Write 31 Days- Day 17 Maker stuff

Today I did some creating. I have solicited opinions from the subscribers to the YouTube channel on how best to go about restoring the SUPERTONE LONE RANGER guitar and more specifically how to best repair and replace the bridge and bridge area that has been damaged by the passage of time. Dang, that was a long sentence. And in usual fashion they have come through with the best collection of wisdom I could ever hope to have personally.

This afternoon I trotted over to the big box store to pick me out some 1/4" by 1" aluminum bar stock to make a pair of cauls (devices to protect the work piece and to evenly distribute pressure during clamping) the size of the bridge. I had to make a pair of the because I will heat them both up in boiling water and then clamp them on either side of the damaged area and give it a good squeeze. The heat and moisture will help loosen the lignin in the wood and relax the wood so the pressure of the clamp can help smooth out the wavy nature of the damage (the bottom is bowed up and the top has a hump in it).

clamping caul made just for the
SUPERTONE LONE RANGER 3/4-scale guitar

top caul goes on the bottom of the soundboard
aligned with screws into the outside holes of the top caul

Was it an engineering feat of monumental significance? Nope.It was impressive for an untrained woodworker venturing into the land of metalworking, that's for sure.The next one will be better. We may see more of these before the month's out.

Be creative ya'll.