Prostheta Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 I think they're fine if you can control it and know where to stop. I don't like the uncontrollable dust and aggressive action. When it's gone, it's gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Definitely the messiest, dustiest method of carving. But certainly one of the quickest. Safety first, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Oh yeah it's definitely fast and as long as you go slow it seems to be pretty controllable. It is super dusty I've got one hell of a mess waiting on me to clean up today. I would like to do the bowl type carve in the lower horn like prs does, only way I can see achieving that is with a gouge so I still need to go pick one of those up. Pros, it is hard to know when to stop with it, while trying to smooth it all out I ended up going a bit past my mark on the side of the body, i wanted a 1/4" faux binding there and it ended up being 1/8" I don't think this will look good as a faux binding so I'm thinking I'm going to have to dye it like the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 Personally, I've never been a fan of the flap wheels. People can produce some genuinely good results with them, however it is never something you can quantify. "Art" vs. predictability and reliability? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 The key to flap wheels is to use them for rough bulk removal and stop well short of the target. Get to the target with less aggressive more controllable means. I use them in areas where no artistry exists, only material removal, just like a band saw, for instance. As far as the scoops in the treble cutaway, I use gouges and a drum sander on m y drill to clean it up. If you still want faux binding, you can camber the edges a little till you get back to the quarter inch of raw wood you want. It's a nice look too. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 I agree pros, I had no sense of accomplishment in this and I feel like I robbed myself of that by doing it this way instead of using carving tools, I think that Scott is on the right track with only using the grinder as a stock removal tool and doing the actual work that you see in the finished product by hand. Scott, as for cambering back to get the 1/4", that is a really great idea! I will have to look it over when I get home, I think that I made the edges of the top so flat for the "recurve" look that I would have to put to much angle there and it would just look weird but I will look it over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 26, 2016 Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 While you're looking, consider 3/16" as well SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 I will Scott, thanks for your help! Is 3/16" a normal size for binding? I really wanted this to be a big faux binding to kind of set it apart so it kind of sucks but lesson learned for next time. Anyways, I went and bought a #9 pfeil gouge and got the horns finished up. I can finally say I feel accomplished with this top, man I'm super happy with the way it's turning out!! Heres some pics. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 26, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2016 I think there's something wrong with my camera, in the 4th pic it almost looks like I have kea grass lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIMpleONe89 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Beautiful work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Gives your knee plenty of rest! Very very nice result. Jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 I agree with the others....very impressive carve and a beautiful piece of wood It also made me ponder what would the result if I tackled a carve with a flap wheel. I would probably end up with a guitar body the size of an acoustic guitar bridge peg and a pile of sawdust that would fill a sack.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 That's why I have such a prejudice against them. One false move and you've junked a top, or at least damaged it to the point of requiring specific modification. Whilst some people can use them to get near to finished sizes, I've seen that people who carve by hand produce far more consistent and "dialled in" results. Generally that's the type of work I aspire to myself anyway; exacting, controlled and expected. I don't think that you get use flap wheels for anything other than "very coarse" stock removal and even then with risk of overshooting. Tim - ScottR got you on the right track with choosing the carving option. Man, that's just....you know....wow. I would have trouble doing that. The distinctive crisp PRS contour is what sells it IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Thanks guys I really appreciate it!! Pros, scott really did get me on the right track! I think that I owe him a beer next time I'm down his way, i plan on hand delivering this guitar to the owner once it's finished and he lives in Baytown which I think is in his neck of the woods so I may try and get Scott a beer while I'm down there. Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Beer? Nice job on carving that top. I'll bet the scoops were the most fun. The more you sand that top the more you're going to love it. And 3/16" binding is common enough. Aside from a few absolutes for functionality, there are very few rules in guitar building in my opinion. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 26 minutes ago, 2.5itim said: Thanks guys I really appreciate it!! Pros, scott really did get me on the right track! I think that I owe him a beer next time I'm down his way, i plan on hand delivering this guitar to the owner once it's finished and he lives in Baytown which I think is in his neck of the woods so I may try and get Scott a beer while I'm down there. Haha Universal currency. Unless you were thinking Coots Lite? Hahaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Haha no I'll buy him a good beer in this case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Scott, they really were the most fun! I find the gouge to be a very relaxing and fun tool to use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 I'm trying to figure out my bridge placement and make up my templates for the tremolo and there is no way this drawing that hipshot has for there cavities can be right. It says the front of the cavity should be on the scale length line if I do that then the tremolo will have to be against the back wall to get the high e saddle on my 25" scale length line, then it says for the mounting post holes the center of the hole should be .490 from the scale length line, with my bridge against the back wall to get my saddle on the scale line the mounting spot on the bridge wouldn't be anywhere close to touching the post. If anyone has any insight here I'm all ears. First pic is a screen shot of there drawing, second pic is my scale line, 3rd pic is my template with the front wall on the scale length line, 4th pic is where my bridge need to be to have the high e saddle on scale line with the post where it says it should be drilled. You can see how far away the bridge is from the mount. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 27, 2016 Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 Well, I'd say that it's about right unless you have super low action at all points. The high E usually intonates back a mm at the least, so that looks about right. Where's the witness points on those saddles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 I just don't see how it's possible to have the front of the cavity on the scale line, because then the trem block would be against the back of the cavity with the high e saddle on the scale line. If the trem block was closer to the front of the tremolo I would understand but it isn't. With my tremolo where I want it I drew a line around it and drew circles where the holes are on the tremolo, I then lined up those holes to the ones on the trem block and then put my template on with the trem block in the center of it and drew a circle for where my template is at. This looks to me how this should be set out but it isn't anywhere near the measurements that hipshot gives so idk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted May 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2016 (edited) With going by there drawing the front of the cavity should be 3/8" forward from the pics I just posted and the mounting posts should be 3/8" forward so there's quite a bit of difference and I'm just not sure what to do lol. Edited May 27, 2016 by 2.5itim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 I'll try and validate their drawing today if I get time. Hold on! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 I've seen some claims floating around that the Wilkinson VS100 trem route will fit the Hipshot. I'm pretty sure I have a known-good template for the Wilkinson floating around here. I'll see if I can dig it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted May 28, 2016 Report Share Posted May 28, 2016 Have a look at these and see how they compare with the Hipshot: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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