KnightroExpress

This is just straight Odie's on an offcut from the maple 8. Pretty intense!

I'm convinced that wenge just likes to do exactly what you don't want it to do at any given time. It's so uncooperative!

Thanks guys! I haven't tried that buffer method with wenge, but it sounds really interesting. If only I had a buffer....

Phew! After a few long, dusty nights, I'm finally done sanding! We're up to P600 here, which is where I like to be before applying oil. I'm hoping to get the oil process started this weekend, stay tuned for some cool finish pics!

Oh, I definitely wouldn't call the Dragons 'nice' in the same manner as a Liogier or Auroiu rasp. Also, it really is irritating that $tewie doesn't provide a handle. I'd consider the Dragon a solid midrange choice, but obviously not in the same realm as the other hand-stitched rasps out there.

Good going! I really like the signature inlay, it's very classy.

And I'll second the Dragon recommendation! I have the large coarse version, it gets used in many places throughout the build process. Well worth the price, I'd say.

Oh, I fully intend to try a few things with the offcuts. I also picked up about 4 necks worth of nicely curly maple in a trade, so expect to see a lot more maple in my future

@ScottR I'll probably go natural with my usual oil, but I might think of something else by the time this one is ready for finish. @Prostheta Actually, this isn't nearly as heavy as you'd think! 4.75lb for the body, 1.5lb for the neck. I can live with 6.25lb so far

Sanding continues on the limba/wenge guitar, but that's no fun to take pics of. In the meantime, check this out: Figured maple body, Yucatan rosewood neck

Yeah, hopefully being thin and headless will counter PH's anchor-like tendencies. If it ends up too heavy, I'll just have to try something else. It was too cheap to pass up!

@SIMpleONe89 Any time! Just take your time and everything will work out fine. Also, I've not tried a light grain fill on wenge, but it could look interesting... do a test and post some pics! @2.5itim Padauk is brittle, but not super coarse-grained like wenge. I'd say wenge is a bit worse to deal with in that regard. Not horrible though. New wood day! I got a great deal on this huge maple board and purpleheart body blank. Both of these will be used in my headless 8 series.

Yes! As Carl says, wenge feels great as a neck and it has a very vibrant and responsive feel in terms of transmitting vibrations. I actually prefer the look of quartered wenge to flat in neck lams, but the opposite for a top.... which I suppose is pretty apparent when you look at this guitar!

I don't find wenge terribly difficult to work, it just takes a bit of consideration and understanding of its properties. The grain is very coarse and absolutely will tear out if you don't follow it properly. There's a big difference in hardness between the light and dark wood so blocks are necessary at all times when sanding. The splinters do tend to be pretty painful, though I haven't gotten one in a while. Overall, if you have a bit of a plan and pay attention to how it's reacting as you work, you'll be fine! This is actually pretty true for any wood (exotic or otherwise) you'll come across...just spend a little bit of time learning and test on scraps before digging in to your actual project. A bit of forethought and knowledge makes everything work better. Side note: as a result of steaming apart several wenge items, I now know that hot wenge smells like a slightly burnt chocolate croissant.

I think it'll look pretty good, but I suppose we'll see what happens when we get there. On a side note, a friend wanted to try something fun on a laser cutter so now I have a QS wenge fretboard for one of the 8s.

Yep, it'll be Odie's again. I don't think I'll have any major issues, a little bit of this stuff goes a long way! I ought to send you one of their little 2oz sampler jars... I'd be interested in your thoughts on it.

A quick shot of mineral spirits as I step through the grits. I can't wait to get some oil on this guitar!

Thank you! I'm going to use 0.125"x0.325" pultruded rods from Dragonplate, found here. This will be my first time using carbon fiber as a neck reinforcement, so I don't think I'm qualified to offer advice on what suppliers to pick. I've heard good things about Dragonplate's quality from a few reputable builders, so I decided to give them a go. And thanks for chiming in @curtisa, I was actually just about to suggest that he contact you.

The frets on the limba guitar have been polished and I'm going to start the final sanding process in a bit. Pictures of sanding aren't very interesting though, so I'll spare you the loading times and take some pics pre- and post-finish. In the meantime, here's an update for the headless 8. I routed the channels for the truss rod and carbon fiber reinforcement bars. Thanks for taking a look!

I'd go black in this case.

Dang! I watched another student do that last semester, he just about jumped out of his shoes. Nice base there, by the way.

Yeah, it sucks. ...really though, it's functional if not exactly durable. In my short time at this shop, I've had to repair the height adjustment mechanism at least a half dozen times. I'd highly recommend something else, though if this is your only choice, it'll get the job done.

Wow, another big month! Hackett 'Rapscallion': There are so many interesting carves and details here! It really invites you to keep looking for a while. mjrbuzz 'Mesquito-caster': I really like this one, it's classic Tele with enough of a twist to make it your own. 103801061982 'Rooster': Headless design has been very intriguing to me lately, so you've got good timing! I really like the material choices you've made here, everything works well together. A2K 'Koi bass': It was great to watch this one come together! From your first post to this beauty, it's been a good ride. Chris G '59-ish LP': This is one hell of a first build, well done! Mattharris75 'Kensley & Ellie's 1st': This guitar is like a little jewel, it's just so beautiful to look at. Original 'The Dook': I really love the retro-flavored shape as a multiscale 7. The fact that you made several of the parts is great as well!

Haha I reimbursed her with a nicer one as soon as I sliced up her cheapo mat. I'm not that bad.