I'm in Port Townsend.

That's less than 200 miles.

Welcome Gerardo,

I recently just finished my first build although I have been repairing them for quite some time now. I tool almost a year to build my parlor which was a pre-serviced kit from LMI. I didn't have the experience or knowledge to bend the sides or do the neck joint or cut the fret slots so those were parts I had pre-serviced for my build. After having built my first one and having read a lot I now feel confident to build one from scratch.

I personally think you are asking a lot of yourself on your first build to complete it by January especially since nothing is done for you. You will have a pretty steep learning curve in a short time but I am sure it can be done. As Ed stated you will have to be very diligent with your work schedule to be able to complete it. I am not saying it can't be done by any means, however I would suggest you lay out a schedule of what needs to be done and a time line of when each step should be complete. Give yourself a bit of leeway in your schedule since things will always go wrong and you will need time figure out a plan of action.

The one thing I will note is that you have 2 separate instruction methods which are very different. I built my parlor using the Robbie O'Brien DVD and a lot of help from this forum. I just recently decided to switch to the Cumpiano method and bought the same book you have. Both are viable ways to build but very different. Be cautious in mixing the 2 methods because I think it will get you confused. I just finished reading the Cumpiano book through for the second time and feel I have the concept down. But be warned... there is a lot in the book that is outdated and needs to be updated by going to his web page and changing some of the processes.

I think you found the right place to help you and there are a lot of great people here that know their stuff so don't be shy about asking questions.

A suggestion I might make is that you start a new thread in the Document build section and document things as you go. You can pop over to this section to ask questions but if you document your build with pictures people can reference what you are doing and may be able to help you better.

Again, Welcome to the forum and best of luck on your build.

Cheers,
Bob

Try this

http://blackbearukuleles.net

I say go for it. My first build took 6 weeks from a pile of timber to a guitar, using Kinkade's book. O'Brien's a good source, plus you can reference his tutorials on U-tube....

Don't let anyone tell you you can't do something. Only you can make that decision.

Don't get me wrong, you'll need to stick to it and will suffer more than one setback, but that's also a life lesson for a young fellow, so do your best, and I bet it'll sound great!

Heck, you're almost done already!

Document here and ask questions if you don't understand anything. Preferably BEFORE you attempt to do something of which you are not sure you understand. You'll get 10 opinions, but one of them is sure to make sense.

Good luck and have fun!

My first build took 10 months, so I hope you're faster than that! I am a fan of the Cumpiano&Natelson book. Minimal tools and jigs, which makes the approach very flexible for building different instruments. A few things I don't like, though... particularly the weak upper bout structure, and the pinned neck joint, which I've never tried, but looks very difficult to get right. The updated barrel bolt tenon is good: http://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Articles/Special%20interest/headblock.html

For the upper bout structure, I'd recommend either A-frame braces, or L shaped headblock butted and glued to the upper transverse brace (endgrain joint, but large enough area that it's plenty strong)

As for tools, a flat hand plane and some good sharpening stones were the top things I was missing at first. What's your current sharpening setup, and what kind of budget do you have to work with?

A block plane, 1/2" chisel, and card scraper are also essentials for me. Though scraper sharpening does have a pretty steep learning curve, and you can do most scraper things with sandpaper... it's just a lot more dusty and unpleasant.

The neck looks good I'm just about to glue the scarf joint on one of my current guitars, actually. Personally, I prefer to taper the neck blank from 3/4" thick at the heel to 5/8" thick at the nut before I glue the scarf. That way, the glue line is at the angle transition area, rather than somewhere in the middle of the back of the headstock.

I would like to clarify my remarks if "don't let anyone tell you you can't do something" was a reference to my post. I merely suggested he consider another option, that's all. I don't know if he can do it or not but I would just hate for him to be disappointed in the end.
Around here, senior projects are s Big Deal, count for a good part of their grade, and absolutely required for graduation if they want to walk the stage. Projects have to be completed on time and decently executed as well.
There is research, documentation, finding and getting advise from a mentor as well as other activities and keeping up grades in other classes.
I don't mean to discourage the OP, just want him to go into this eyes wide open.
My wife is a HS administrator and every year someone in some HS in the district does not complete their project, or does a crappy job, or cheat, etc. all with a sad ending.

The Cumpiano & Natelson book will serve you well (but use a bolt on neck joint - a simple butt joint with inserts and bolts is easy and completely sufficient). Given time constraints, I would build free form as shown in that book, though later down the line you might find using molds useful too. I would also keep all appointments and binding schemes simplistic.

Looks like you still need tools for bending (get a pipe and a propane torch and go to town), binding and routing (bindings and rosette). Unless you finish the build with lots of time to spare, I would also recommend use of a good wipe on, probably oil-based, finish. If you plan on a "dipped in glass" finish for this one, allow just as much time for the finish process as it took you to do the woodworking (plus additional money, tools, expense, and hair loss).

What you propose is do-able, assuming you start now, work hard, and stick with it on essentially a daily basis.