My living design spec iPad spread sheet

[CAI Kabrell]

Moi luthiers

I hope that some of you can use this tool

I use it in parallel of drawing the guitar.

As well when I am building.

To document what I am doing.

In the early days I started to build and I forgot what my intension were.

I have a parlor guitar hanging in my shop as a reminder.   

I started to build for a jazz bridge.   Some how it was finished with a normal bridge.

Read the neck angle is wrong.   

I started to document what I was doing.   A build sheet.

Now with several guitar sizes and types and ukuleles I don’t remember.

Please read and comment.  

It’s a living document.

I just print it and fill in as a building.

Someone needs to convert it for windows people. 

Keep or gluing…

Sent from my iPad

[Rob McAllister]

Hi Cai,

This is all very helpful. Thank you!  I converted the spreadsheet for use in Excel.

Question,  About how thick do you like to make the horn, on the body, where it attaches to the neck?

I tried about 13mm but I am not sure if that is big enough.

Thanks

Rob

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Inland Northwest Luthiers Association" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to inla+uns...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/inla/CY8PR05MB94283B9F2BC7B702ECBD7A01DBA9A%40CY8PR05MB9428.namprd05.prod.outlook.com.

[dan]

Here is the build sheet converted to an excel format.

[CAI Kabrell]

Thank you for that (the conversions)

I appreciate comments on it.  To change and improve it.

The latest snail is 20 mm thick/wide.   

I use 30 to 35mm on the body to attach the neck.

It’s a solid block of wood about 25 mm thick or more.

I will send a picture of it.   

MVH CAI

Sent from my iPad

On Dec 19, 2025, at 1:45 PM, Rob McAllister <scorpio.g...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/inla/CAMVD7xEtY2bL4%3DYFLJf08TA0yPkGdQY7Ujr9nAB%2B9TYr_q4G9A%40mail.gmail.com.

<Guitar build template.xlsx>

[CAI Kabrell]

Moi luthiers

The max body depth on any guitar I have build is 110 mm.   

When I make the snail I take care to make a good type 1/4” thick plywood template and copy with a flush cut router to a type 3/4 to 1” plywood.   

Then I glue on on each side another layer.    Flush cut it.  Repeat until it’s tall enough.  

In my case just over 100 mm.   The heal is seldom 100 mm.

I need the snail to be stiff enough to glue up the laminate (several layers of sanded down 1 to 1.5 mm wood strips).   I use the snail to laminate the kerf also.   I use lot of force to shove the wood into the snail.    

I have never tried to make the a snail thinn.   I don’t save material. Making it narrower.

Keep on plucking and make sawdust.

Sent from my iPad

On Dec 19, 2025, at 5:40 PM, CAI Kabrell <caika...@hotmail.com> wrote:

 Thank you for that (the conversions)

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/inla/CY8PR05MB9428D725FD6D516F2BD5CCCADBB6A%40CY8PR05MB9428.namprd05.prod.outlook.com.