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Algee's Carved Top Lp


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It doesnt matter when I resaw them either way, it's going to have to be planed to the correct thickness either way so what's the big deal? The underside of both are PERFECTLY flat when clamped to the body, but I still have to run the tops through a thicknesser. I don't feel like messing with hand planes anymore. Tool shopping tomr! :D:D

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Tool shopping tomr!

Performax 16-32...that's the one on my shopping list. Problem is...you need better-than-ShopVac dust removal with it. :D

Looking good so far!

930$!! You tryin' to send me more into the red man? :D:DB) It looks like a real nice sander, but i'm going shopping tomr. for a new bandsaw and possibly a small thickness sander. Mainly for passing tops and necks thru because I doubt i'll find one big enough for full bodies.

Thanks!

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The benchtop one is nice, but if i'm going to even by one it's going to be an investement, and I wan't it to be soemthing big so I know it can handle what I plan to use it for. I will get one in the near future, once I get into a bigger shop/bigger operation. Until now it's either hand sanding, make my own or become good friends with a cabinet shop :D In time i'll probaly get the Performax 16-32 once I start making money doing this, and I have to room for it.

Edited by AlGeeEater
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No updated photos yet Mike, I just glued the top on today. Looks great, everything is still lined up, there's on gaps on the side of the body, everything came out good. Next on the adgenda is to send the body through a thickness sander to flatten the top, and get everything to the correct thickness. I'll probaly end up hand planing the top to get it flat and to the correct thickness because nobody around here has a freakin' thickness sander. :D I don't mind the work, I love hand tools but thickness sanders are just soooo nice :D

I'll have pics tomr!

Edited by AlGeeEater
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Here's what i've done so far. I've glued the top on, routed it flush with the body, and routed out for the pickups. Next on the adgenda after lunch i'm going to drill the holes for the volume/tone, the switch, and the strap buttons. Then just roundover the back, route the binding channel and that'll be it. Maybe i'll rough out the top today, maybe not I wan't to start the neck, and get it fit into the pocket.

DSC02233.jpg

No, your eyes are not decieving you, the router bit collar slipped and moved up (all of a sudden, it seemed to be stuck for a few months right where I liked it) and took a whole bunch of wood out. Luckily, it didnt get the template AND it will be covered by the pickup rings.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v460/AlG...er/DSC02234.jpg

Also, i'm sorry about the crappy pictures. I'm kind of in a hurry to get finished with lunch and run over to home depot to pickup a 4" angle grinder :D I'll get nicer pics later.

Peace,

Chris

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Looking good!

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OK well here's the little bit of progress I made yesterday. I drilled the hole for the toggle switch and rounded over the back edge of the guitar. I spent most of the day getting the body thicknessed and everything to the correct dimensions (mahogany = 1-3/4" thick + maple top = 3/4" thick). That took a while!

DSC02237.jpg

As you can see, when I started to thickness the top to the correct thickness, a gap between the tops started to appear. I suspect this has to do with how the top flexed when I glued it onto the body from me trying to get it flat. The edges where square when I joined them, but they must have flexed a bit. No big deal, i'll just buy some thin binding and run it down the middle of the top. Hell, I think it will look pretty cool honestly.

Round Over

Another thing, make sure the edges of the pieces you're gluing up are square and 90 degrees, not rounded over from sanding. :D (hint, take a look at the lower right hand corner of the pic where the maple top meets the body :D ) Good thing i'm installing binding and not doing natural binding.

Peace

Chris

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Oh no, you have to think twice about this one--you can't do the same color there, it'll look really weird. You need some kind of contrast there.

Actually, if you have scraps of the body wood, you should make the stripe out of that. Then just make sure your pickup rings match your binding. See?

(sound of picking self up off floor after falling out of chair)... What, no "cover it with a pickguard? :D:D

You have chosen wisely, my son. B)

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Right now the body (even with those 2 small chambers) weighs in about 8 pounds, so I figure the whole thing together will be about 12 pounds. You have to also realize i'm going to be taking a lot of the top off for the deep carve i'm going for. Ah well, the guy i'm building it for has strong shoulders, he's a pretty big guy.

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