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[sapelesteve]

Hi Eric: This is the best video that I have seen showing both kerfing & radiusing of a guitar top & I have watched a bunch. I am in the process of building my first Acoustic guitar & your videos will help immensely. Wish that I were in a position to take a course from you. Thanks for posting these very helpful videos! Happy Holidays to you & Steve

[jonathanbennett]

Thanks for all the excellent tutorials! This series of videos has prepared me for alot of what is required in taking the raw materials through to completed artwork.

[WhittleDude]

Hi Eric. Love the videos. Your work, skills and attitude are proof that you are a true craftsman. There are 2 basic, yet extremely important, things I've heard you say and do that can make a huge diffence in any project. #1 Patience. Slow and steady wins the race. Rushing through a project can lead to mistakes, cost you time and money not to mention the safety issues. #2 Take care of your tools. The most dangerous tools is a dule tool. As a woodcarver with over 35 years of experience, my cutting tools are extremely sharp. My tools will cut with very little effort. The most important tools I have and protect in every posible way are the ten tools God gave me at birth. If you want to be a good craftsman and create beautiful woodwork or anything, safety must always be on your mind with everything you do. Thanks you for passing on your craft to others.

[DTFTechTalk]

Great video Eric. I will say This video had me very intimidated to take too much from the waist. I left it about a 1/2” high to be safe . When I was done on my Dreadnaught roughly 20” long with a 15’ radius, the extra amount high at the waist was 0.13” (encase anyone is wondering)

[MrMcsbr]

Thanks for your videos I have a repair on a seriously damaged guitar to do although it will not be like building one, it will take similar tools and expertise. My job currently will be to remove the back brace it and reinstall. Then will need to remove the fret board and the top replace brace new top cut rosette reinstall fret board and then I should have a repaired guitar when I am done. Need to acquire tools and or build them as I go will be looking in on your videos from time to time.

[matthewward]

Very nice, informative video Eric. I am starting to think I might be able to do my own build now after watching your vids. I know it is a hard task to take on, but I am thinking with your guidance through these videos, it might not be as tough as I am sure it can be... thanks

[embwee]

Very informative Eric! Question: Would it be better to leave the sides in the form as long as possible, even after the top and back have been glued on, so as to prevent spring back or listing? Although, I could see how that would not be practical when building several guitars at once, even though those forms actually do grow on trees. Thanks.

[RadioYui]

Hi, sorry if this might come as a very stupid question, but why is it important to radius sand? And what are the standard measurments for the radius sanding block? or is there a guideline or golden rule to follow?

[crazyrees]

Do you put bracing below the kerfing on the sides or butt up against? I think I saw you use s router to remove kerfing to fit the braces underneath in another video.

[alexiskruljac]

Hi Eric, for beginners you recommend skipping the roughing out step. Does this also include skipping the part where you chisel the sides down to the level of the end blocks? Also, the plans and instructional book that I am following for my first build do not include any radiusing instructions. Rather they simply say to taper the sides for the back of the guitar. Do some guitars not have a radius at all (as it appears the author of my book does not include a radius in his plans)? Would choosing to radius the sides result in negative effects on the guitars structure if the plans do not origianlly call for it? Thanks for you help! I love your videos!

[eschreffler]

I really wished I had watched this about 9 days ago....greessh

[jmeatk]

Is there a method to do the radius sanding without a radius disc? I think I’ve seen some use a flat board with a wedge on it... I’m about to start my first acoustic build and wondering if I need a disc or not.

[kevinofficial]

Hi Eric, your videos are awesome, I do have question, 1/. How many inches different of 2 Hill Block and End Block? 2/. What the reason why Top board (soundboard) can't be flat, but much be curvature with 40' radius? Thank you so much!

[dogdisco]

so can i skip this step? already go straight to the radius? (sorry asking what is already in the video but I am translating the caption)

[mamutcat]

Fantastic video! Thank you. I enjoyed it- makes me want to try to build another guitar.

[christianharbour]

What if you passed it through a table saw?

[HBSuccess]

Why size your sides so much taller (wider) than they need to be, and then have to do all the chiseling with those rulers and etc? You're relying on a bunch of flat strips to stay perfectly in-plane and not tip sag or move around? Seems futile. Even with a 15' radius the total chord ht at the longest point in a 19" long back is 1/4" +/- so the difference in side ht between the waist and the bouts is way less than .010" - so allow 1/8" and go right to the bowl and sand.

[Fazman]

Why wouldn’t you just plane you’re sides flat before bending. Then glue the end blocks flush with the top side. Then you just assemble the sides to the side mold on a flat surface. This way you don’t have to level them on the top side only on the back side and can go straight to the sanding disc.

[juliantaylor]

great videos as always
when you mention skipping roughing out for first builds does that mean just use the radius dish for the whole process?

[barryducret]

If you had cut a piece of hardboard to the shape of the inside of the guitar you could have simply drawn around on the inside of the guitar the hight of the sides.