Chris G

Here are the rest.

Getting everything polished up.

Installing Hardware.

And this happend!!! The drill bit broke off when drilling strap button.

There was no way of getting it out. I was able to drill right next to the bit and used rubber/plastic plumbing washer to hide it. 

Here it is with everything on it.

It sounds great coming through my 71 Fender Vibro Champ.

The next few days or week I will take some really nice pictures and share them. Thanks everyone!!

Hey Guys I am back with another update on this build. I am Done!!!! It came out better then I thought and plays very well to for my 2nd guitar. I am going to make another one using the same shape, but different woods. I think I can crank one out within a couple of months. Here are some of the pictures.

See I made an oppsie, but was able to cover it up wit control plate.

Epoxy Resin is not the easiest to use as a finish

Fitting and wiring the controls. That is my helping hands jig I made for $10 vs StewMac's $180 jig.

Truss Rod cover

Getting the Oil Finish on the back applied.

I will have more shortly.

12 hours ago, mistermikev said:

I've seen the colored pencil guitar thing before, but not quite like this.  not sure I could come up with an idea to make one and have it come out distinct from the others I've seen, but you did that.  cudos.

Thanks Mistermikev!! When I started this build a couple of years ago there was no posts on YouTube or interwebs on pencil guitars. The few turning pencils into bowls  videos I could find one guy super glued each one together then covered with resin. My thought at the time is that might just work to make a drop top. Well it did!! 

6 hours ago, ScottR said:

Man, Chris, hen you do an update, you really do an update!

This may be one of the most out there ideas I've run across, and I'm super impressed that you've pulled it off.

Well done!

I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.

SR

Thanks Scott!!! I am too looking forward to seeing it finished!

2 hours ago, Bizman62 said:

I like the underlying woodwork very much! The pens? Nicely carved and if I saw her in some exhibition she might raise a Whaddayaknow reaction.

Thanks! Do you mean the pencil? I seen some videos on YouTube on turning colored pencils and loved the look. I thought that would look cool as a top. Working with the pencils has been a challenge but been able to overcome those challenges with a really cool result. 

Hey Guys Hope everyone has been doing well. I have been chugging along. Here is my progress. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

I got a little more done. Cut the fretboard on the band saw and planed it all up on my favorite new tool!! The 13 inch dewalt planer is amazing!! I only had it for a couple of months now. 

I also got the truss rod channel routed out. I still have a little more clean up to do. 

Thanks guys!! I have the angle marked out and think it is correct.  I drew it up using crimson guitars neck break angle method.  

I did a practice run on the truss rod. What do you all think before I do it on the neck?

Also what is the best way to cut the neck break angle on a neck through? 

Thanks it is purple heart. The body and fretboard will also be purple hart. The top will be colored pencils. I have the blank ready and here it is. 

Hey guys Its been a long time since I posted on this forum. I have been working on this build off and on for the past 2 years and have not made much progress. Been busy with life, work , family, getting my first Harley, My wife finishing 2 Masters degrees, and so on. The past 2 years been working on a new hotel and that just opened.

Here is the site.

https://www.blackberrymountain.com/

My work has exploded in the beer world pick some up. Here is the brewery site.

https://blackberryfarmbrewery.com/

Back to the build! I have had my ups and downs with this and not going through all the bad and good, but glad I can move on and continue the build. Here are some pics and not in order sorry.

Lets Make some sawdust!!!

Cutting the Maple

Brazilian Ebony for the fretboard.

Purple Hart

Testing it out. Center is Black walnut, next flame maple, followed with the purple hart, and maple again. I am going to have to go to a friends shop to have it all planned.

That is all I have gotten done today. Hope I can get everything planned this coming week and glued next weekend.

Cheers!!

Great Job cant wait to see more!

On 10/3/2016 at 0:51 PM, Prostheta said:

Hi Chris! I'm checking in late since I've been all over the place and sick for weeks. Sorry I missed this happening.

No problem Prostheta! This will be a slow build since my wife is in school, but she gave me the her blessing to continue building guitars.

I have been working on the plans in Inkscape. I have learned a lot about that program but I think I am finished working on the plans and will finish on paper. I could continue in inkscape, but with still learning it I will not get it perfect and would waste a lot of time.  I will print them out on the plotter at work today. Here it is.

9 hours ago, KnightroExpress said:

Cool shape! Reminds me of the Jane model from Relish Guitars. 

Thanks and yes I imported a Relish Guitar image in inkscape. I really like the shape and used the Tele plan to incorporate both shapes. This is the draft and still need to add the carves and headstock.

9 hours ago, ScottR said:

I like it too, but I think I'd go a couple of inches higher on the bass side, using the same curve.

SR

Thanks SR, are you saying to take the top left and raise it up a few more frets?

Hey Guys still bee working on the build. I dont have much progress to report. I have gotten all the pencil layers done and going to glue up the 3rd layer to the other 2. I also been working on my shop and will post some pics once I am done. I also been working on my plans.

What do you all think?

1 hour ago, ScottR said:

Fascinating project Chris. I'll be watching this one with interest. 

With a bit of care, I think this will work. Sanding through to the waxy leads will probably give you new challenges to solve. 

Forge on!

SR

Thanks Guys!! ScottR I am hopping that all the super glue I have been letting soak in the wood will help stiffen up the leads.

Hey Guys, here is my second attempt on trying to post this forum. I spent an hour yesterday writing this post and when I hit submit the site timed out and lost everything. I know its been a while for me on the site and I try to keep up with everyone's builds, but life is pretty busy some times. With my absence on the site I still here for everyone and donating monthly to the site.

Here we go this is my second guitar build. The first one came better than I expected and it is playable. I am going to take everything I learned with the first one and apply it to the second. I am going to make a through-neck teleish guitar with some interesting wood choses. I bet everyone is scratching  their heads wounding what does the Crazy Art mean in the title. A few months I was on bookface and seen a post in one of my groups that a few woodworkers have been creating bowls and vases with colored pencils. Here is a picture

 I was looking at their work and thought that was very cool. Then I thought what if you could apply what they did into a guitar? Yes make a guitar out of colored pencils.  I looked all over the interwebs to see if anyone has tried this and it looks like no one has. I may be a bit crazy for trying this, but if it works out I could be the first to do a guitar out of colored pencils. I am not going to make the whole guitar out of the pencils just the top. The top will be 3 layers of pencils. Lets jump into this.

Wood that I am using with the pencils. I will be making a multi laminated  out of Purple Hart, Curly Maple, and Black Walnut. The body will be Purple Hart and Colored Pencil top. The fretboard will be Brazilin Ebony and I will be able to get two fretboards from this one blank and only paid 6.50 for the blank. Here are some pictures of the wood.

On to the Pencils, last month when all the back to schools sales, I could get a 12 pack of Crazy Art brand pencils for .45 so I picked up 30 boxes (which was not enough). The videos I seen they woodworkers used hexagon shape pencils so they would have a flat surface for to glue them together. Since the ones I got are round I had to find a way to make each side flat for a glue joint. I came up with little jig that I could hold the pencil so I could plan the sides. I used some 1/8 inch plywood and a screw to keep the pencil from moving. Here it is.

After I planned the pencils which did not take too long, I started to glue them together with super glue.

Almost done with the first layer, had to plan some more pencils.

Done with the first layer.

Time to plan it flat.

I epoxy the pencils to fill the gaps.

Time for layer two. This one took about 1/4 of the time to do.

Done.

I used the greats Luthiers' trick to hold the pencils down for planning. Bye Bye double sided tape!

So Satisfying!!

Sanding the epoxy down to fill any gaps that I did not get the first time.

More epoxy.

What does everyone think? I think it will work, they are easy to work with and are stronger then you think once they are all glued together and epoxied.

Chees guys Its good to be back on the site and working on a new build!!

The Shop is taking shape. My parents are selling their house and traveling in the Motor home for the next few years. My dad gave me a lot of tools. All I need now is a planer, jointer, and more luthier tools. Here are some pics.

I have a cool idea for a next build. I'm thinking about doing a firecaster all out of firewood. I am collecting now. Here is a piece I found that would make a good top.

Fantastic Work ScottR!!

I always had it in my mind to build a mandolin later years in my luthier hobby. ScottR you are always informative in your builds and can give a idea on the process. Looks Great!! 

Love the timbers!! Cant wait to read thought your postings. Teach us master!!