lowrider Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Here are some pics of my first build. Surprisingly all is going pretty smooth so far(knocks on wood). I dont know how to post pics in with this post. http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2609.jpg http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2607.jpg http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2589.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ooten2 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Looks really good. Nice job on the routes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 So far, so good. I'd go back and make a good template for the control cavity and clean it up a bit, but all the other routs look pretty clean. Just take your time and don't rush a single step. And keep in mind that, if you're doing to be doing the finishing yourself, you'll be maybe 10-20% done (in terms of hours of labor) after you've finished the woodworking part of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 (edited) So far, so good. I'd go back and make a good template for the control cavity and clean it up a bit, but all the other routs look pretty clean. Just take your time and don't rush a single step. And keep in mind that, if you're doing to be doing the finishing yourself, you'll be maybe 10-20% done (in terms of hours of labor) after you've finished the woodworking part of it. Huh, Maybe the pics look funny? The control cavity is actually very clean. What do you see? Yeah, I'm sweatin the thought of finishing it a little. Edited July 27, 2007 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awilcox Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 I like the shape and the wood. Will you be carving the top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Thats the plan=more stressin'. We'll see how it goes. I guess if I screw it up too bad I can always run it through the drum sander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 What do you see? Yeah, I'm sweatin the thought of finishing it a little. The outline of the cavity just looks a little bit bumpy, not quite smooth curves, almost like it was routed freehand. But it could be the pic angle too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 (edited) Here's a better pic. There is only one spot on the bottom "bump out" for a screw that has a tiny divet in it. Hey how'd that pic get there? I thought I did it the same as before when just the link showed up. Edited July 27, 2007 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 its not perfect but i have seen much worse cavities - to be honest they should probably be a bit bigger if you wnat them for the screws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Hey how'd that pic get there? I thought I did it the same as before when just the link showed up. I explained to you in the other thread how to get your pics to show up, just do that and you won't have a problem from now on. If you can't figure that out, then just bracket the url in tags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 27, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 its not perfect but i have seen much worse cavities - to be honest they should probably be a bit bigger if you wnat them for the screws Your probably right about the humps being a little bigger. The cover plate template is 3/16'' wider than the main parts of the cavity though, so I think I'll be ok. I'm all for constructive criticism. What dont you like about the cavity, other than the little nick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Thats the plan=more stressin'. We'll see how it goes. I guess if I screw it up too bad I can always run it through the drum sander. I just did my first carved top. Don't stress out--mine was easier than I expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the telecaster kid Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Here are some pics of my first build. Surprisingly all is going pretty smooth so far(knocks on wood). I dont know how to post pics in with this post. http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2609.jpg http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2607.jpg http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w79/mikep911/DSCN2589.jpg Dude, that thing looks awesome, but I have to ask you where u got the flame maple for the carved top, I mean, where did you get maple thick enough for that? I'm looking to do a craved top guitar. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 (edited) LMI sells it. My wife bought me their solid body "kit" and it came in it. It should have been a little thicker but I didnt store it properly and the boards warped a little. It's still about 9/16". I dont know how good their price's are but here you go. link Edited July 28, 2007 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the telecaster kid Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Thanks, that's wat I was looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Looking good. I think I already told you, but I *love* that flamed maple top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 What dont you like about the cavity, other than the little nick? I actually hadn't noticed the nick in the bump-out for the screw; what caught my eye was the outline. Functionally it will work perfectly well, and the cavity will be covered with a cover, so no big deal (believe me, I've hidden more hideous things underneath covers....). But attention to detail in every other area of your build will, in the end, make for a much more satisfying instrument than one that you consider to be "good enough" (especially when it comes to the finishing). The arrows show some subtle humps where there should be a more flowing curve. Also, the upper edge does not appear to follow a straight line behind the screw bump-out. This is "good enough" for a cavity, but would not be for something like a headstock outline, or a fretboard radius, or a neck taper. Zooming in, it looks like you sanded the edges with a spindle sander, is that right? If so, then it is dead easy to make yourself a router template for this next time; just do the same thing in a 10" x 10" piece of 3/4" plywood and aim for perfection when you sculpt the cavity. Draw it out in a computer drawing program, or use a straightedge for the sides of the cavity, and french curves or a compass for the rounded corners to draw it out; print on paper and stick it to the plywood, then have at it. If it gets botched, toss it in the trash and try again until you nail it...its only plywood. I'm guessing you already had templates for the neck pocket and pickup routs, those look great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 Where you put arrows are supposed to be bump outs also, they're just on the small side. I actually used a template for this, no spindle sander involved. I think the upper edge is an optical illusion. It does look a little off but it really is an equal distance from the body centerline. Well maybe I'll go and re-sand my template. I did use a spindle sander for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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