Jump to content

Explorer 2012


Recommended Posts

I have used stainless and have gone from that to regular steel and haven't noticed a lower quality and I have used long and short verions of the plain steel inserts. And from those solid inserts I have moved to this type:

(hiding the top part under the freat board). Lets remember that the plain steel are soooo much stronger than the traditional wood screw joint. With the simplest plain steel inserts like in the picture I use M6 size and Torx heads, meaning I twist the living daylight out of those screws and not a single insert has let me down over the years. So I'm pretty sure that any one of your inserts will do just fine.

Well, that's professional information, and I really appreciate you shared it. About those simple inserts like in your pic - do they have any effect on fretboard's glue bonding (titebond/epoxy) since 4 of them need some area. I have been using them in furnitures and they are working like a dream.

Your inlay looks excellent, you should be super proud.

I'm happy with it, but don't still feel to be on the level super-proud, maybe semi-proud.

Have been lurking in your and others' builds for a while, high-class projects everywhere!

naama2.jpg

Edited by Fagerholm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Missä sä oot, Fagerholm?

No risks using inserts as long as you open out the hole to the correct size and bevel the outside lip a little before inserting them. Rubbing a bit of candle wax on the thread helps a little too. Are those designed for chipboard or for hardwoods? It can be a bit risky using the incorrect types but clamping the neck either side to stop the wood trying to split might be wise. I prefer the hex head insertion types as I can use a pillar drill chuck to provide downforce and keep the buggers straight.

This is great build. Where did you source the Bubinga? Se tule perseestä yrittää hankkia sen täältä. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Missä sä oot, Fagerholm? Where did you source the Bubinga? Se tule perseestä yrittää hankkia sen täältä. :D

Fagerholm lähettää isot tervehdyksensä Suomen Manchesterista eli Tampereelta. :D

Olen hankkinut bubingaa Hakalan puutukusta (Lahti). Suosittelen suuresti vierailemaan siellä, hyvä palvelu ja edulliset hinnat. Haluat muutenkin varmasti valita itse kitarapuut laadukkaisiin projekteihin. Yleensä tulee ostettua kaikkea muutakin kuin mitä alunperin oli tarkoitus.

Hakalan Puutukku

E: Niin, jos sulla on joku vinkki, mistä hankkia hyviä rampamuhveja (=inserts) niin kerro toki. Omat on ostettu Bauhauksesta.

(Little discussion about local wood suppliers)

Edited by Fagerholm
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we will go to Lahti to check out Hakalan Puutukku next month. Certainly, their stock list warrants further investigation....

(My Finnish isn't good enough to say that yet)

I buy my inserts off eBay from the UK. I think K-Rauta sell the same ones you mentioned. As mentioned, I prefer the brass inserts like these although I usually use M5. I have four I can mail to you if that helps. They need pre-drilling a decidedly British 1/4" however 6.0mm has always worked well.

I have friends over in Tampere, and I think we might move over there in a couple of years. For the moment I am going to buckle down to practicing kitaran teollisuus here in Satakunta. Plans are afoot.

<edit>

Oops. Just referred back to your plan and it looks like you need six. I only have four spare. The inserts you have do not cut a thread, instead they just part the chips in chipboard. In Maple you run a slight risk of splitting, especially with three inserts in the same plane as the grain of the Maple. Perhaps buying some inserts designed for hardwood might be on the cards. Certainly clamp the neck either side when inserting them. Either that or don't mention the repair you have to make when it splits. :D

Edited by Prostheta
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have four I can mail to you if that helps. They need pre-drilling a decidedly British 1/4" however 6.0mm has always worked well...

...Just referred back to your plan and it looks like you need six. I only have four spare.

Yes - but

My plan doesn't show that four inserts will be placed in neck, the two last will be mounted under PU hole in body. That's because neck tenon won't maybe be thick (and strong) enough for inserts. Two screws will be drilled from top side.

So if you could spare four inserts, I would be happy with them (can you post e-mail, please). I'll send you a formal payment as support to luthiers. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had some free time, but couldn't use it at workshop so the rest of the MOP were cutted with dremel discs.

069.jpg

Stickers on MOP

070.jpg

Setup to create identical 4-part stars.

071.jpg

1) Carving the jig

072.jpg

2)Placing pre-cut MOP

073.jpg

3) Filing MOP pararallel to edge. (both sides)

074.jpg

Finished set.

Can't say I will be missing the inlay stage. This week I will be hanging more in the workshop so some progress is expected in the neck & fretboard section.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Update

- Sorry, I had to decrease pic quality to spare some homepage space.

080.jpg

I wasn't happy with the truss rod, so I decided to move it little and also lubricate it.

081.jpg

079.jpg

This inlay was meant for fretboard. In my opinion it highlights better in headstock.

075.jpg

Stickers on fretboard. Didn't work as well as I hoped, because their edges frayed during routing.

076.jpg

077.jpg

083.jpg

Glued with Z-poxy.

084.jpg

Foam rubber taped on wooden stick to divide clamp force during attaching fretboard onto neck.

085.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

blokki.jpg

Self made radius block (12")

086.jpg

Drawing the pocket. Neck angle was routed straight into tenon.

087.jpg

088.jpg

089.jpg

090.jpg

091.jpg

As result I have never acheived this stable bolt-on neck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

092.jpg

093.jpg

094.jpg

095.jpg

082.jpg

Found these white-tailed deer bones from nearbly forest. Four deers were brought from Minnesota in 1934 into right this region. Current population is something like 30k and it's more uncommon if you can spend a whole day without spotting them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

097.jpg

098.jpg

Widening holes just a little.

099.jpg

Spots were copied to neck by clamping it to body and tapping srews in the holes.

100.jpg

The embarrasing part: I just had'nt any luck with Prostheta's fine inserts :D

I guess they weren't idiot-proof.

The first splitted during screwing, second depleted and third succeeded, but stucked on bit, when testing them on scrap wood. Sorry, I literally screwed this up.

101.jpg

I still had two inserts left, but after comparing the helix, I went with regular steel inserts.

102.jpg

103.jpg

104.jpg

So this is the progress so far.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prostheta - Obvioysly I messed up something. Still thanks for valuable lesson, I will post you some Mämmi-beer. :D

maull - Glad you like it and welcome aboard!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Hi again

Progress has been really slow because of the work & new hairy family member. So less building, more lurking.

This weekend I was finally able to continue my build. Body was carved from both sides and electronics were fitted.

108.jpg

Carving job was mainly done with knive, chisel, finger plane and rasp. Bindings around neck pocket detached during routing and need re-glueing.

107.jpg

106.jpg

Upcoming weekends I will be installing hardware and cutting cavity covers. In this build I'm testing Schaller's Fine-Tuning Tailpiece.

A ply-wood guitar case is also in my mind, but explorer's case would be quite massive. Attaching artificial leather on wood with contact glue is next to the inlaying in things that drive me crazy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But, I have to ask...What is the scale length? The size of the guitar in the pic makes you look 7 feet tall. :huh:

Funny as I tought the same. Must be some perspective thing - or that Scandinavian average height is just 7½ ft.

The scale is 24.75 " and overal length 1,10 metres. Thanks about the comments!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Quick update of the last month. Most of the progress was done during Midsummer weekend.

110.jpg

111.jpg

112.jpg

Drilling the hole for a barrel jack.

113.jpg

New clamps!

I have done a couple deer related projects myself.

Forgot to mention - If you could post some pics, I would really like to see them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...