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Oak Hollow body build


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Ooh! You've inlaid the jack plate! Neat!

Don't you think that a simple trick like that makes the build much more refined than the effort it takes?

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Yesterdays updates, didn't leave my shed/workshop until 23:30 so didn't get a chance to upload anything last night.

Cleaned up the edges of the jack plate cut out and a coat of oil.

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Then started sorting out the shielding, only had enough copper tape for the area around the pots, but had a good roll of aluminium tape to do the rest. Afterthoughts were that I should have done this bit before gluing the top and bottom together... 

Also put the jack back in place.

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Next came the wiring, probably not the neatest job, but good enough. Did some creative work on keeping the wiring from moving, don't want them showing through the f-holes

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Put some knobs in place and tested out the look with everything lined up (must glue in those ferrules and the saddle...)

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46 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

All this time I was thinking sort of a wraparound bridge, silly me!

Is that why you were worried about the bridge supports? The tailpiece will be screwed in place to some blocks underneath, should be enough strength and then if I decide to change things I can drill for posts and use some standard hardware. 

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31 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

Yes, that was why. Now I'm worried about the tailpiece!

Should be fine, I left a bit more meat in that area when doing the carving as I knew it would need the extra strength, but it will still have some blocks underneath as well

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It's not about the pressure, I'm more concerned about the string pull. Then again, oak is very hard and the extra meat may be enough.

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First thing off the list today, saddle earthed and bridge on posts. Bit of tidying to be done around the saddle where the glue squeezed out.

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Wired up the 3 way switch and screwed down the tailpiece.

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Then strap locks screwed in place.

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In the house for some daylight pics.

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Tested in an amp, it's alive!!

Still need to sort out the action, put a truss rod cover on it, snip the strings, general tidy up and polish. Just glad it works, the saddle is a success. The intonation seems to be correct, at least to me...

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Edited by JGTay
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Thanks for the comments, very much appreciated. 😊

Having thought I was close to being finished, someone mentioned on another forum that an oak veneer on the headstock would really finish it off well.

It had been in my thoughts previously, but having never done a veneer before I dismissed it. So I have set about giving it a go... 

Will see how it goes 🤔

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Pics from yesterday and today.

Selected an offcut of the oak and set about cutting a thin slice off the top with a block to help guide the saw.

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near enough level cut all the way down 

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Then cut through from the top

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And set about levelling it off...

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Once it was level and smoothed off it was to the gluing and clamping stage. Yesterdays progress complete.

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This morning it was off with the clamps and started shaping and sanding. Put an old nut in to protect the fret board.

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Sanded to 2500 grit, will see how it is after the first coat of oil has dried.

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First coat of oil and nut back in place to make sure it fits, nice and tight. Will need at least another couple of coats, but very happy with how it looks.

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31 minutes ago, JGTay said:

but very happy with how it looks.

As well you should be. Very nicely done!

Do check your tuners to make sure you didn't add enough thickness to keep the threads from reaching.

Don't ask me how I know to look for this...

SR

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The veneer and how you beveled it off one side changed the "reshaped to not look like fender" headstock to an original design! Very nice!

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5 minutes ago, ScottR said:

As well you should be. Very nicely done!

Do check your tuners to make sure you didn't add enough thickness to keep the threads from reaching.

Don't ask me how I know to look for this...

SR

Thanks Scott. I had that thought myself and checked before oiling, plenty of room thankfully. 

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7 minutes ago, Bizman62 said:

The veneer and how you beveled it off one side changed the "reshaped to not look like fender" headstock to an original design! Very nice!

Thanks Bizman, it came out exactly as I had imagined it. Didn't want the maple totally hidden as I think it has a nice contrast to the oak. 

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6 minutes ago, JGTay said:

Thanks Scott. I had that thought myself and checked before oiling, plenty of room thankfully. 

If it's a bit tight, you could always use a forstener bit to recess the tuner nuts slightly. You have plenty of meat on the veneer

Edit: As Bizman says, it's added an elegance to the headstock. Classy!

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Just measured now, it is just under  1mm added where the tuners go. I left it a bit thicker closer to the nut so that it would hold the nut it place without the need for glue. The nut slides in nicely with a small amount of pressure. 

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A few more updates from yesterday and today.

Decided to sort out the gap around the back plate for the three way switch access, may do the other when I get a minute, but that one isn't as bad.

Put a couple of wraps of cling film around the panel to stop the filler sticking to it and then set about filling the gap.

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Left it for a few hours to dry out fully, then sanded it back, cleaned up the area and then went over it with a thin layer of super glue to give it more strength.

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Once the glue had dried tested the plate back in place 

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Then painted the filler black, sanded smooth and another coat of super glue

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Back in with the plate. Not overly convinced yet with the result, but it definitely looks a lot better than it did. 

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Back to the neck. Buffed up the frets and did some tidy up of the fret board. Three coats of oil on the headstock completed, also made a truss rod cover with a magnet holding it in place and put the tuners back on.

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Ready to go back on the body...

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