U.S. Guitar Kits Cutaway User Manual download pdf (Page 14)

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With the waist clamp still in place on the side assembly, and

with the assembly resting top-down on the ﬂat plywood,

recheck the squareness of the neck block and tailblock to

the sides. Make slight adjustments if necessary by adding

or removing a wedge of wood between the blocks and the

cardboard. Turn the guitar over so the top faces upward.

Handle the assembly carefully now, until the top is glued

on!

When gluing the soundboard and the back onto the sides,

use C-clamps, or cam clamps as pictured, at both ends,

with plenty of spool clamps in between. Carefully prop up

the backside, on each side of the waist clamp, with small

boxes, blocks of wood, or anything that will lift the waist

clamp clear of the table, to allow clamping access at each

end. When the neck block and tailblock are clamped, and a

few spool clamps are in place, you won’t need these props

anymore. The body won’t rock on the waist clamp, nor will

it lose shape from the weight of the clamps or the clamping

process. PRACTICE gluing the top in place by dry-clamping

it in the order of the steps numbered below. After doing a

dry run for practice, we suggest that you remove the clamps

— and do it again! It pays to be able to move quickly and

surely when glue is applied.

1. After aligning the centerlines and the body length pencil

lines at the neck block and tailblock, ﬁrst apply two clamps

with protective cauls at the neck block end. If you trimmed

the neck and tailblock overhangs earlier, align both ends

until ﬂush.

2. Begin installing spool clamps at the neck block, using four

clamps on each side up to the waist clamp. By gluing the

neck block and shoulder area ﬁrst, the angle of the “neck set”

won’t be affected if you need to pull or push the tailblock

to the 20-3/8" mark.

3. Align the sides at the tailblock end with the body length

mark, and clamp as you did the neck block.

4. Start installing spool clamps at the tailblock; use seven on

each side up to the waist clamp.

5. Remove the waist clamp and install ﬁnal spool clamps

there (pictured).

Installing the soundboard

Mark the spool clamps from 1 through 12 on each side, re-

move them, and lay them out in order for quick reclamping.

Apply glue to the kerfed linings, align the soundboard and

repeat the clamping process.

KIT TIP: Spool clamps

It’s helpful to number the spool clamps during the

dry run so they can quickly be reapplied during the

gluing process. Spool clamps can be made using 8"

all thread rods, wing nuts, drilled wooden spools

and cork or leather lining pads. They’re also avail-

able in our catalog.

Stewart-MacDonald’s tool recommendation

Spool Clamps Item #0684

Traditional spool clamps are more economical and less cumbersome than most other

types of clamps for gluing soundboards and backs. The hardwood spools are cork-lined.

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U.S. Guitar Kits Cutaway User Manual Page 14

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