Norris Posted November 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 (edited) By 'eck there are some big woodworm around these parts! They've done a nice neat job though There... the not-an-f-hole Luckily I got first use of the new set of forstener bits that the guitar building course just bought, before any of the other students got a chance to abuse them . Can you remember all that time ago when I dyed & lacquered the upper chamber? I almost wish I'd gone ahead & installed an LED to give it a glow. I was toying with the idea at the time, but decided it might be a bit too cheesey. Still the red "rock 'n' roll heart" is prominent enough, and should look good when the top is blue. Once again I'm pretty pleased with that. Those holes were what inspired the tear-drop recesses in the first place. Edit: 14 pages?! I really must up my tempo on the next build! Edited November 7, 2017 by Norris 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 5 hours ago, Norris said: Once again I'm pretty pleased with that As well you should be. Verrry nice! SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 It is, definitely! LEDs are a bit of a game to get right for illuminating a space. They generally have a narrower viewing angle requiring a bit of thought or experimenting with placement to avoid hot spots or shadows. Even though you didn't go down this path, it's a great build that you should be rightly proud of, Norris. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted November 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 Thanks chaps. Those remaining pencil marks are now gone, but it was too cold in the garage to do much more last night & the log burner was roaring & calling me into the living room . It's getting harder & harder to drag myself outside as winter kicks in. I might have to try insulating it in the spring. 17 hours ago, Prostheta said: LEDs are a bit of a game to get right for illuminating a space. They generally have a narrower viewing angle requiring a bit of thought or experimenting with placement to avoid hot spots or shadows. I would have angled it towards the rear so that the only light shining out would be from internal diffusion. I even went as far as buying a surface mounted AA battery holder. Perhaps I'll try it on a future build. A reddish/orange glow would have looked good though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 This build started off pretty flipping good, Norris, but it just gets better and better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted November 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: This build started off pretty flipping good, Norris, but it just gets better and better Thanks! I just hope that I get my control plate back from being chromed soon, or I'm going to run out of things to do. I've been told it should be this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 9, 2016 Report Share Posted November 9, 2016 The internal resistance of CR2032 batteries is perfect for most LEDs. They can't supply enough current to burn them out and are pretty compact. I used a pair with a wooden clothes peg to make a fret saw light guide a while back. I should really pick that thread back up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted November 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2016 (edited) We're getting down to the small fiddly bits that take ages and don't seem to be much progress. Anyway, the rear access panel (flamed maple body offcut that also provided the headstock veneer) has been bound with an offcut of the mother-of-toilet-seat binding and has then spent a few hours on the sanding table. There's still a bit more to do, but I don't want to go too mad while I'm still sorting out the router templates. The internal control plate is also back from being chromed. Yes, next time I'll polish it up. You can still see the sanding marks, but as it's an internal plate and the chrome plating was mainly to avoid tarnishing I'm not going to fret about it (puntastic!). And then the most time consuming bit - the router templates. I've gone for a flush trim rather than use a guide bush, as it will help with alignment. The inner one is complete, the outer rebate template still needs some fettling to get the cover sitting in it nicely while allowing a bit room for a few coats of lacquer. The lugs on the inner the,plate are for neodymium magnets Pictures: Edit: I changed my avatar btw - those goggles are SO useful to my knackered old eyes Edited November 7, 2017 by Norris 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted December 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 (edited) I've routed the inner part of the rear access and drilled for the socket. However this has exposed a slight oversight - the standard telecaster 3-way switch won't fit in the recess! Luckily I've not cut the front yet, so I'll have to tweak the design slightly to use a lower profile switch. Of course this means that my chromed control mounting plate isn't quite right either. Oh well, I had to make a least one cock up - just glad it's not too major The rear cover will have to come down quite a bit in thickness to give room to fit magnets in both that and the body. There should be room though - they are very small magnets By heck the garage is cold though - progress is slowing down. We've had a few cold nights recently, and given a choice between freezing my bits off in the garage or sitting by a roaring log fire - I'm afraid the fire has won My guitar building classes have also finished for this year. I'll see how much I can get done at home over December, but the band gigs are ramping up a bit for the festive season Edited November 7, 2017 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 7 hours ago, Norris said: By heck the garage is cold though - progress is slowing down. We've had a few cold nights recently, and given a choice between freezing my bits off in the garage or sitting by a roaring log fire - I'm afraid the fire has won I know what you mean, I've been using my unheated conservatory as a workshop and yesterday it managed to get to a stagering 9 degrees, as the light faded and the temp dropped I just had to get warmed up, so I joined the rest of the inmates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted December 1, 2016 Report Share Posted December 1, 2016 It was a solid -11°C yesterday when I drove into work. First job of the day, start a big ol' fire to heat up the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skyjerk Posted December 2, 2016 Report Share Posted December 2, 2016 (edited) OK, this will be a first for me. I'll go on record saying that I despise Telecasters. This is a whole new kinda animal, though. This is a VERY cool build, and great work! Edited December 2, 2016 by Skyjerk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted December 2, 2016 Report Share Posted December 2, 2016 21 hours ago, Prostheta said: It was a solid -11°C yesterday when I drove into work. First job of the day, start a big ol' fire to heat up the shop. It's only dropped to about -4 here and that is cold enough for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted December 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2016 On 02/12/2016 at 4:04 PM, Skyjerk said: OK, this will be a first for me. I'll go on record saying that I despise Telecasters. This is a whole new kinda animal, though. This is a VERY cool build, and great work! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 6, 2016 Report Share Posted December 6, 2016 Can't wait to see this fully finished at the next Midlands Bass Bash, Norris (hint, hint) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted December 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 9 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: Can't wait to see this fully finished at the next Midlands Bass Bash, Norris (hint, hint) I'm hoping to get it done by my birthday in February - I'm having doubts that I'll even hit that though. The bass bash is usually in May? If it's not done by then it's going on the log burner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 7, 2016 Report Share Posted December 7, 2016 28 minutes ago, Norris said: I'm hoping to get it done by my birthday in February - I'm having doubts that I'll even hit that though. The bass bash is usually in May? If it's not done by then it's going on the log burner! May 13 . If it does get to log burner stage, I have a much more efficient log burner here....just post well packaged and in one piece to Derby and I will make sure it is well disposed of. You know you can trust me, Norris - I come from Wolverhampton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 (edited) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly My evening classes started back, so I've been working on it again. It seems a long time since I've done much. Anyway, I have some success and some less-than-success. I suppose it had to happen some time. First, the Good. I used the jig that my father-in-law made for me to drill the holes for the ferrules. Yep, pretty pleased with that. I just need to fettle the ends of the small holes to make sure they align with the small holes in the ferrules and then tidy it up a bit. I thought that went quite cleanly though. The Bad No in not-quite-so-successful fashion, I started routing the rebate for my rear cover.. A slight lack of concentration maybe, I slipped and made slightly more sawdust than I intended. There was supposed to be a 4mm rebate. It's not as bad as it could have been though, as the extra chew is just about the width of the binding I have used elsewhere on the guitar. I've already bound the cover, so we'll have a double binding. I can save that. The Ugly It took me hours of careful sanding to get this template just right, and less than a second to trash it And there at the end of the sequence of gouges you can see the chew out. That template is heading for the bin then. Reminder to self: When handling a router be careful, be sure, be positive, keep a good grip - or next time it could be your fingers! Anyway at least I'm making sawdust again. It seems like ages (and the cold damp garage at home hasn't helped). I'll need to do myself a checklist for the outstanding bits as I get into the home straight. Edited November 7, 2017 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 At least the worst of the damage was to the template as opposed to the part, and what got on the part can be fixed. You could use a rabitting bit to enlarge the shelf evenly. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 11, 2017 Report Share Posted January 11, 2017 ....or a binding cutter, which is a rebating bit anyway really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 18 hours ago, ScottR said: You could use a rabitting bit to enlarge the shelf evenly. 18 hours ago, Prostheta said: ....or a binding cutter, which is a rebating bit anyway really. That's kind of my intention. The existing shelf is slightly shallow still - only by about 0.2mm but enough to level it out. I carried on routing the pass, avoiding the damaged area, to give myself a decent guide for alignment. I'm using a stubby top bearing bit + template, as I can't use the inner route as a guide due to the magnet mounting lugs. As Scott says, wrecking a template is an inconvenience - wrecking the guitar would have been a lot worse. It shouldn't be a difficult "save". I'm more disappointed with myself tbh to have made an avoidable mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 5 hours ago, Norris said: I'm more disappointed with myself tbh to have made an avoidable mistake. Sometimes actually making the mistake drives the lesson home better than just knowing better in the first place. Experience goes a long way towards staving off the tendency to become complacent. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StratsRdivine Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 Nice work Norris! First build, but it looks like this ain't your first rodeo in woodworking. Save the template! Fill the digs with epoxy or body filler, resand and your golden, Then you always have a visual reminder to be more careful. All my reminders are the over 100 stitches on both hands from my last 30 years of woodworking. Here's a nice tip on acrylic cements: The one part Weld-on cement you have does a good job, but shrinks too much, as it is not crosslinked with a binder. Use the 2 part reactive solvent cements like Weld-On 40 or Acryfix Versatile that come with the catalyst. They will bond better, and will also fill gaps nicely. Cures crystal clear too with no bubbles - the one part stuff is more prone to bubbles, but when bonding to wood, you may get them anyway. One really cool aspect of the reactive cements is that they will solvent weld to themselves, even after crosslinking. So if you ever wanted a crystal clear bond line on wood with no bubbles, you would coat the wood first with a good sealer coat of Weld-on. Once cured, you can sand or not, but then the next application of Weld-on 40 will bond the plastic without bubbles. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted January 12, 2017 Report Share Posted January 12, 2017 "Wow!"....that's all I can add. Well, on binding cements anyway! For templates, I've developed the habit of making a "master" for anything that I perceive using again. Especially with laser-cut acrylic templates, which are too thin and prone to melting for most routing work. I copy them to thicker plywood or MDF whenever possible for the "actual" work. Having melted a template from a dirty bearing not spinning down quickly enough when making first contact....yeah....it hurts.... Good point on saving the template though. You might want to stabilise the chunked up areas with a little CA. Bondo or other polyester body fillers are great for templates....replacing chunks in bodies....not so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted January 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2017 18 hours ago, StratsRdivine said: Nice work Norris! First build, but it looks like this ain't your first rodeo in woodworking. Thanks, but actually yes. I've done a bit of DIY around the house and am reasonable competent, but this is my first foray into any serious woodworking. That's probably why it's taken me 16 months so far to get to this stage! A lot of it is due to the sage advice of my instructors at the night class I go to... and of course the good people of PG... and the inspirational guitars they build. Thanks for the advice about binding cement - I'll check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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