MiKro

Looking good Mike. mk

@Bizman62 Thank you sir, it is much better. Still not perfect. LOL!! I think I can make it work though. mk

After some steam to get some cupping in the split area, I managed to get the split to close up to a point so I could glue it back up. Then I put it in the vac bag to flatten. The process did allow the center joint to relax and start to release. So it will need to be separated then re-glued. First I need to allow the moisture content to lower. This will take about a week. Then I will use a 1/16" endmill and cut the the center line. This will allow me to rejoin it before gluing it back to the body. At that point I will determine if a burst is needed or just move forward as planned. MK

That is what I am working on. Not worried about replacing the wood just make an inlay that will take up that space of the crack. I hope that makes since? Edited to update: After laying out the bridge placement over the crack from my previous drawings, It seems most will be covered by the bridge. I think a repair is in order and then do a burst. Seems like the best choice at this time. mk

I may take that top and do something totally outside of my standard. I'm thinking maybe lam it to another backer type ( very dark wood ) and then do a book matched voronoi inlay pattern into it so I cut out the check/crack. May be an interesting look or some other design. I mapped out the crack in the now removed top and will go from there. MK

So if you have been following my Cut Horn Bass build. You know I had a problem with the top glue up. Yep me being to slow getting it in the vacu-bag caused some areas to set up before it got clamped down. This resulted in me removing the top. It went very well until at the heel of the guitar about 2 inches in. When I put this top on I made a point of arranging it because I knew there was a stress crack/check crack in that area. Unfortunately even though I cut it out with the profile cut it was still in the wood waiting. LOL!! Now this top will be relegated to being used as face plate material. I was not concerned about the book match joint as I was sure I would need to re-do that anyway after applying some heat. I will just put a new top on and move forward. It happens guys, Mistakes are part of this game no matter how many or how long you do it. At least I salvaged the wood for other uses. mk

Look at this way Mike, It is not the stock market. The thing is this though, hard to find wood is getting harder to find. It is also, gaining in price. So it is an investment and rarely drops in price. mk

Damn found a spot that the top did not glue properly. Temp must have gotten me while getting it in the vac bag and the glue set before bonding. Now to remove it, scrape and re-glue. Ugh!!! what a PITA. Shit happens. Been a very long time ago since I had this happen though. mk update: Still working on removal of the top. slow work, using 0.004" to 0.020" shim stock with heat to the shim stock using a heat gun and slowly working around. Still have about 1/4 of the edge and half of the center to go. Need to mill some location holes in the neck pocket area before moving on for re-alignment when I re-glue. Update: I made it around no problem, now to get what is left of the center ( only about 50% of it left). LOL!! It set nicely though. So I will most likely use a damp towel and an iron to soften this area. I need to get to 185*f for the glue to relax, any farther and I will burn the maple top. Will wait until tomorrow, it is now drink thirty!!

Looking good as always Scott. mk

Damn been down again for the past few weeks. Had some xrays, damn technician folded me up like a pretzel. My doctor was pissed about that, set me back a month on my progress. Fuck me. I managed to get something done on the bass today finally. Rough cut the profile. mk

@curtisa Nice write up. I will say this though, I go about many of the operations that you do in a totally different way. Thanks for sharing, so others may see that CNC is not evil. It is just another tool in the shop, that when utilized can benefit the end result. mk

@curtisa, the ghost system does not come as saddles and preamp as a kit. They are separate. That being said, because the Ghost saddles are hex pickups, meaning each saddle is a pickup, a normal preamp will not work with them unless you make a harness to bring them all together as a single. Also balance between them must be thought of. Therefore the Graphtech Ghost preamp would be the best route, as this is designed for that setup. MK

Yes I did Scott. MK

More done today, Braces, Plate and profile cut. I left the braces rough so I can work them after I have access from the bottom.

I do not have any links to show this. Sorry. The best I can lead you to is the same process as flipping the body to do the back. That would represent 180* so if wanting to do 90* increments then it would be on each side as well. In the case of a body that is not possible due to the limited Z height. Where as something like the heel of the neck could be done. MK

Thank you @curtisa, that is exactly what I was refering to. mk

A poors man rotary is not a rotary. It is just using fixed points/flats to do each as quarters/90* or eights/45* flats for rotational position then machining in 2.5D. MK

You could always do the heel from the side using a poor mans rotary.

My home brew I built way back years ago. I upgraded parts though right before my hip problems in 2018

So while I am doing the Hybrid Cut Horn Acoustic build, I started the the New Cut Horn Bass build at the same time. Here are some of the beginnings of the build. Over the next week will get more done and on to making necks. MK

@curtisa, well said!! CNC is not what most people think. It takes time to acquire the knowledge and make them work properly and they still will produce garbage if you feed it that. They do what you tell it to do within it's abilities. The software is another beast that takes a lot of time as well. mk

I managed to get the sound hole insert made and milled the top for it to install today despite it being 45* in the shop. Next the braces and the first cut out of the body profile with coordinate location ears. MK

<snip> " however I wouldn't never have thought " <snip> LMAO!!!

Well yes there is that Bizman, Now as far as the witchery of this, I do have the skills and the time. Yes, I have made guitars by hand. This is an extension of using the best tools I have to produce the best product, if I can, in the hope it will be a great piece and repeatable. Not unlike the Big Boys who have plenty of money to do this in R&D, I have to make do with what I have. It is no secret that all you said is true. I do have an Engineering Degree. I still study physics, quantum mechanics and other math as learning is always a plus for anyone. This project is based more on the Helmholtz Theories. What is going to really bake your noodle with this one, is soon I will be cutting the entire back open to access certain parts so I can refine things. Making it something I can remove and replace at will for testing. All while using acoustic software and hardware to see the results of the changes I make to get the most out of this small volume of a chamber with hopefully a reasonable bass response. Yes, it is Science and one of the most fun projects I have taken from my head for many years and moving forward with it. MK p.s. In the interim of time while this project moves forward I will most likely make this style as an electric only offering as well.

Here is my design, it will have arch top type bracing ( they will most likely get shaped as well) . The top will end up at 0.1875 thickness. The bridge will change as that one design did not work well in my tests. There will also be an under the top plate about 0.125" under the bridge saddle area.