ESDictor

I've noticed that most guitars built here do not have painted necks ... is there a reason for that? I'm working on a neck right now where I'm going to have to make a repair, and was wondering if that's not considered an option for some reason.

Thanks,

Evan

Without the template attached and with the cut finished, it doesn't look quite as bad as it did

However, that's the least of my problems now .. because of a nice tear-out while doing the headstock

So .. what's the word on painting a neck/headstock?

I wasn't talking about fixing the template, I was talking about fixing the neck. The only saw I have is a jigsaw, so I can't make a straight enough cut to get a laminate in there, and I don't have a planer to clean anything up anyway.

The template piece is trash, but the damage is on a straight edge, so I should be able to fix this one neck by working around the damaged area and then sanding flat afterwards on the belt sander.

After I have the neck shape cleaned up, I'll clean up the damaged part of the neck and glue in a patch the best I can. If there's a visible defect it will be beneath the fretboard where it will only be seen by looking from above while playing.

I don't have the tools to make a laminate strip, so I'm going to do what I can to repair it. The part I cut is very small and won't be in an area that's easily visible. I'm going to try to cut the rest and see exactly what I'm dealing with and probably make a small patch from scrap with the grain running the same way and sawdust-infused glue holding it together.

Wish me luck

While working with a template router bit on the neck this happened:

It's about midway up the neck (12th fret-ish).

How can I recover from this? Is the template garbage now?

Goodies arrived .. maple for the neck from Woodworker's Source and a bunch of stuff from StewMac. Truss Rod and truss rod router bit, Control Plate cover, Pots and Jack, and a Schaller 3D-4 bridge. Also the 3M respirator I bought showed up from Amazon. Looking forward to getting some work done this weekend.

Bass neck sold to ESDictor.

Got it, thanks!

Thanks for all the info .. I'm very hesitant to make my own neck, but it looks like I'm going that way. My wife says if I'm making my own neck, I better make a nice inlay. As long as she supports the project, I'll do what she asks

Quick Question:

If I'm making an inlay on the fretboard that will span multiple frets, should I do it as one piece and then slot for frets, or do as multiple pieces and leave gaps for the frets in advance?

Thanks,

Evan

I got the 3M Respirator I linked earlier, and it seems very good, although I'm definitely going to shave before I start using it. Beards grow back, lungs don't.

The short answer is no. A full face may help. Petroleum jelly may help. Neither will insure a good fit. BTW everyone should get an OK from there doctor before using a filtering respirator. Dust masks are for iritants only. They don't have what it takes to deal with toxic particles.

Just to give my credentials, over twenty years as an OSHA certified hazardous waste site supervisor and trainer.

So would you consider the thing I linked to a respirator? Just curious.

For some reason the page you linked didn't load right for me (some Java error message). I already have a 3M Respirator ordered, and was hoping that would be good enough to do the job (I think it should be). My main concern is the seal, since I've noticed that after sanding poplar on the weekend with a disposable mask, I find myself coughing on Monday/Tuesday and my throat is sore. If the beard must go, so be it ... it will grow back

Install the latest java... then Google search Resp-O-Rator

Anyway. Coughing is BAD. If this is happening shave the beard and wear a mask. If I get stupid and forget my mask while working on a rosewood variant I will have a sinus infection the next week. BAD. Wear a mask. Shave the beard and wear a mask. For me poplar is not an irritant... so if it is bothering you you will be in a world of hurt when you run into a real irritant like wenge or pau ferro.

That was my reason for posting here about it. I will soon be working with some rosewood and possibly MOP and then painting and finishing and wanted to have a plan.

My wife has a sinus infection now and I can't help but wonder if it's due to her coming into the garage while I'm working to see progress

The short answer is no. A full face may help. Petroleum jelly may help. Neither will insure a good fit. BTW everyone should get an OK from there doctor before using a filtering respirator. Dust masks are for iritants only. They don't have what it takes to deal with toxic particles.

Just to give my credentials, over twenty years as an OSHA certified hazardous waste site supervisor and trainer.

So would you consider the thing I linked to a respirator? Just curious.

For some reason the page you linked didn't load right for me (some Java error message). I already have a 3M Respirator ordered, and was hoping that would be good enough to do the job (I think it should be). My main concern is the seal, since I've noticed that after sanding poplar on the weekend with a disposable mask, I find myself coughing on Monday/Tuesday and my throat is sore. If the beard must go, so be it ... it will grow back

Someone suggested using Vaseline to coat the beard where it meets the mask, assuming that it won't affect the mask itself. However, I guess I can shave it off for a few weeks and grow it back.

Thanks for the info.

Aside from shaving off my beard, is there any way for me to get a good seal from a respirator while sanding toxic woods and finishing a guitar?

This is progressing nicely! I'm jealous of that Rigid spindle sander. I tried to acquire one myself years back, but no dice on 240v! Very compact and convenient it seems.

Thanks! Now I just need to make a decision on the neck and then buy (likely) or build it.

Cavities are cut

Had to improvise to get the correct depth

But it seemed to work out fine

Was too cold to work today, but that didn't stop me from a quick Home Depot run

and a quick test cleaning up some burn marks

Warmoth makes a good neck,for the most part.I have had a mahogany warmoth neck with a Pau Ferro fretboard and SS frets for years now...it is perfect and came with a thin finish already on it..cost $400 for that one,but it is quality

I'm just going with a Maple neck with Indian Rosewood Fretboard and 6150 frets. Unfinished it will be $205, but I might go with a satin finish for a little more .. undecided.

Check the necks at Warmoth or All Parts - definitely cheaper than a drill press, spoke shave, rasps, truss rod, fret saw, fret wire, fret nippers, fret wire bender, radius sanding blocks, fret leveling files, fret side files, nut files and inlay material

Pre-built necks are absolutely cheaper than buying all of the tools. Unless you want to be able to build highly customized necks, it's not worth buying the tools. Or at least not until you are going to build enough guitars to make them worth while. Look at Drak, he still uses pre-made necks on his work. eBay is a good place as well if you want to find a neck from another guitar, but it is a crap shoot if the neck is in good condition. I've been lucky with the 3 I bought off of there, but they were all from guitars that were being parted out and all parts were listed as new.

I've pretty much decided to buy a Warmoth neck for this first build. I'd say that 90% of what I hear about them is pretty positive, and while the neck will cost about $200, I think it will turn out to be a good choice.

Thanks for the advice on that.

It was contour day ... tummy cut was way harder than I expected

Tomorrow I try routing the body cavities (pickup and hardware). Going with 3/4" based on what I've read, but still not sure that's right.

I guess I was hoping it was more of a standard thing. I figured if I got all "replacement" parts it would be a simple measurement.

I'm working on making a Jazz Bass copy, and I was curious how deep I need to route for the pickups and for the control cavity?

Rounded and then rough sanded .. I think I need to get some sort of spindle to finish the sanding, but that's it for this weekend.

I broke all the links when I organized my photobucket albums .. here are the pics from the earlier posts: