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Lumberjack builds for a buddy


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Hey gang,

I’m getting started on a build for a friend of mine and figured I’d start up another thread. This will be a bit different from my usual stuff: he’s spec’d out a flat top PRS-custom-24-shaped geetar with HSS pickups, 3+3 headstock, and a fixed bridge.  More details to follow, but here’s the starting lumber:

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At first glance I thought you were ruining the edge of the body, be it scrap or not!

The screws actually look very cool on the moisture darkened wood! Somehow that reminds me of horse saddles, Cup washers and oval head screws...

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  • 2 weeks later...
10 minutes ago, Vitaly_V said:

Semyon Padalka makes cuts from the back of the top. This makes it easier to bend the wood

 

I meant that it is easier to bend wet wood with cuts. Cuts do not exclude material wetting)) I even saw craftsmen who folded the top with a hot iron with a steamer))

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On 1/1/2021 at 5:12 AM, Bizman62 said:

Ultimate workmanship on the bevel!

Thanks my friend!

 

9 hours ago, Vitaly_V said:

Semyon Padalka makes cuts from the back of the top. This makes it easier to bend the wood.

This was my initial plan.  I don't have a cnc though, and didn't think I could do the kerfing consistently/precisely enough with hand tools to avoid splitting, so I decided to bend it without the kerfing.  

 

7 hours ago, ADFinlayson said:

Looking forward to seeing this one move on. Lovely wood combinations, what is that body? in the pics of the blanks i thought it was sapale, but the pics after shaping makes me think is african mahog? 

Yessir!  it's African mahogany.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Made a bit more progress on Buddy Build 1.0

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Have yet to round over the edges and the heel will get a bit more shaping once the neck is glued on, but other than that the body is nearly done.  

 

Do you guys have any tips on how to cut/route/saw the slot for the blade switch?  I haven't done one in 10+ years and frankly I don't even remember how I did it back then.  

 

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4 hours ago, Lumberjack said:

Do you guys have any tips on how to cut/route/saw the slot for the blade switch?

Yes, a Dremel router is one option. I've also heard about using a Dremel circular saw bit.

I did it by drilling several holes in a row and combining them with a keyhole saw and a thin file and folded sandpaper.

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7 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

I did it by drilling several holes in a row and combining them with a keyhole saw and a thin file and folded sandpaper.

That has been my go to plan as well. I did use a different plan on a repair job that ended up looking pretty sharp. I took a couple of small cocobolo scraps  and filed half the slot on each piece then glued them together. From that I built a little base to mount the switch to, which not only looked quite nice but also covered up the original ugly chewed up slot.

SR

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it's pretty straight forward once you've got your outer holes of the slot drilled, I take a metal ruler and scalpel between the holes then use a 2mm model chisel to carefully remove what's in between. I tend to do it before routing the area to final depth though to ensure a tidy underside. Build is looking fantastic btw

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guitar is looking lovely.  you have great taste in wood.  

afa lever hole... for me -I used my dremel... just made a little u shaped jig that would fit my (then) dremel base inside it.  at the time I could not find a suitable dremel bit... I think all I could find was 1/8" which is too wide.  knowing what I know now there are all sorts of cnc end mills that would be perfect size, but didn't know to search for that term at the time.  just wanted to mention for any who might be in the sm dillema.

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I don't know what the exact size is, I've had my bit for +/- 25 years and switch slots are all it ever gets used for.

I think I bought it as an inlay bit, for routing the cavity for inlays, so probably a downward fluted spiral thing.

Maybe 1/32? It is -really- small,

But more to the point...

I use the aforementioned bit on the Dremel with the router base attached.

I use the flat edge of the router baseplate and either tape or clamp a steel square laid flat to the top in parallel alignment with the slot.

Exactly how you would line up a rip fence on a table saw, more or less.

I would never go at that slot with a drill, drilling multiple drill holes, even the thought of that totally creeps me out.

Then take multiple passes until it's through, then do final dressing with some tiny files.

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On 1/29/2021 at 4:56 PM, Drak said:

I don't know what the exact size is, I've had my bit for +/- 25 years and switch slots are all it ever gets used for.

I think I bought it as an inlay bit, for routing the cavity for inlays, so probably a downward fluted spiral thing.

Maybe 1/32? It is -really- small,

But more to the point...

I use the aforementioned bit on the Dremel with the router base attached.

I use the flat edge of the router baseplate and either tape or clamp a steel square laid flat to the top in parallel alignment with the slot.

Exactly how you would line up a rip fence on a table saw, more or less.

I would never go at that slot with a drill, drilling multiple drill holes, even the thought of that totally creeps me out.

Then take multiple passes until it's through, then do final dressing with some tiny files.

 

Great idea, thanks for all the input everyone!  Got lots of methods to try out, that's for sure.

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