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First build: Zebra-caster


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As I'm making some progress lately and I've got a nice piece of birdseye maple I'm thinking of making this a complete build in stead of re-using the Ibanez neck as planned.

I'm not too big a fan of the Wizard -profile neck. Since this will be my nr 1 build, I'd like it to be to my preferred specs!

got to get me a nice piece of rosewood for the fingerboard and a nice inlay design. Looks like this project will be running a bit longer......

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some advice needed:

The plan is to finish with Tung-oil. Should I first use grain filler or not? 

will the tung oil finish be hard enough to protect from quick dents?

 

thanks!

 

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15 minutes ago, 10pizza said:

some advice needed:

The plan is to finish with Tung-oil. Should I first use grain filler or not? 

will the tung oil finish be hard enough to protect from quick dents?

 

thanks!

 

Zebrano has open grain but I guess it depends on the finish you want to achieve. I grain filled mine and it's very smooth and the wipe on poly gives a nice sheen to it. 

Not sure if tung oil is good enough as a protective finish. 

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It depends on how you apply the oil and whether it is actually "true" Tung or not. Lots of polymerising oils are great for sanding into the wood as part of the initial application. The oil and wood dust create a light slurry which packs into the pores. This is when finishing is very much a hands-on process (no joke intended) and becomes an extension of the finish sanding. A filler is a bit of a shortcut and fine if you're happy doing it that way. Maybe a bit unnecessary.

I've never finished with Tung myself. I prefer Linseed and lighter penetrative oils. Oils don't tend to provide a lot of resistance to denting, etc. however that's also part of what makes them great to work with; they can be touched up and cared for with time. Things like wear become part of a natural patina. Polymerising oils that set up a bit of thickness (such as those with spar varnish added) are more resistant, however they are more akin to lacquers than oils in my book. Oils are more penetrative finishes with a light film to me. Tru-Oil for example, builds. Linseed doesn't.

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it sucks, but it gives me opportunity to think about what to do next. Might start my own business in consulting and combine that with guitarbuilding and repairs. 

next week I'll be putting some more time in my guitarproject, that will help. Looking forward to getting more progress and start my first neck project.

I got a nice piece of birdseye maple. Trying to get two neck blanks out of it, but it will have to be by some economic sawing.

 

a question: at what time do you thin the neckbase to the right depth for the neckpocket? at start, or when shaping the neck?

 

 

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It all depends on the order you work in, and the specifics of the build. If the heel is going to be straight into the pocket, I try and thickness it to that early. You can do it later of course. There's no one time you "have" to do it. Whatever works best or seems most logical is usually right.

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Spent a day in the workshop last monday and got my body (almost) done:

  • trem backcavity route
  • electronics cavity route
  • recessed cavity cover from Zebrano
  • recessed tremcavity route
  • drilled electronics channels 
  • rounded body edges

I did the tremcavity at an angle to make sure I didn't cut through to the bridge pickup cavity. put a piece of scrap beneath my template to get the necessary angle.

Today I'll receive my jack and jack-ring so I'll know what diameter holes to drill for that. Also I'll receive my finishing oil today, so I can start working on the finish after that.

Yesterday I received my trussrod for the neck. Today my rosewood should come in. Next monday I've scheduled another day at the shop to start work on the neck. It will be a tele-style headstock to match the body, but ofcourse with a top-lock for the edge trem. I'll re-use the gotoh-tuners from my Ibanez neck.

for the neck shaping I still need to find me an affordable rasp. 

some pictures of progress:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bodyroute 05.jpg

bodyroute 01.jpg

bodyroute 02.jpg

bodyroute 03.jpg

bodyroute 04.jpg

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thanks guys. First time takes a lot of time, but you learn a lot, so next one will be easier/quicker I guess.

some lessons learned:

  • don't overdo on the doublesided tape
  • get a shorter router bit with bearing for the next project for those recesses
  • route in very small passes with mahogany
  • be patient, be very patient

 

 

 

 

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Equally, don't under-do the double-sided tape! A template slipping is far worse. I couldn't agree more about using many small passes and having shorter bits. The disasters that people end up forced into when using a big 1" long bit in the absence of a better choice can kill a project in its tracks.

I wish I could be less patient by choice. I love working and I hate sitting on my hands.

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