Adjustment on the 2020 build

 Never really liked the soundhole design on last years build so I carved new ones.

Plywood lapsteel 2021

 

Lapsteel update

Went back to my parents and the woodshop to finnish this years lapsteel build. Everything went smoothly. Quite happy with the adjustments I did with the design. Changed the shape a bit, made it thicker, designed new soundholes and made the bridge piece bigger. Looks better and sounds fuller. Next time I might consider using "real" guitar building materials.

Back of the guitar glued to the sides

 

Steambox updated

New lapsteel coming. Bending went even better this time with approved DIY steambox. Made the box much shorter so it heats up faster and propably also holds a higher temperature than previous. I had the pieces in water 3-4 hours before the steam treatment too wich I think helped. 20 - 25 minutes in the box.

Typography

 Hmmm?

 

 

Next build

 Making plans for this summers build. I think I've nailed the basic shape now. This will be a hybrid of my two latest acoustic lap-steels witch both has their  flaws. Plywood of course. I might try proper guitar building materials once I get the design the way I want it. For some reason you just can't know how it will work, feel and look until you have an actual instrument in your hands.

 

 

Fretboard added

 Drawn with markers on cardboard. Not final but it’ll do for now.

This summers lap steel build

 Bending plywood went ok. Theres a small crack in one of the bends but it’s merely visible so I went along and put it together. And it actually sounds fine! I’m allways prepared for the worst with my rudimentary knowledge in the matter and my cheapness when it comes to what materials I use. The body of this guitar is also much thinner than my last one but It still sounds full size. Will compare them when I have them both in the same

Alternate bending method

Tried another method. Plywood piece placed in a barrel of Water for ten minutes. Then warmed the curve with a heat gun while slowly bending. Worked fine too!  Heat gun set to 170 C°.