Carving a Spruce Top by Hand

[@stinkybisquit]

Nice! I like the way you used the drill press & pin for initial inside thicknessing.

[@WyattWilkie]

@lappack Thank you very much. Sometimes they start as wedges which means you will have less to carve but usually I start from a piece that is a uniform 7/8". I don't measure the final thickness but if I had to guess I would say it is approximately .250" in the centre tapering to .150" or so. They vary quite a bit depending on the piece of wood.

[@WyattWilkie]

@MichaelCasanovaMusic Thanks, I'm using an Ibex fingerplane with an 18mm wide convex blade.

[@WyattWilkie]

Hey blkctthwt, if that is your real name. I know just what you mean but honestly, carving by hand like this for all these years has taught me a lot not just about carving but about wood. It is also very satisfying making archtop guitars this way.

[@metalehead95]

tops for semi hollow guitars are made with the same technique?

[@frankpratte8358]

Beyond craftsmanship... art

[@WyattWilkie]

Thanks very much Frank.

[@DrHotuna]

Beautiful job! I keep watching these luthier vids, and its inspiring me to want to gain some skills. Whats a good place to get educated?

[@MichaelCasanovaMusic]

absolute work of art. What sort of carving tool is that that you're using?

[@markmelville6670]

Hey Wyatt, I have carved several f5 mandolin tops and backs using Ibex planes. I finally bit the bullet and bought the biggest one in the convex shape. It appears that your blades are very sharp. I don't see any gouging or tear out. I'm guessing this is partly technique but mostly sharpening them properly. What is your method of choice for sharpening?

[@Heybuditsme]

Underrated question, too bad he never answered. I'm about to start carving wood to practice for a carved strat (my job involves a lot of wood working and chisel work but it'll be my first time trying this). I'm going to be using flexcut gold and a strop to sharpen my gouges, what do you use?

[@micheloderso]

Why didn't you use a "Forstner-Bohrer" for the inner part?

[@donwaite8430]

Amazing how you can scrape spruce like that! I've never been able to manage to get my scraper tuned to that degree. Any tips? (besides practice)

[@natrat51]

could you do that method on something as hard as maple?

[@davida7120]

Why are you using such a small planer? Are there benefits to using a small one?

[@mrfreen]

Is there anywhere we can see the finished guitar?

[@lafistor]

ditto

[@collinkody3122]

a tip: watch series on flixzone. Been using it for watching all kinds of movies recently.

[@hamzajuelz1956]

@Collin Kody Definitely, I've been watching on Flixzone for months myself :)

[@scottca9780]

Are you not tempted to use gouges for the early stages or are the too imprecise?

[@wyattwilkie1209]

Scott Ansell no, I've always been comfortable with the planes.

[@CarlNeser]

Very fine craftsmansship shown here - thanks :) And I really wonder why some try to make you change your methods and tools..? And X-bracing will provide a stronger top than tonebars and are proven to distribute energys great on other steel string guitars.

[@autumnsmith3002]

X-bracing is unnecessary on a top this thick and will only keep the top from ringing as clearly as it could.

[@johnkohlman2428]

I'm wondering how many times during the carving did he have to sharpen the blade on his plane

[@wyattwilkie1209]

John Kohlman I can carve a few backs between sharpenings.

[@WyattWilkie]

I wouldn't use a forstner bit because of the center point. A standard round drill bit works best for me.

[@WyattWilkie]

@natrat51 Yes, it's a bit more work but the method is essentially the same.

[@WyattWilkie]

I put links in the description to my facebook page and website where you can see the finished guitar. I appreciate your interest, Beorn. Thanks!

[@jeremiahwilson1781]

this whole process is a jazz solo by itself

[@Mandolin1944]

Wonderful video! Great work! Wondering why you prefer x-bracing to tone bars? The title is "carving a spruce top" - -certainly for a guitar? But have you ever made a mandocello like the Gibson K-5 model? I mention it because the K-5 mandocello used the same box as the L-5 guitar! (

[@WyattWilkie]

Thanks very much! I use both x-bracing and tone bar bracing, depending on the guitar. No mandocello yet but it's an appealing idea.

[@kedocom]

question* .... from beginning to end how long does it take to carve the top?

[@WyattWilkie]

I would guess it takes something like 2 hours if I were to carve from beginning to end, which I never do.

[@daw162]

Doing 2 hours at a time with no break would be a good way to overcut an area. I asked george wilson once about carving a top from start to finish (same guy who is on the colonial williamsburg video making a harpsichord) and he said he never did anything on an archtop guitar other than carve them by hand. I asked him how long to make one perfect, and he said more than two days (perfect to him would mean photo perfect in raking light with every curve perfect from every direction. I would assume 90% of the time spent is past the point where the top would be functionally fine). I know there are often faster ways to rough tops (or work wood in general), etc, than by hand, but little is as satisfying, and the time to think while doing is important.

[@daw162]

Thank you for posting the video, by the way. I've built a couple of guitars now, and a lot of tools, but am aiming to make arch tops at some point in the near future - mostly without power tools.

[@giulianocomoglio]

can you use a rasp? it's more easy!

[@billstewart9929]

I just bought an 18mm Ibex palm plane. How do you sharpen the blade in yours? Great video

[@WyattWilkie]

Hi Bill, I use a bench grinder. I attached little ramps at the right angle to make it easy. thanks!

[@WyattWilkie]

Thanks Stinky.

[@kevinpopescu9741]

it ends up so thin! Wonder how you manage to not pass through :/ Feeling?

[@WyattWilkie]

Yes that's exactly right. It's all about feeling and flexing.

[@WyattWilkie]

Hi Giuliano, I believe using a rasp would take much, much longer. My palm planes really take care of business.

[@markh7523]

amazing

[@dylanswint1795]

awe inspiring

[@gingerjam2192]

Why don't you use gouges like quatuor luthiers ? You'd have your arch much faster than with a plane.

[@sambalhijo]

+Ginger Jam what are quatuor luthiers?

[@wyattwilkie1209]

Ginger Jam maybe you can.

[@johnmckenna6203]

Now sweep up the floor son!

[@nsr4167]

Cat got your tongue? Communicate!

[@wyattwilkie1209]

nsr plenty videos out there with talking in them.