Still waiting on plans....

Not a whole lot new going on here. I am still waiting for the SJ plans to show up however, I have been in contact with the guys at OLF and I was assured that they will be sent right away. It sounds like there was some kind of mix up between the two guys who run the boards on who was to mail them. No matter, as long as I get them I will be happy. I am getting really antsy to get started and I am not going to wait much longer. If they don't show up shortly, I will just change plans and either make an OOO based on the Martin design which is very close to the OM design, or I will make a 14 fret version of the OOO I am finishing now. I really like the body shape of the OOO I am doing now so I am kind of leaning in that direction. Really though, I would love to make the SJ I was planning on all along. Speaking of OOO, it really is confusing. The model I built is the Stewmac OOO plans which is similar in size to the Martin 25.4 scale lenght 12 fret OOO. I also have a set of LMI OOO plans and that is almost exactly the same body size as the OM I built. The difference is it is 12 fret also with a 24.9 scale length. There is a difference in scale length which is what I guess determines the body shape. Oh well, I guess I will figure this out some day! Anyways, that is enough typing OOO for one paragraph!

My dust collector showed up yesterday and I got it all assembled. I am picking up some ducting so I can permanently connect my table saw, and drum sander. I will possibly run some small duct over to the router station and drill press so I can keep the shop a bit cleaner. I have the collector in the lower level of my barn directly under my table saw so it will be nice not having it running in the same space I am working in. I like this for three reasons, first it is much quieter, second any dust that escapes the filter will not be blowing back in the space I am working in, and third it will be nice not having to carry the chips down the stairs to dump them in my burn barrel. I am working up in the city tomorrow so I will pick up the parts while I am up there and assemble it this weekend. The drum sander is scheduled to arrive Monday between 2:00 and 6:00 pm so I will have the ducting all installed just in time!

My lessons are going well, slow but well. I am enjoying myself playing a bunch of elementary level songs. Chords are still a big hurdle for me but I am sticking with it. I am sure they will come with time. My left fingertips are getting nice callouses on them which seems to be making clean chords a little easier. My fingers still flatten out when I press the strings, but not as much as before. I am still getting string shaped dents from fretting but those are getting smaller as well. All in all I am having a great time. I have been reading the book "Clapton's Guitar" which is the story of Wayne Henderson one of the best luthiers in the world, and it has been a very interesting read. Nothing like I expected it to be. If anyone out there gets the chance to pick up a copy, I recommend it.

Sorry, no pictures tonight. Really not much has been happening because of the delay in the plans. I am still a couple of weeks from the lacquer fully curing on the OOO so I can't do much on it either.