Zack Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 I'm pretty pumped about this one! I have new tools for this build including a 14" bandsaw, spindle sander, and router table. The last one was mostly done with a palm router but it got the job done. I'm going to throw a bone to North Ridge Hardwoods for sending such beautiful wood to work with. It's always such a pain searching for a good deal on nice wood when you are a newbie. Alder with 1/4 maple cap Flamed quarter sawn maple neck Ebony fretboard with abalone top and side dots It will be a standard Tele setup other that the truss rod (HotRod) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 NIce wood! You are going to have fun with the new tools too. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2015 Finally got some free time yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2015 I learned a valuable lesson about quartersawn wood and the router. It made a pretty bad mess of a couple places where the grain was perfectly 90 degrees parallel. I'll be looking for a little more rift in the next blank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Made some more progress this afternoon. I LOVE the new tools. I would never build another one without the spindle sander, fret press, or real fret nippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Shapin up great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 I finally got a chance to get back on this. I had to sort of wing it on a couple things that I couldn't find very clear answers on. Clamping the drop top left me wishing for double the clamps once it was glued on. I ended up moving all the clamps to the outside to prevent gaps. I hope that doesn't make the middle get a belly when I stain it. I'm also pretty sure I've officially wussed out on the idea of gluing the neck and shaping the heel. My mind can't get arount the small area of the neck pocket would provide a solid glueup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 I think I'm at a stopping point for the day. Really did a number to the back drilling the ferrules so I owned my shame and ordered a string block. Hopefully it will be here soon. In the meantime, sanding, sanding, sanding........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 I taped off for the faux binding and sprayed sanding sealer to protect it from stain. Here is the stain. It's Stewmac tobacco brown then antique amber. I wanted a slight burst. We'll see if the laquer lets it show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 This is bugging me. The router hated the end grain and took it out on the neck with furious vengeance. I tried stainable filler but just sprayed sanding sealer. It looks like crap. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Will that even be visible when the neck is bolted on? If so you could slice off the offending area and glue on a clean piece then reshape the new piece to fit or shape it first. That 's a nice top you have there, very uniform figure. You've gotten a very seasoned, aged look out of it with your dye job. Looks good. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Thanks Scott! That's not a bad idea. It may never be seen but I know it's there and I will lose precious sleep tossing and turning at night, haunted by shoddy wood filler. I had a bad experience staining a Chinese "Res Paul" kit guitar. It was nice to have a real slab of maple to work with. The kit guitar wouldn't take much more than 1000 grit before you broke through the veneer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 Out of nowhere this happened last week. With three daughters, the only buzz around the house is about kittens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 And then this happened today after about 6 coats in two days I get blush on the last one BAD. Darn Mississippi humidity skyrocketed this afternoon. So on the last guitar I sanded it out, but I'm far too concered with sand-thru this early in the clear coating. I have an airbrush and some lacquer thinner. Do y'all think that will do the trick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 25, 2015 Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Out of nowhere this happened last week. Yikes! I've had the blush deal happen a couple of times. The last time I was fortunate enough that polished out with micromesh 3600--which puts no thickness of lacquer in danger. I would try some superfine sandpaper like 1500 or micromesh first. I've also tried spraying lacquer thinner, and while it made improvements, it did not clear it all up. This blush eraser however, does work. http://www.stewmac.com/SiteSearch/blush%20remover.html SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted April 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2015 Thanks Scott, I tried the airbrush last night with minimal success. I guess in my raging battle with impatience, I'll order the Stewmac stuff and have my wife taze me if I go near it with sandpaper because that never ends well. This may be my 2nd build but it comes after about 6 refinish projects and if I've learned anything, my heavy hand has not lost an ounce. On a side note, while the lacquer thinner just sort of beaded up on the Colortone lacquer like water, the cheap Lowes (Valspar) lacquer I used last time melted on contact with just the vapor. Another lesson learned about how expensive and time consuming it is to be cheap with the finish. That last guitar is still semi-soft after about 3 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted May 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 The blush eraser worked and did so quickly. I was worried becaus so much time passed but it took care of it instantly. I'll post pics when it's finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Good deal. It can a little time back into your curing cycle, since it does add some solvents back into your lacquer which will need to evaporate back out, so be aware of that. Oh, and I too went the cheap route with lacquer on my first build. It took over a year to reach the hardness of the instrument lacquers I should have used......if it ever did. Some lessons are only learned the hard way. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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