Official Luthiers Forum!

I know I've seen mention (here and elsewhere) of using a pasta machine as a veneer slicer, but I finally dug ours out of the bottom of the closet where it has been for about 15 years and gave it a shot. The veneer was rinsed in hot water for a few minutes before slicing. This is a great labor saving device!



The payoff - 5 minutes of "work"



And here is the guitar being worked on. A classical based on the GAL Rodriguez plan. EIR and WR Cedar. Back strip and bindings are (or will be) cocobola.

A continued thanks to everyone here for all the help, direct and indirect.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Jim, looks like a great use for the pasta machine!

Is it hard to keep the veneer straight so all the strips come out the same? How accurate are the strips from end to end?

Thanks for showing this!

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Great idea! I wish I hadn't had the yard sale....
I also have hand plane envy now, thank you!

Good posting Jim, makes me want to visit the local kitchenwares store. Your current build is looking good. I also really like the five piece neck in the backgrond. Great Stuff

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Fantastic idea!!

I need to go buy a pasta machine!!

Dave - It's hard to get the strips absolutely uniform, but they come out a little bit wider than most of the binding I have around (mostly LMI wood bindings with an added laminate) and there is excess available to trim off.

Art - There are some Lee Valley planes there - a low angle smooth, an apron plane, bullnose plane and large shoulder plane. Everything else is an Ebay Stanley. Some hits, some misses. I'll have to post a photo for Hesh. The cabinet they are in is still under construction - it will have chisel holders on the inside doors.

Hesh and Joe - thanks for the kind words. This is number 2 Rodriguez for me. Number 1 is having remedial surgury prior to going to it's owner. The action was too low and so the fretboard is getting some extra planing.

The 5 piece neck peaking out of the corner of the photo is an ongoing build of a 4 string fretted bass built following Bill Moll's MIMF plan. This is for my own use.
The maple fretboard behind it belongs to my first build, a Tele, from 2001.

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Nice work Jim!

And I thought I'd seen it all!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

What a cool idea. Thanks for sharing Jim.

I know its not right to covet other's planes, but....

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Aoibeann

[QUOTE=Aoibeann]
I know its not right to covet other's planes, but....[/QUOTE]

The one in there that I DON'T like is a 5-1/4 of more recent vintage.
I can't figure out what this thing is really good for.

And one I didn't find before I lost patience lurking on Ebay was a 4-1/2. I'd still like to have one of those.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

[QUOTE=jtkirby] I know I've seen mention (here and elsewhere) of using a pasta machine as a veneer slicer, The veneer was rinsed in hot water for a few minutes before slicing. This is a great labor saving device!
[/QUOTE]

Hey Jim, nice work.

As I recall it was Grant Goltz who first posted the pasta cutter idea over at the forum with the "s".

I also recall from that thread that it was determined not all pasta cutters are created equally. That is to say that the drive gears of the cutting machine can be stripped very easily if one should attempt to put too much veneer through at one time.

So remember eh Jimmy, justa lika Momma told you "no too widea, not too fatta and every ting be justa righta OK"

Cheers

Kim

how thick was the veneer you cut? I might give it a go ...but thought binding may be a bit thick for the pasta maker..

I like the idea of the fettucinne binding
I've got a nice homemade tomatoe sauce to go with that as well

[QUOTE=gratay] how thick was the veneer you cut? I might give it a go ...but thought binding may be a bit thick for the pasta maker..

I like the idea of the fettucinne binding
I've got a nice homemade tomatoe sauce to go with that as well
[/QUOTE]

No, not binding, no way that would go through. Just veneers for purfling lines. THese would be good with pesto as well.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Nice work Jim!

Hmmm...there's a spare paper shredder at work - you've got me
wondering now ;-)

How long do you boil that hand made veneer before putting sauce on it? And what's your recipe for the meatballs?

OK OK I make joke - corny joke. Great idea but I think my wife would kill me if she finds our pasta maker in the workshop cutting veneer. But I might just try it next week one night when she is asleep

[QUOTE=rich altieri]
OK OK I make joke - corny joke. Great idea but I think my wife would kill me if she finds our pasta maker in the workshop cutting veneer. But I might just try it next week one night when she is asleep[/QUOTE]

Heh, it really is a 5 minute job - you can certainly sneak that by somehow

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Some wood works, and some just goes to pieces. If you have runout in the veneer, don't bother. You might get lucky, but more likely you will just have fragments.

I usually use the narrowest cutter for narrow purfling lines. Since it is cutting more strips, there is more strain on the machine. So I cut narrower pieces of veneer, usually about 2" wide. I have been doing this for years.

Grant