Stu. Posted November 23, 2016 Report Share Posted November 23, 2016 All of my tools are now 50+ miles away and work is utterly manic, so progress has been VERY slow recently. I've been trying to get a burst of activity in the end of 2016, for an escape if nothing else. My next project will be truly magical, but I need to finish this thing first. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted November 24, 2016 Report Share Posted November 24, 2016 Lovely inlay work & nice guitar! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 25, 2016 Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 This is going to be impressive. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Looking so cool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyjerk Posted December 8, 2016 Report Share Posted December 8, 2016 Ok, that inlay is just plain bad-ass Nice work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 9, 2016 Report Share Posted December 9, 2016 Very classy build indeed. Excellent stuff! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted December 9, 2016 Report Share Posted December 9, 2016 Just love that inlay, it's the dogs boll bits 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted January 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 Thank you for the kind words, everyone! The inlay isn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun as a mini project to build my motivation. I tend to hit snags and then procrastinate a LOT whilst I decide on a safe course of (corrective) action. The body binding was giving me grief, particularly with the prospect of carving. I had also sanded it quite thin gap in spots and UHU Hart glue was giving me mixed results (not to mention some CA glue that soaked into the body and would have rejected stain). I decided to simplify things by routing the top down to flat, tearing the original binding out, and then repeating the binding stage. I used a well-prepared binding and acetone paste, which I'm far more confident with as a method and gave tidier results; no gaps as such, just two spots with questionable adhesion. The replacement binding was also a lighter shade of red - the same colour as the neck binding and perhaps from different ABS stock - and was far less brittle. Anyway, a few shots: I'll trim the tenon down and get the neck pocket routed when I go back home over the next couple of weeks... in 2017! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted January 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2017 I won't clog-up the board with a new thread to continue this build, and technically I haven't done anything new since that ^. This is a tiny project that I invested in recently: It basically came as a box of parts with barely any instructions, but it wasn't particularly difficult to build and set up. The machine runs off an Arduino UNO and CNC Shield, which already had Grbl loaded. I've used a combination of Inkscape and the Gcodetools extension to generate Gcode, and then sent them to the controller with bCNC. The working area is only 130x100x40mm, but that's enough for cutting inlay materials, truss rod covers, control cavity covers, drilling templates, some inlay pockets, and whatever else. It's definitely only a light, hobby machine though. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted May 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) Work is still crazy, but I have managed to make some progress recently. The neck is ready for pocket and attachment fun: I've been experimenting with some inlay ideas too. The super bright one at the end was epoxy with LOTS of glow in the dark/UV reactive pigment, and the pocket was painted white first. Edited May 3, 2017 by Stu. Removed duplicate image. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted July 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2017 (edited) I actually made another bit of progress last weekend! The neck pocket work always scares me, so I procrastinate over it like crazy. It's all cut out now and so is the bridge pickup route. The rest should follow swiftly now! I did the usual trick of positioning guides, checking alignment, and then applying a piece of masking tape to each side in the hope that the pocket would end up marginally undersized and tight. I'm also hoping to disguise the mild alignment issue on the back; the centre line is matched up with the bookmatch joint on the front, but that apparently isn't in the middle of the maple-mahogany-maple block of the rear! Oops! This body was knocked together so long ago, using leftover mahogany and reclaimed sapele. I also received a delivery of some black limba! It's not the most exotic example, but it's still very pretty and should look great with oil or clear coat. Edit: I have a lightly streaked ebony board to go with this one too. It's going to be pretty basic. Edited July 19, 2017 by Stu. I forgot some words! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted July 20, 2017 Report Share Posted July 20, 2017 Wow, good to see you back at it, Stu. This is definitely worth continuing on with. Looks like the bastards over at photobucket are holding your pics for ransom too. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted July 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) On 20/07/2017 at 6:13 PM, ScottR said: Wow, good to see you back at it, Stu. This is definitely worth continuing on with. Looks like the bastards over at photobucket are holding your pics for ransom too. SR Exactly! I'll be glad to see the back of it though. The next one will be so much smoother! I did some work on the neck fit and tenon this weekend, as well as the control cavity. I took a few better pictures of the limba too! It's so, so pretty and hopefully I can do it justice. Edited July 30, 2017 by Stu. Added two more photos. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psikoT Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 Nice build... what's the plan for that red binding? I mean, if you're planning to dye the top to make some combination or maybe leave it natural?... I'm just thinking on a trans-black, that would look killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted August 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 (edited) 7 hours ago, psikoT said: Nice build... what's the plan for that red binding? I mean, if you're planning to dye the top to make some combination or maybe leave it natural?... I'm just thinking on a trans-black, that would look killer. Thank you! I think it really needs stain, otherwise the red binding looks a bit out of place. The plan is to go with trans black on the rear and purple on the front; I know it sounds strange, but I saw a Mayones Legend with that combination ages ago and it looked great! Edit: This one! Edited August 3, 2017 by Stu. Picture added. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted August 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2017 More progress this weekend... Side dots, because I usually forget them: Untitled by S K, on Flickr Neck fit is ready to go, neck pickup cavity is done, and the internal wiring holes are drilled: Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr And finish tests: Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr I didn't prep the flamed maple scrap properly before testing the finish, but the colour is spot on what I'm looking for and it works under the 2k clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted August 24, 2017 Report Share Posted August 24, 2017 Great looking guitar. Its similar to what i would build. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted August 24, 2017 Report Share Posted August 24, 2017 This is still looking sweet Stu. Those green bobbins in your example worry me a bit though... SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 On 24/08/2017 at 4:53 AM, killemall8 said: Great looking guitar. Its similar to what i would build. Thanks, man! On 24/08/2017 at 2:12 PM, ScottR said: This is still looking sweet Stu. Those green bobbins in your example worry me a bit though... SR Ha! Panic not. I'm aiming to go down the zebra route with chrome hardware. She'll be a classy bird. I managed to get the major drilling done and finally glued the neck in. Fingers and toes are all crossed now! Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 4, 2017 Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 Damn tight stuff, Stu. Good call on the respirator too. Been thinking of a half or full-face mask myself. The ol' beard is the problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted September 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 On 04/09/2017 at 3:09 PM, Prostheta said: Damn tight stuff, Stu. Good call on the respirator too. Been thinking of a half or full-face mask myself. The ol' beard is the problem. Thank you! Was that also a reference to the number of clamps? Maybe there were too many! Having the PPE to hand is worthwhile too; it's amazing how quickly a two minute inspection turns into a carving or sanding session I always seem to get ill just in time for the weekend these days. Between bouts of snotting and dog sitting, I managed to tidy things up a little bit. The heel is carved back and I've worked the neck down a bit, but it isn't quite there! On a side note, has anyone ever found their glue joints going mouldy? I had to leave it for a week before taking the clamps off, and a couple of mould species (looked like Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp.) loved the combination of mahogany and water-based glue! Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted September 10, 2017 Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 I can see how the water from the glue might reactivate dormant mould spores, however that water tends to migrate out fairly quickly. I've never seen that before, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu. Posted October 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 Work has been crazy and I've been focusing on race training recently, so I didn't have chance for guitar things until last weekend. I did a few things, mainly inolving making the neck profile playable; I had to trim a lot of meat off and level it out. Of course I didn't take any photos of the finished neck, because I'm an idiot. Untitled by S K, on Flickr Black base stain: Untitled by S K, on Flickr Sanded back: Untitled by S K, on Flickr And PURPLE added: Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Untitled by S K, on Flickr Hopefully I can finish staining the back and get some grain filling/sanding sealer work done next weekend. I need to figure out clear options too - I have a few cans of 2K spray, but I'm scared of that... even with a decent respirator, goggles and a Tyvek suit. PS. I might actually get this finished soon! The 2016 thread can retire. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 Wow, that headstock came out very nice! SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 2K isn't that bad. A respirator and Tyvek suit with goggles is more than a lot of people bother using, even though it's what you should be using. You have air, membranes and skin contact covered, so you're fine. 2K is just a case of not making a habit of using it without adequate protection. You can concentrate on the work at hand, and not worry about anything else so get to it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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