Sabbatical Entry 2

The time is simply moving too quickly!  There have been many irons in the fire and lots of work getting done to be sure. 

On the curriculum front I've been working on a couple new packets of information for students.  The first is an all new take on the planning information for the Electric Construction course that runs in the spring semester.  This information has evolved over the years but this time I started from scratch and have put a lot of time into the new packet with some pictures and details that have never previously been included.  I'm really looking forward to putting this to use and ironing out the kinks with this years class.  The second packet of information I've been working on is for the Guitar Production and Development program.  The second year students are expected to be more self reliant than in the first year program and as part of that, they handle the finishing materials and equipment much more than they did last year.  So to address this reality and help everyone invovled I'm working on a packet of information for "finishing procedures" that goes beyond the mechanics of using a spray gun or a brush.  Instead, this packet is designed to give them the information they need to use the finishing area more efficiently by knowing where things are stored, which guns are for which materials, what solvents to use at certain times and how to handle, setup and clean the spray guns.  We use finishes that will ruin a spray gun if they're not cleaned properly or as was the case last year, not cleaned at all.  No more of that and no more excuses!

The CAD course is moving along at a perfect pace.  We're studying Rhino 5.0 which is not only a drafting program but a modeling program that gives the user an unbelievable amount of control in creating and designing just about anything the imagination can dream up.  We are in the process of working through a training manual but along the way we take the opportunity to put that to use on something directly related to guitars, mandolins or other fretted instruments.  We worked through creating an outline of a dreadnought acoustic guitar and from that created a three dimensional object.  Eventually we'll be doing a full 3D rendering of a dreadnought. For now though we've created the outline, extruded a 3D solid object in that shape and "rolled out" a side template.  There's a lot more to it but here's just a sample:

Above is a perspective view of some different things created in Rhino.  An outline of a dreadnought acoustic, a 3D extrusion, a radius dish and a side template.   The options for what can be done are virtually limitless and we've only scratched the surface thus far.

Another exercise related to instruments was to create a fingerboard.  Students can choose to create whatever scale length they want but in my case I simply went with a 25.5" scale.  I won't get into a step be step accounting but you can create a custom scale length using a simple formula and some arcs.  From there you can lay lines out, establish a taper and extrude it into three dimensions.  It's easy to organize the different parts you're doing and turn those on and off.

Here is a fingerboard as it appears when we're done.  On this particular fingerboard I chose a 9.5" radius.

These pictures are not in order but here I've turned on the arcs we created to find the location of each fret slot earlier in the process.  We don't necessarily have to keep but it's very easy to put them into another layer and turn them on and off as necessary.  I took the time to draw them, why not keep them just in case?

In this picture I've turned on another layer so the slot locations are visible.  It is from these blue lines that we make a taper and it begins to look like a fingerboard.  My high school geometry teacher could have inspired me by explaining this is how the frets in my guitar make the proper notes but I digress...

Here are some copies I made of the tapered fingerboard in two dimensions.  I could easily come back, extrude them and put a different radius on each one.

My Wednesday's are usually dedicated to electronics and there aren't any fancy pictures or illustrations to share here.  I have been focusing on a deeper understanding of electronics with emphasis on tube guitar amplifiers and their design.  The fact is, without the amplifier an electric guitar is incomplete!  Later I'll be working with pickup winding to create some pickups for the program we can use in class or in different school guitars and eventually be demonstrating how a pickup is made. 

I've set some dates for travel and am looking forward to spending a few days at the Colling's Guitar factory in Texas learning about how they organize their workflow, manage their manufacturing and seeing particular processes and procedures.  I can't thank them enough for being so generous with their time.  I'm not sure about taking photographs while I'm there but am hoping to share a few pictures on the blog if I can get the "ok".

The finishing time on Friday's has had some overlap with curriculum since I'm working on with the finishing procedures packet.  I did get a chance to meet with a sales rep about some new spray guns to phase out our turbine spray guns that have served us admirably for at least twenty years.  However, it's time to make sure all the equipment is what is on par with industry and this should make for a more efficient process and clearer understanding of equipment.  With these new spray guns all the different ones will share the same basic design.  In the coming weeks I'll be getting back to my test boards for the wood filling process. In October I'll make a trip to Des Moines and work with an alumni at his shop for a couple days.  We'll be working on all sorts of things but I'm excited to see his processes for doing touch up work on all sorts of different coatings.  Another big thanks goes out to him for giving up some time to have me there.  More on that later and I'll be sure to include the specifics in a blog post.

I think that's it for now, time to get back to work on some CAD (computer aided drafting) exercises and with any luck, finish that electric design packet of information.  Aim high right!?

Sabbatical Entry 1

This year summer seemed to come and go faster than any other I can remember.  Another school year is underway and the difference this year is I'm not teaching!  I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to have a sabbatical for the fall semester and plan to update the "goings on" with our blog along the way.

Whenever I talk to someone about my sabbatical the first question (obviously) is..."What are you going to be doing?".  The reality is there are a variety of things I'll be working on and have planned a framework for each day of the week so here goes...

Monday - Curriculum day!

• As instructors we are always making tweaks and changes to improve the content of our courses but inevitably there is only so much time in a day.  No matter how much of that time I spend updating handouts, presentations or course content there has been a growing "to-do list".  It actually feels more like a "wish-list"!  So Monday is the day to tackle all of the courses I teach and whittle it down while at the same time making some great updates and additions.

Tuesday - CAD/CNC!

• One very exciting thing for me this fall is the opportunity to take a couple classes in our second year program.  From 8am - Noon I'm a student in the Guitar Development and Production program studying computer drafting for guitar that includes 3D modeling.
• As the weeks go by we'll also be getting into CNC machines and their use in guitar making.  Computer Numerical Controlled machines allow for incredible precision work but it isn't quite "plug and play" stepping up to use one.  
• The afternoon on Tuesday will usually be working with the software to spend time learning it and developing some drawings.  Also in the afternoon time can be spent on anything needing a little extra time for any particular week.

Wednesday - Electronics!

• A fair amount of the information I teach has to do with electric guitars specifically and I've always wanted to talk more about pickups and how they're made.  The Electric Set-up course is plump full of information already but at the very least I want to demonstrate how to make an electric guitar pickup.  So, with time available I'll be working on pickup winding.  
• There are also changes to course content I want to make and streamline some things to hopefully make room for a few additions to what students can learn.
• The other portion of this time is being spent learning more about tube guitar amplifiers and how they are made.  I'm somewhat familiar with this already but it's time to sink my teeth into the topic and be able to relay some of these concepts and information to students in the program.  This can allow us to better understand "tone" and the never ending quest for the magical/mystical sound we (and our customers) have.  Oh...and by the way, I'll be making a tube guitar amp!

Thursday - CAD/CNC and Industry!

• In the morning it's back to school for more in the CAD/CNC courses in the second year program.  The courses run again from 8am - Noon.
• Thursday afternoons will be spent on industrial aspects of guitar making with some trips being planned for later in the fall.  More on this later but it's something I'm incredibly excited about.

 Friday - Finishing!

• As the main instructor for all things guitar finishing related Friday's will be dedicated to the broad topic of wood finishing.  The first area I'm focusing on is a new pore filling process that will be more user friendly and more importantly, FASTER.  At the end of each school year we have a production setting with anywhere from 40-60 instruments being sanded, sprayed and every step in between within about a ten day window (controlled chaos).  The pore filling process is always time consuming and labor intensive and while I can't suddenly make it a quick easy process, I'm confident we can shave some dry time!
• I'll also be updating some of the processes we use in both guitar programs. 
• In October I will be taking a little road trip to a repair shop in Des Moines Iowa to focus on touch up techniques.  Again, more on this to come at a later date!

So there you have it.  My sabbatical has been about two years in the making and now it's time to seize this wonderful opportunity to hone my skills, learn new things and come back better than ever!

Well as is the case every year the 9 month program has flown by.  It is truly amazing how fast the year goes.  Unfortunately I was unable to incorporate blog contributions this spring in the Guitar Repair course to address a lack of volunteers to give the "student perspective" we hope for.

Rest assured although the blog has not been updated regularly everything else here in the program has been.  It's part of the reason we're so busy this blog gathers dust.  However I'd like to share a few links here for you to check out.

Remember....we are on Facebook and it's a little easier to "get the word out" about the "goings on".  Check out our page here!

This spring the college featured one of our students for the "student spotlight" and you should definitely check that out too!!

Here are a few student blogs worth checking out to get a sense for what it's like to be a student in our program.

Aaron

Chris

Tim

Now when fall semester rolls around I will be posting here regularly about my sabbatical.  So while I'm very excited about that amazing opportunity for now I'll enjoy the long awaited warm weather and forget about the 14" of snow we woke up on May 2nd, 2013.  Seriously...the campus was shut down for a SNOW DAY in May!!!!

Whereeeee's the Blog???

It's been quite some time since we've had a chance to update our blog.  The reality is there are so many things happening behind the scenes it can get lost in the shuffle.  However with all these things going on the blog is a perfect place to talk about it.

Something else plays into the lack of new blog posts...We want much of it to be an insight into what we do here from a student perspective.  The last couple of years having student volunteers willing to contribute has been a little hard to come by.  This fall a new concept was unveiled at a staff in-service day in Winona. The college is looking to incorporate contributions from students college wide and spotlight their work online.  It's early in the implementation and not yet integrated on the college website but you can catch a "sneak peak" here.

Inspired by this and the need for more student perspective on our blog, first year guitar students will be required to contribute one post about a repair they will work on in our spring semester "Guitar Repair" class.  (Sssshhhhhhhh, they don't know that yet).  So if you're reading this and considering a future in the guitar program, please consider offering up content for our blog!
 

 And Now For Something Completely Different

As part of our second year program (Guitar Development and Production) we have set aside 1 credit of class time for "Special Topics".  The idea is to have people from outside the Red Wing bubble come here to talk about a variety of things happening in lutherie today.  Last year we had Derek Zelenka come up and share his experience working at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville Tennessee.  Derek is a graduate of the guitar program here in Red Wing and had a TON of knowledge to share.  The students really enjoyed meeting him and learning about repair, restoration techniques and the realities of life after school.  This year we are very excited to bring in Tim Thelen of the Lutherie Shop and Bilt Guitars based in Des Moines Iowa.  Tim is also a graduate of our program and is a whiz at repair work, building innovative yet retro electric guitars and all sorts of touch up work most shops won't consider trying.  We're really looking forward to that coming up in December.   

We're always discussing other ideas for people to share their knowledge and we'll be sure to keep you posted about what this "Special Topics' course is all about.  We strongly believe in a lifetime of learning and with lutherie, there is an endless well of knowledge to be gained and shared which is another reason we love lutherie.

Thinking of enrolling in the Guitar Repair & Building Program?

This is updated information from a blog post originally appearing August 2009.

If you are thinking of enrolling in the Guitar Repair & Building Program there are some helpful tidbits of information that should give you a great start in the process and hopefully increase the success rate for all new students.  No matter how hard we all try there are potential pitfalls that can arise for students.


Here is critical information for anyone thinking of coming to the Guitar Repair & Building program:

#1 - Don't wait to apply to the college and get the wheels in motion. The admissions office will generally start the waiting list process by mid-February. If someone procrastinates they could very well not be able to get in for the following fall.  Starting the process early will allow you time to fill out the necessary paperwork, apply for financial aid etc.  Also realize that applying to the college is not the same as registering for the program.  You must go through orientation & register for classes to obtain a spot in the program.


#2 - Don't wait to register!!!  Each registration day begins with an orientation session required for every student at the college.  There are 4 registrations for incoming guitar students. Get to the first registration you possibly can and do not arrive late. The program is usually full by the end of the July registration.

#3 - You will receive the first two tool lists at orientation. The hand tools are your assignments for the Intro to Tools class. There is no way the college can loan you tools to prepare in class (flatten, grind and sharpen). If you wait until the last registration day in August you only have a few days to order your tools. By then the vendors may be out of stock on those tools because so many other people have ordered theirs. If you don't have the necessary tools on the first day your ability to pass that class is severely reduced.

#4 - The Intro to Tools class is a prerequisite for nearly every class in the guitar program. If you don't pass that you can't continue in the program. (see #3) This class runs the first 4 weeks of the semester. Basically 1 day = 1 week of a normal 16 week semester long course. If you start 2 days late without your tools you will not be able to pass the class. Or should we say, no one has ever done it in the past.

#5 - Each class is a stepping stone to the next. Intro to Tools is required for the repair courses offered in the fall. The fall courses are required for the spring semester courses, so if a student for some reason doesn't make it through the other fall courses they are unable to come back to build a guitar in the spring semester.

#6 - Our program is a full-time commitment for 9 months. We don't have a way to offer part-time enrollment or picking and choosing only certain courses.

Check out the college website today to become a student at Southeast Technical College!!

http://www.southeastmn.edu/become_a_student/index.aspx

Win a Handmade Vincent Guitar!

We are raffling a guitar built by David Vincent in class using it for demos during our Acoustic Guitar Construction class, finish applied by Matt Hannafin, Proceeds go to the Roger Benedict Memorial Scholarship Fund for String Instrument Repair Students.

Mahogany Back and Sides, Sitka Spruce top, Sloped D, 12 fret body, bracing and scale length design from a 1930’s era Gibson Roy Smeck

Raffle Tickets are $5 Drawing held Oct. 3^rd Red Wing

For tickets contact David Vincent, MN. State College-SE Tech, 308 Pioneer Rd. Red Wing MN, 55066

Make checks out to MSC-ST Foundation

For more information about the Roger Benedict Memorial Scholarship please visit the college website here:  Roger Benedict Scholarship

...and to wrap it all up.

It's the last week of the 2nd semester and I really cannot state enough, it really does go fast! For the past two weeks mostly everyone in the 2nd year program has gotten their guitar sprayed or is just finishing up spraying their instruments--some of those who used UV polyester or 2k polyurethane have already buffed their guitar!

I can honestly say I've just sat in the room next to the spray booth (where we all hang our guitars) and stared at all the interesting designs. There has been a multitude of colors flying around, literally.

As you can see, there really is a large variety of guitar being built and sprayed. The bass on the left is actually the second instrument that a student has made this semester. The second from the left has been buffed out and is about to get the bridge on. The next guitar has been level sanded and is soon to be buffed, and the last guitar is all sanded out and is about to receive some color (possibly a black to blue sunburst?).

On the right here is a baritone acoustic that had just been sprayed. Yes, that bridge IS in the correct spot--this is a fan-fret guitar.

To the left is my guitar, after I sprayed a sunburst and several coats of reduced lacquer. This was taken just before I started level sanding to prep for more coats of lacquer.

This last picture is an archtop guitar built by a student, coated with 2k polyurethane. This was made in archtop class, and is amoung a few others being built. Last week, for the first time in the history of the school, an archtop guitar was buffed and strung-up during class. What's more amazing, is there will certainly be a few more ready in time for the guitar show this upcoming tuesday, May 10th. A couple mandolins and possibly a violin or two will also be ready for the show--which is no easy feat.

All in all, a very productive and exciting first second year program...Let me try that again. All things considered, it was a very productive and learned opening second year program. Some things went smooth and better than expected, while others were rough and will be refined for the next class. However, the information we learned through those difficulties *cough* UV Polyester *cough*, helped us to learn things we wouldn't have if they hadn't happened.

Luke P