Hedley

I did find some info that says it is lightweight and very similar to poplar, I am gonna give it a go for project #2

I found it on the internet

well hit your monitor instead then... lol

lol

I found it on the internet

All Mr. Google tells me is that it is used in violins and hollow bodies. And cricket bats - so I'm guessing its durable enough.

But that leads up to the question - which willow wood is that?

Thats all he told me too, lol

I found it on the internet

Other than routers - you have a very similar level of equipment to what I have. Your bandsaw is better than mine (and doesn't have broken guides) and I would kill for that amount of space though! Do you have a dust extractor?

The router i have right now isn't that great, but i'm hoping it works ok. I've never used it before, it was given to me as well.

Other than routers - you have a very similar level of equipment to what I have. Your bandsaw is better than mine (and doesn't have broken guides) and I would kill for that amount of space though! Do you have a dust extractor?

My shop vac for now,lol. I was thinking of getting a small air cleaner for now too. Next year i am hoping to have a seperate small bldg outback(shed type) for a workshop. That way i can spray and do everything in there.

I am also still in the process of rearranging my basement, its sort of a mess right now

Just wondering if anybody here has used willow to make a guitar body and what was the outcome? I found some 8/4 for sale cheap and it looks awesome

Oh man that stache picture was hilarious!!! Wasnt expecting that one!

Yeah, MDF really sucks. First time i cut it, i did it inside with a circular saw, that crap went everywhere!!!

Wear a respirator. MDF dust is bad stuff...

+1 to that .

Gets in your lungs & expands, Absorbs loads of moisture. Will have you coughing up nasty phlegm for a few days. Wear a mask & cut/sand it outside.

Use ply for your templates in future, of clear plastic/pcv sheeting.

I used the MDF for a tabletop for my workbench(laminated 2 pieces together). Will def be using ply for my templates i think. I would like to use plexiglass but i can't find it at a decent price, but then again i havent checked the net

Got the bandsaw today, this thing was only ever used 1 time

My cousin also gave me a sears craftsman 4 1/8" jointer today too. Needed a small repair done on it, but i got it working good, now just need new blades for it. Can't complain about free!

Unfortunately i don't have enough time to cut my templates out tonight, but it will give me something to do next weekend

Very tidy! Looks like you're off to a good start.

For your finish, I would seriously consider something other than traditional lacquer, because that stuff is SO GROSS. Either that or invest in a good respirator or something similar for when you're spraying it.

(Maybe I'm just a wimp about wood finishing, but I think I'll stick to oil finishes, French Polishing, and water-based finishes now that I've done a guitar with acrylic lacquer and had experience with it. That was awful.)

Thanks.

No worries about inhaling the lacquer, i have to spray it outside and have a respirator. I use to spray alot of lacquer and enamels when i did taxidermy so i am familiar with their nastiness, Also, i have no spraying equipment as of yet, so i have to use aerosols

I was gonna wait to post til I actually started constructing the guitar, but i figured i needed to do something to fill up the time until i can start. This may move a little slow, I do have a 60 hour per week job, so tuesday thru saturday will be very limited. I am also still collecting more tools as i go along too.

I am gonna try to get this done quick(really hurts the checkbook though) , but i have been bitten by the bug and the show must go on

For this first build i am following the plans that came with M. Oakham's book(build your own electric guitar). It will be a strat type w/ 2 humbuckers, solid poplar body, all maple neck and 24 fret maple fingerboard, all black hardware with hardtail bridge(plans use tremolo), 1 vol. and 2 tone controls & 3-way toggle, paint will probably be a powder blue metallic and nitro clear(keep changing my mind on this though).

Please feel free to let me know if i am screwing any process up or if something may not work.

The plans:

What i did was tape(scotch tape) several pieces of tracing paper together and traced the plans, then cut them out with an exacto knife, I also found it very helpful to put the scotch tape around all the lines before cutting, it made the tracing paper very stable.

The i glued the cutouts to some 3/16" hardboard(with the shiny top) with an elmer's repositionable glue stick(worked great) for my master templates

Now I have them all ready to cut out. I would do it with the jigsaw but i am supposed to be buying a used Delta 14" bandsaw for $200 tomorrow, so i figure i would wait til then so, i can play with it

Yeah, MDF really sucks. First time i cut it, i did it inside with a circular saw, that crap went everywhere!!!

Yes, the safe-t planer. Here is a youtube video of one being used

VERY NICE!!!!!!

Thanks for the feedback...the body is 1 3/4" which as far as I can tell is pretty standard for most Fenders, correct? I think once I finish the body contours and transfer them to the back, it'll help with that. I was given several glued up 1 3/4" blanks as a gift, and I still don't have a good way to thickness lumber. A router thickness jig is in the works. I think it will be a little on the heavy side, being northern ash instead of swamp ash, but that doesn't bother me a lot.

Have a drill press?

like? i cant seem to find any brand but krylon....

You can go to advance auto or autozone and get duplicolor, it is auto touch up paint in rattlecans. However, the cans are pretty small, but it does spray nice for being rattlers.

I like the ash one better as well

Is there a website you used to come up with those designs?

He said the same type of thing in a bandsaw thread i started.

You are gonna get those comments on any forum you post in, just the nature of the internet, just ignore them

...And get on with your damn build!

I believe these screws might be the same size:

http://www.allparts.com/Single-Coil-Pickup...gs-0007-003.htm

I know the feeling shades, back in my taxidermy days I was painting a palomino trout, and this was turning out to be the best mount I had ever done, both from an anatomy standpoint and paint job, while i was doing some final fine detail work getting ready to clearcoat it , I knocked it off the stand I had it on, sending it crashing to my concrete floor, and in the process busting a fin off and leaving one hell of a chip/scratch in its head(worst possible area to make a paint repair) . I was ready to kick it to hell and back i was so mad with myself I picked it up and left it alone for a couple days, and it turned out just fine

It´s not just about the wood, but how well is it built and the pickups used. There are a lot of factors in the sound, scale length being one of the most important, in my opinion.

What he said

So, you are trying to joint the edges for gluing?

Do you own a table saw?

I think i am going to make 2 body blanks, I have 2 guitars planned already,lol(strat type w/ 2 humbuckers & Jackson dinky type) . They will both be solid colors, so no worries there.

Probably just gonna go with clamps, maybe upgrade to vacum somewhere down the road. I was gonna set up a press clamping table with press clamps.

I was also thinking that #2 would be the stronger body

I will also try not to glue everything to my workbench!

Thx everyone, I am so glad I found this forum, so much info and many helpful people!

If I were to make a body from one 3/4"x12"x12' board of poplar, what would be the best way to glue the pieces together? #1 or #2? or is this not a good idea?

Thanks guys! I will prob go with the H.O.K. and kustom shop. I already have the regulator and water traps for compressor, I have have a smaller compressor i used for airbrushing. I will definitely be sanding and buffing my finishes. I have awhile to decide on gun yet, just planning it out. Thx again