Workshop Journal Vol. 1 • Issue 5

Darin Shiflett
Aug 8
4 min read

ReSound'65 | Workshop Journal

Vol. 1 • Issue 5

A New Shiny Thing

As bodies continue to cycle through production, the process begins again at its most fundamental point: the wood.

New material must be sourced, inspected, and reduced to specification on a precision wood planer while maintaining our required ±.005" tolerance. This week, Phil continues to do an amazing job turning raw hard maple into Emmons Guitar parts, and we look forward to seeing this batch begin its transformation into new ReSound'65 bodies next week.

Meanwhile, there has been a whole lot of shiny happening in the shop.

From the Mill to the Mirror

As aluminum parts come off our Haas VF-4 CNC endmill, the next stop is sanding and polishing—and this is one of those stages where the finished product gives very little indication of just how much work went into getting there.

Machining produces remarkably precise parts, but the cutting process leaves fine striations in the aluminum. Those machining marks have to disappear before a part ever reaches the buffer.

Surface preparation begins with an aggressive grit to cut through the striations, followed by progressively finer grits until the aluminum has a smooth, even surface suitable for polishing. A pneumatic dual-action—or DA—sander handles much of the work, but the real tool is the person operating it.

Corners, edges, contours, and flat surfaces all require careful attention. Too much pressure or time in one area can round an edge or alter a surface that was precisely machined only steps earlier. After sanding, every part receives a quality inspection before moving forward.

Then comes the fun part.

Polishing.

Our aluminum parts range from roughly two inches to more than thirty inches long, and some can be surprisingly difficult to safely control against a buffer. It takes considerable skill to balance wheel speed, pressure, movement, heat, and polishing compound while bringing the aluminum from its uniform sanded finish to a deep, clear, mirror-like shine.

Our buffers are specifically dialed in for this work using different wheel diameters, speeds, compounds, and techniques depending upon the part. During the process, friction can bring the aluminum surface temperature to around 130°F. Thermal gear is required to keep from burning the skin! The operator is managing heat, pressure, position, and the cutting action of the compound simultaneously—all while holding onto a component that may be becoming quite hot.

The goal sounds simple: remove every trace of the sanded “scuff” without compromising the shape of the component.

Achieving it is another matter entirely.

Once polished, the parts undergo an intensive cleaning process. Buffing compound has an uncanny ability to find every hole, thread, corner, and pocket—and once packed into those areas, it can cling to the aluminum almost like glue. Each component has its own cleaning requirements to remove compound, grease, and residue before another inspection.

Only then are the finished surfaces masked to protect them during assembly.

And occasionally, a wisp, scratch, or imperfection turns up during inspection.

When that happens, back it goes.

Sanding. Polishing. Cleaning. Inspection.

Again.

It is an extremely tedious and time-consuming process, but it is absolutely essential to achieving the level of finish we expect from a ReSound'65.

This week, endplates, necks, changers, levers, and pedal racks have been the primary focus while last week's flocked bodies continue through their curing cycle.

Getting a Leg Up

Another component moving through production this week is something that doesn't receive much attention until it isn't right: the legs.

We fabricate our guitar legs according to each customer's specified height so the player can sit comfortably and be properly positioned behind the instrument.

We begin with high-quality chrome-finished steel tubing, cutting each tube to length using equipment dedicated specifically to steel guitar legs. The inner and outer tubes are then fitted with the classic chromed clutch assembly.

At the opposite end, we install a custom-made threaded steel insert designed to attach the leg securely to the endplate. The insert requires a precisely controlled diameter and is press-fit into the tubing to create a tight, durable, long-lasting connection.

Because nobody enjoys tightening a guitar leg only to have the leg keep spinning.

Sometimes the smallest details matter a lot.

And Then There’s Lacquer...

Our Custom Lacquer program continues moving forward as well—and occasionally reminds us why custom work requires patience.

This week, one instrument had progressed through finishing and into assembly, just short of final assembly and undercarriage installation, when the clear coat chipped all the way down to the wood inlay.

There was only one acceptable solution.

The guitar came back apart.

It's a setback, certainly, but catching something before the instrument leaves our hands is precisely why these inspections exist. Repairs are underway, the finish is coming back around beautifully, and we expect this one to return to the production flow for a strong finish next week.

That's life inside the Emmons Guitar Co. Production Center: wood becoming bodies, raw aluminum becoming mirrors, parts becoming instruments—and occasionally taking a few steps backward so the final step can be right.

More next week from the ReSound'65 Workshop Journal.

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