Number 6 and 7

I'm working on two amplified cigar box guitars.  I bought a couple of transducers and jacks from radio shack and put them in the cigar boxes, creating a small piezo pickup.  The little guitars really rock out'  The sound coming from the amplifier is rich and full.  The guitars are tuned in an open tuning such as 'G'  ( G,D,G ).  Here is one completed. 

Number Five

I recently finished a cigar box guitar that was ordered from my etsy store.  The guitar was shipped to Australia on Thursday.  I always put a polyurethane finish on the boxes to keep the paper decals in tack.

Hawaiian Style

Here's some images of a cigar box ukulele I just finished.  These things are a blast too make and better yet'- they work really well.  If you try making one please send me an image, I'd love to see it.  The tuning pegs are from a company called Stewart MacDonald  www.stewmac.com. 

CBG'S The Finale'

Here is the CBG finished and ready to be shipped to New Brunswick, Canada.  I always enjoy making these cigar box guitars.  Episode four of the show " The Garage" is about making a cigar box guitar.  Please send me an email if you're interested in a copy of that episode and I'll send you a copy.  Please send me an image if you make one so I can post it on the blog.  I'd love to see it'

More CBG's

The two guitars are drying after having a coat of polyurethane applied.  The yellow one has a small piezo

pickup in it so it can be hooked up to an amplifier.  You can see the output jack in the bottom right hand corner.  The bridge for the guitars area simple bolt.  The bolt  head holds the strings at the appropriate angle and the threads of the bolt keep the strings aligned.  Simple yet efficient.  The tuning pegs are staggered so

that the strings don't interfere with each other

CBG'S The Sequel

Here I've cut the notches to fit the thickness of the cigar box lids.  The notches are cut in the boxes to fit the neck and fret boards.  I drill sound holes of various sizes using a forstner bit.  I apply a bead of glue on the

 box and the mahogany and let it sit for an hour.

Next I'll work the neck and drill for the tuning pegs.  I add a small strip of rosewood to help with wear and tear where the strings protrude through.  The nut for the guitar is made out of a piece of bacote.  I then finish the guitar with a couple of coats of polyurethane. 

 

CBG's continued

I use stacked dado blades to cut the notches ( rabbets ) in the cigar boxes and on the mahogany.  The mahogany is an 1 5/8 " wide and 3/4 " thick so I have to cut to notches in the boxes to accommodate the mahogany.  I then have to cut a notch ( rabbets ) in the mahogany to accommodate the thickness of the cigar box lid.  A tight fit is very important.  The joinery is simple but if it is sloppy it will affect the strength and integrity of the guitar and it could fall apart when you string it up.

CBG'S

This week I started working on four cigar box guitars ( CBG'S )  Two of them are commissioned pieces.  One is going to Quebec and the other to Australia.  The two yellow ones have a piezo style pickup in them.  I made the pick ups out of parts I got from radio shack.  The main joinery for the guitars is a rabbet joint.  I make the neck and fret boards out of some old mahogany I have but a harder material such as poplar or maple would be better.

You never know

You never know what you'll be asked to make for someone.  I've been doing some small work on a trailer lately.  I was asked to make an angled piece ( flange) for the trailers air conditioner to sit on.  The piece is made out of PVC plastic used for decking and exteriors.  Nothing glamorous here, just glued and screwed together.  Oh well- it helps pay the bills.

Trailer doors

I finally finished the doors for the trailer.  Here they are stained, finished and ready to be hung.  I have another small job for the trailer and then it's on to the cigar box guitars and a bread side table.

A little finishing

There isn't a lot to report lately.  I 've been spending most of my time fixing up and winterizing the garage.  I'm installing the last of the drawers in the trailer tomorrow.  Here I'm matching the stain color of the original cabinets and staining a hardwood filler strip.  Hopefully the project will be done tomorrow.

The Garage. The Sequel

I'm still working on insulating and setting up the garage.  All of the walls are done.  I have to do the remainder of the ceiling and the seal some cracks where the cold gets in.  I moved my big bench in and tuned up the table saw.  I'll be working on a couple of cigar box guitars soon.