Popsicle Stick Guitar
by busupholstery in Workshop > Woodworking
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Popsicle Stick Guitar
I decided it was time for someone to build a guitar completely from popsicle sticks........Ordered 4,000 on ebay and used about 2,000.........I used my Gremlin parlor size guitar as a pattern and started gluing..........took about 2 months working on it everyday.......I retired in Costa Rica and I don't have a lot of tools so kind of made do with what I had......Turned out very nice and very playable.......Not a Martin but hey, what the heck
Guitar Form and Making Sides
I made a form using heavy art board and hot glue with spacers........I then glued the sides up using the form............
Kerfing
Soaked sticks in water to form for kerfing and clamped and glued to edges......
Making Top and Back
Glued sticks on a flat surface covered with foil to make top.......the back I glued directly on the Gremlin guitar so it would be arched.........
Bracing
Glued sticks together for bracing and glued to top........glued top to sides......used rubber bands and stapled the edges......removed staples after dry..........
Blocks
Formed neck and tail blocks by gluing sticks vertically then horizontally........cut to size........glued to sides of guitar.......(actually I did this before gluing on top)
Neck
I made the neck by making a square form and gluing about 900 sticks together to form a giant block.....I then cut, sanded, filed, and formed the neck....I routed out the channel for the truss rod.......I used T-nuts inserted threw a hole I drilled and squared up at the base of the neck.......
Glue on Back
Glued on back and routed edges flush.....I did add normal back bracing with sticks....Starting to look like a guitar
Fret Board
Glued up three layers of sticks.........cut fret slots with coping saw.......inlayed popsicle stick diamond markers.....glued to neck
Misc. Parts
Made the tail piece from part of a cheese grater.....added popsicle sticks......glued up sticks for bridge.......made new buttons from popsicle sticks.......made a nut from my dogs chewing bone......made truss rod cover
Finish
I used spray cans of clear plasti-coat.......wet sanded to 2000.......rubbed it out with black Color-Back car polish.......Works excellent..........