Tag Archives: Gleason¸ Bob

Bridge Sole Radius Shaping Jig

2023
AL#149 p.60               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Sure, you can fit the sole of a bridge to its soundboard by putting sandpaper on the tender spruce or cedar and rubbing the bridge on it. But this jig is easier and safer.

Soft Side Sanders

2023
AL#148 p.60               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ It looks like one of those fancy powered rolling-pin sanders, but it does not spin. It just works.

Accurate Resawing

2022
AL#147 p.64               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ When doing a small resawing job in the shop, it may seem intuitive to set the fence of the bandsaw close to the blade. You never have to move the fence. But there are good reasons to do it the other way and move the fence after each cut. The clue is in the title.

It Worked for Me: Magnetic Table Saw Jig for Narrow Ripping

2021
AL#143 p.69               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Rare-earth magnets recessed into the back of a piece of plywood let it act as a quick-and-easy zero-throat jig for ripping narrow strips for kerfing and binding. Each edge is a different setup.

Big Shop-Made Dovetail Clamp

2021
AL#142 p.58               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ A big honkin’ C clamp for pressing home a dovetail joint can be easily built from plywood, wood scrap, cork, and a commercially available press screw. It can just as well be pretty, because that’s fun. And if you don’t see what’s fun about it, maybe lutherie is not for you.

Making Notched Straightedges

2020
AL#140 p.58               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Straightedges that are notched to fit over frets have become popular tools for judging the straightness of fretboards, and for projecting the surface of the board for setting neck angles. You can make your own, with the advantage that you can use any fret scale. Here’s how.

Product Reviews: Aqua Coat Clear Wood Grain Filler

2016
AL#126 p.66               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Gleason has been making instruments for a long time and he’s used a lot of different grain fillers. And he has considerable experience with this particular brand. He likes it a lot.

Ukulele Building: Tradition and Trends

2015
AL#124 p.4               
Michael DaSilva   Bob Gleason   Jay Lichty   Woodley White                                                                               

▪ Four prolific uke makers take us into their shops to talk about how and why they build. From their 2014 GAL Convention panel discussion.

Contemporary Ukulele Making: How I Construct Ukulele Tops

2015
AL#122 p.60               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Gleason is a subjective builder, everything is tactile, and he gets his signature sound regardless of bracing style. From his 2014 GAL convention workshop.

Uke Making for Guitar Makers

2008
AL#96 p.50               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ A low key (not to mention fun) description of how uke making varies from guitar making. Gleason also describes some of the varieties Hawaiian wood he likes to work with, a slick method for removing lacquer from the bridge foot print, and some of the construction tricks he has come up with. Owning a shop in Hawaii must surely take the lutherie life to another level. With 15 photos.

A Survey of Seventeen Luthiers

1990
   LT p.114            
Steve Andersen   Chris Brandt   R.E. Brune   Ted Davis   Jeffrey R. Elliott   James Flynn   Bob Gleason   Hideo Kamimoto   Robert Lundberg   Frederick C. Lyman Jr.   John Monteleone   Robert Ruck   Richard Schneider   Ervin Somogyi   Al Stancel   Robert Steinegger   Janet Toon                           

▪ Seventeen established luthiers were asked to list ten hand tools, five power tools, and five supplies used as tools. This info was used to determine the most essential tools, including specifics, model and size, source, and any special uses.

Working with Koa

1990
AL#24 p.38   BRB2 p.460            
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ A Hawaiian guitar maker passes on some of his tricks for the successful use of an indigenous wood. With 4 photos of his sidebending procedure.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.

Ukuleles Are For Real!

1985
AL#1 p.31               
Bob Gleason                                                                                           

▪ Gleason admonishes luthiers to respect the ukulele as a legitimate instrument with its own challenges and rewards. Martin and Kamaka ukes are mentioned.