mistermikev Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 all right folks - it's time to play "where's the splice" again. I believe last time bizman found it first... so the gauntlet has been dropped. if you've followed me at all you might know I had some issues with a bad drive board and as a result my neck pocket was cut a hair 'off'. In the process I technically screwed up both sides - the right side of it (as pictured below) wasn't deep enough to be permanent, but the left side... well I spliced in a piece... see if you can spot it here and I'll post a bigger pic where it makes it obvious sometime tomorrow. I know you guys have great eyes for this so if it takes you any amount of time I'm gonna call it a success. The one spot where you can really tell is the corner - but I spent so much time getting the edge right I didn't want to screw it up by redoing the corner so... with no further delay - splice on the left - can you spot it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 Too easy. Dead center in the neck slot, the right side grain is at an angle compared to the left. Oh, you weren't talking about the centerline joint. Too blurred for me to see... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 2 hours ago, Bizman62 said: Too easy. Dead center in the neck slot, the right side grain is at an angle compared to the left. Oh, you weren't talking about the centerline joint. Too blurred for me to see... hehe, well.... yeeeaaaah, hhhright... that is true the oak is joined at center. the big reveal... the stock after the at the top there gives it away pretty good here... but also the little corner is not quite hidden... w photoshop line... after cutting the pocket... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted December 10, 2020 Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 That's pretty awesome! I tried to look at that very spot but there was such a short bit of the seam visible that I couldn't believe there'd be a splice glued! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2020 9 minutes ago, Bizman62 said: That's pretty awesome! I tried to look at that very spot but there was such a short bit of the seam visible that I couldn't believe there'd be a splice glued! well thank you... I'm chalking it up as a win then!! I imagine that if I add any dye to this top it's going to make it much more obvious. that said... in order to hide my burn through on the top... think in the end I'm going to try ebonizing this. should be fun either way!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted December 13, 2020 Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 It looks pretty dashed impressive to me! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2020 2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: It looks pretty dashed impressive to me! thank you sir. ran the back side yesterday... and we had another little controller hiccup... but not too bad. def going to build a new controller stat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 found a little birthmark... but eh, adds character! I think my string holes are going to take out a good amount of it but we'll see. All things considered I think I'm coming out pretty decent for a "first cnc build"... lots to learn yet and lots of thanks for all the "leg ups" I've been given around here - special thanks to @curtisa and @MiKro couldn't have made it this far without your generosity and patience! anticipating a little bit of potential to split that little nipple I made for the bridge on the left there when I sink the studs into it... there is such a differential in the top there that I didn't want a big chunk of stud/screw sticking up so... taking a chance. If anyone as ideas on how to avoid an issue there I'm all ears. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 He's a catfish! Whiskers and all! Nipples are delicate things. Obviously you don't want to hammer a too thick of a stud into it, then again too loose of a hole isn't good either. Ruokangas Guitars has addressed the issue by applying bolts on the bottom side: https://ruokangas.com/specifications/bridge-talk/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 3 hours ago, Bizman62 said: He's a catfish! Whiskers and all! Nipples are delicate things. Obviously you don't want to hammer a too thick of a stud into it, then again too loose of a hole isn't good either. Ruokangas Guitars has addressed the issue by applying bolts on the bottom side: https://ruokangas.com/specifications/bridge-talk/ interesting read. It would seem he's focused on solving the locking mechanism more than the gentle install... but admittedly the idea that you could suck the studs into the hole as opposed to hammering - well it would def be more gentle. so with that in mind... just would need some really deep jaw clamps. I don't like the idea of drilling thru the bottom, as it would require some leveled off holes on the back, but if I can find some deep clamps that would def be a more gentle way to get them in. thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted December 21, 2020 Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 3 hours ago, mistermikev said: just would need some really deep jaw clamps. For pushing gently you can use the drill press as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 21, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2020 45 minutes ago, Bizman62 said: For pushing gently you can use the drill press as well. that's a good call. the one with the nipple is actually pretty close to the edge so.... might spare my drill press and just use a clamp but it's a good idea and will keep it for reserve. thanks for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2020 little update... got my 'real' run off the cnc... spent some time with my dragon rasp yesterday... she needs a whole lot of sanding and some details worked out... but getting there... got a little bit of wavy gravy on the underside due to not smoothing the transitions between several arcs... and a little 'brithmark'. will have to decide if I want to do the work to smooth it out or chalk it up to 'character'. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 That's purdy! SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 1 hour ago, ScottR said: That's purdy! SR thank you, thank you sir!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gogzs Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 I'm always mesmerized when a CNC churns out such a beauty. A nice tool put to awesome use, can't wait to see it completed. Curious how contrastful it'll be when it's varnished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted December 31, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Gogzs said: I'm always mesmerized when a CNC churns out such a beauty. A nice tool put to awesome use, can't wait to see it completed. Curious how contrastful it'll be when it's varnished. well thank you for saying so!! technically this one is not going to change!! I'm going to use osmo polyx raw... which in theory is going to keep it almost natural and actually lighten it if anything... but I have another 8' or so of this maple so... I'm sure I'll do one with stain sooner or later!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Only just catching up with this. It looks excellent For the top, you will find the Osmo Raw excellent. It really does work. On the darker wood it needs to be super, super thin and even coats otherwise the whitener will show. Wipe on, wipe off works well. Even with such a thin application, it won't need many coats but do let them dry at least 24 hours between each. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 3 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said: Only just catching up with this. It looks excellent For the top, you will find the Osmo Raw excellent. It really does work. On the darker wood it needs to be super, super thin and even coats otherwise the whitener will show. Wipe on, wipe off works well. Even with such a thin application, it won't need many coats but do let them dry at least 24 hours between each. thank you sir and thanks for the info. ever since I saw that one bass... been wanting to use that stuff!!. have been half debating whether I should try to do a light pink sandback on the top before finishing... to expose the flame a bit... but don't want to ruin the 'white' look of the wood either. just have to see how it strikes me. thanks again for the reply. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted June 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 so actively back working on this build decided to rebuild my tablesaw jig. got it all built... and was so focused on getting the fence perpendicular to the base (it IS perp)... that I missed the fact that the fence is not quite tight to the rabbet in the middle... so both ends pull back about 1/32... which is the exact amount I won't let slide (hehe). fortunately I had the foresight to NOT glue down my handles... so those will come off easy. Room to improve anyway... my rabbet was a little too deep so I'll fix that in the design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted June 21, 2022 Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 I have to admit I completely forgot about this build......and it is soo cool. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted June 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 38 minutes ago, ScottR said: I have to admit I completely forgot about this build......and it is soo cool. SR well thank you sir... I forgot too in the sense that I don't know where I was at. kevin came with the request for a tele and this just got pushed aside... and realizing now how much there is to do. turns out I made a mistake in my design in placing the stud holes too wide apart... so no worries... make lemonaid... was thinking I'll do a wood bridge w piezo. so.. the electronics are going to be uber complicted. going to have a sep preamp for piezo, sep preamp for mags, the pickup is actually two p-style pickups together... so there will be the typical mike v "lotsaoptions" wiring... it's probably going to be too complicated. have to solve some issues too like how to ground the strings if not via the bridge... think I'll just buy a brass 5 string insert... or perhaps try my hand at milling brass? or perhaps run a ground wire to one string ferrule then use a brass nut? i dunno. decided to cut my own fretboard out of pupleheart... but my machine is only 24" so will have to attempt to tile it... lots to learn there. My design for neck needs a lot of work yet... and this would be a first doing an angled headstock via cnc. bit overwhelming... but just have to put one foot in front of the other and repeat! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted June 21, 2022 Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 1 hour ago, ScottR said: I have to admit I completely forgot about this build... Me too, and purdy she is indeed! 20 minutes ago, mistermikev said: turns out I made a mistake in my design in placing the stud holes too wide apart... so no worries... make lemonaid... was thinking I'll do a wood bridge w piezo. so.. the electronics are going to be uber complicted. A simple brass bridge similar to a wooden one should be easy enough to do even with hand tools and that would also solve the grounding issue. Or, if you go wooden, insert a piece of fret wire similarly to the bone in acoustic bridges. Or even a thicker slab of brass, now that I got to thinking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted June 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 7 minutes ago, Bizman62 said: Me too, and purdy she is indeed! A simple brass bridge similar to a wooden one should be easy enough to do even with hand tools and that would also solve the grounding issue. Or, if you go wooden, insert a piece of fret wire similarly to the bone in acoustic bridges. Or even a thicker slab of brass, now that I got to thinking... thank you. well I'd kind of have some ideas how I'm going to do the bridge. I bought these locking studs... that are for les paul style tailpiece and have tops that screw on... was thinking I could do an acoustic saddle... over a piezo ribbon, and create set screws in front/back of the studs to allow for fwd/rev action on the bridge. so that rules out a ground connection via the bridge itself... but I was thinking I could buy one of these: https://graingerguitarparts.com/products/grainger-bass-string-ferrule-block-5-string-19mm-spacing and bury it in the backside and do some sort of wood overlay. then just run a ground wire too it. the ironic thing is I use nylon tapewound strings which make a ground connection thru fingers rather weak... but you never know when you want to toss some round wounds on so best to have it. having it at the ferrules at least makes connection to the string balls and not via the strings themselves so I think that will work best for my application. i do need to add working with brass to my skill set... but this bass isn't a great candidate since I don't want gold/brass. finishing it would be problematic at best. anywho, thank you gents for getting my brain flowing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizman62 Posted June 21, 2022 Report Share Posted June 21, 2022 A ferrule block is easy and should work. But your ferrule holes are along a radius which makes it a bit harder. But: Ferrules do have a collar, don't they? Simply cut a tiny groove between the ferrules and connect the holes with pieces of wire, then ground the outermost ferrule. The collars should pretty much hide them especially if you use silver wire. If you want to hide the wires, you can also drill from each ferrule hole to the next one. I'm not trying to tell you what to do, just tossing ideas for you to chew. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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