Unrealize

Thanks wethemann, it's pretty much the same I will use it for, input jacks are no problem to do by hand. Also I was thinking about doing some small planings with a safe-t planer and that kind of stuff. This is the smaller version: Drill press - Small It is FAR cheaper, the only thing I was afraid of was that it might be too small to locate bridge posts and so on properly, but I guess it might do. If so I think I will go with this one, prize, size and so on makes this one probably more right for me... Though, it says that it only has 100 mm distance from the pole to the senter of the drill, that sounds little to me, but I might be wrong...

Hey folks. I'm thinking about buying a drillpress, and I have tried to find a few used, but to no luck. I found a nice one that was actually sold in my hometown, but I was one hour late. Anyway, I have found this one: Drill Press It is probably not the best in the world, but it is the only one that I have found that I can afford. Would it be good enough for general guitarbuilding? I'll try to translate the description to the best of my ability: Kraftig gulvmodell med hode, bord og fot av støpejern. Powerful floormodel with head, table and foot in cast iron Table has T-track that can rotate around the pole, and angle at 45 degrees. Total height 1600 mm. Effect 850 watts. 210-2200 rpm in 12 steps. 16 mm chuck, distance from pole to spindelcenter 170 mm. Max distance between chuck and table 640 mm. I guess those are the most important features. Also, there is a tablemount model of this one, that is a LOT cheaper, but it is a little bit smaller, and not as powerful, could that still be an option for me..? I'd appreciate any input guys! Thanks.

Thanks for the comments. johnn - no, I didn't have any problems at all. It shouldn't be harder than to mark up the centerline before you cut the slots. Cutting the slots won't erase the centerline. And IF it were to do that, just measure and draw it back up. Shouldn't be that hard. Cheers!!

Yeah, I noticed. I printed one now just for the hell of it, and it looks very nice, exept the 'bubbles' are missing in a few spots. Not on the scales tho, but at the top. Probably just some small bug... I can send you the image I made if you like, just pm your email..

HEHEHE.... Awesome!! Just hope my boss ain't gonna be too strict with the A3 papers..

Instantly in my favourites. Keep it up! I'm downtuning my entire guitar to D, not just a drop D, so I'd be happy to see that tuning!! Cheers!

Righty, found some time yesterday to get a little more done on the guitar. Pupholes were done this time, I think they turned out nicely, pretty perfect. And here is a closeup of the pupholes: Pickup Holes I also started to make the template for routing the hole for the diamond plate. It still needs a bit of finetuning before I can use it, but I hope that I will have time for it sometime this week. I'm excited to see the metal inlaid in the body. :o) Now, I have a question also, for rounding the edges, what size is standard for the roundover (typo?) bit to use..? Cheers folks, it's starting to look like a guitar.. Yay!!

Rista: This guitar will be painted black. I initially wanted it black, with a matt black diamond plate, but during the course of the build I got second thoughts about it. Normally I am no fan of 'wood' colored guitars, but after spending way too much time here my mind has changed a little about it. Still, I decided that I will go with my initial idea, also because I still want to use the diamond plate, and a 'chrome' diamond plate on a natural colored guitar won't look very good. This just means that I have to build another one with natural colors. My GF told me that after spending all this money on various tools, she'll kick my ass if I only build one guitar, so I guess I can't stop now!!

Thanks a lot! :o) Rista, I believe it is the angle, also the trusslooks wrongly placed in this picture. I still think the right side of the headstock is a wee bit narrow, but nothing more than I can live with... Cheers!

Whoop, time, where did all the time go... Right, just updating with a few new pictures here. Firstly the headstock with the trussrod cover. Turned out quite nicely I think. You can see on the first fret, a little chip flew out as I was hammering the frets in. Bummer. I'm not sure how to fix that one, or if I'm even going to try, it might make more of a mess than it already is.. Learning tho. Here is my Chaos inlay on the 12th fret. Turned out ok too I think. I still need to bevel the frets and make them look all nice and dandy, but it will be done in time.. Chaos inlay A shot of the entire neck. It's coming along, I just hope it will be playable in the end... Neck Finally I found some time to play a little with my diamond plate. It was actually easier to work with than I feared. Not finished of course, but I had to testdrive it on the body to get an idea how it will turn out. Yay! Diamond Plate I have been buried in studiowork for what seem like ages, and I still have about a month of work still, but hopefully I can find time for some quality relaxing in the basement in between... Maybe I can have it ready by summer..?? lol Cheers guys!!

Again, your choice of course, personally I really think it is a shame to put such a nice thing in the fire, but then again, I DO understand the feeling of working with something and fail it, and the frustration you are left with. For myself, I have made quite a lot of mistakes during my build, and I haven't 'bothered' much to even cover them up. I want them to stay there as a reminder for my next builds what do do or not to do. Luckily I have been spared the really grave errors tho so my stuff are merely small cosmetic things. If I could ask you one thing, the neck joint that you make, have you found some sort of tutorial or so for it..? I'm thinking about using the same for my next build, and I'd like to find some info about it...

It's a shame to hear that Rista, it really is. Still, I can understand your frustration, but it is not like you are going to burn it or anything, is it..? Just put it out of your mind for a while, and then maybe it comes back to you. I assure you, I don't have much time on my hands either, but still, I work when I can. The availability of time and motivation is shifting all the time. I got a few hours on my hands yesterday, and finally I could pop the frets in.. I'll put up some pictures later... Anyway, it is your choice. Sad tho, you had great potential, among the best I have seen here so far. Good Luck! Unrealize.

Radiotrib: Sorry, I've been really busy with studiowork, so I haven't had time to get back to you. I got your pm, and it's really awesome that you took the time to do this for me. I haven't got them yet, but I guess I'll have them early next week. Thanks again!!! Thanks for all the kind words guys, I think I kinda got this one right. The routing could still be better tho... PTU 7's.: Yes, used a handsaw to cut the pearl, dremel to rout.

Well, you can get pearl from Stew Mac, and probably tons of other places (probably cheaper too), but I got mine from Stew Mac, and they were fine by me..

I want to try to build a bender like the one Jay did, and I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem, except for the brass wheels. I have no clue where to get hold of them in Norway. Could anyone give me a hint to where I could go to get them in Europe, or preferably in Norway. Or possible alternatives I could use that would work in the same way... Thank you!!

Just get some scrap wood to get a little experience. Another thing, I don't know what kind of material you are going to inlay, but whatever you choose, get more than you think you need. In the start (I'm there myself) it is very likely that you will do some cuts that are gonna annoy you, and you'd want to do it over. I thought I had what I needed, but after a little while, I had to go back to get more, which also cost me more in shipping and taxes...

Finally this weekend I had time to rout the damn thing.. :o) The saw cutting is better than the routing, but still, considering the size of the thing, I'm quite happy with it, and it sure as hell looks neat on there. I'm going to add 3 screws to fasten it to the wood, and I'm not looking forward to drilling the holes. The cover is damn thin, and I'm afraid I'll break it.. Picture: Cheers!

I was about to suggest the same. And leave the cencoring, it actually emphasises the word..

I know what you mean westhemann, and it is possible of course, but I don't think you would be able to do some intricate work with it. You'd cut fingers just as much as shell.. hehe..

I have to agree with you Mattia, by hand is the way to go. Like you say, it is the saw that shapes, not the hand that holds the material. cSuttle, I don't agree with you. The inlay turned out more or less exactly as I wanted it. I will always be able to see the design, cause I will be close to it.. Spectators may have a problem with it, but they are not the ones I make the guitar for.

Thanx a lot guys! Westhemann, I used the saw and blades from StewMac, fine and extra fine. My girlfriend always claims me to be the most patient man ever, but I can't really agree, I'm not that patient, but I never quit. If I get an idea, I'll go far to get it done. I'm not going to etch or engrave it at all, it looks far better in life than on the picture, and I'm happy with the kinda stylized look of it. Yes, the tail broke off, and also the lower arm, bummer.. rhoads, I'm happy to prove you wrong. I must admit that it was easier than I feared, it isn't perfect, but like you said, with some simpler details, it went ok. Considering that I cut pearl like 4-5 times, I'm quite happy with the outcome. Tho, I haven't inlaid it yet, I can still f**k it up...

I had to give it a go, and I think that it turned out quite useable. I simplified the design a little bit, but all in all I think it looks cool. The picturequality is terrible, but it gives an impression.

Thanks for all the replies guys, I appreciate it. Greg, the main purpose of the inlay is for me personally. In one of the songs in my band I'm singing "I am a dragon..." and due to that I thought it would be a nice touch to put a dragon there. I also considered using the chinese symbol of "Dragon", which is a way simpler design, but I don't think that it goes so well with the rest of the design/intention of the guitar. I could consider simplifying the design a lot more to give it a more stylized look, which could be cool. I'll see if I can do some more work with it, and see what comes out of it. I really do want something on the cover tho, I really want something on the cover, without it I think that the headstock would look kinda naked. I considered doing something with my initials, but I don't feel too comfortable about that either...

Ok, so I think that I will just forget about doing this in shell then.. hehe.. I kinda thought so, just wanted to check with you guys first. I have some friends in various graphic companies that can print stuff on plotters, like artwork for cars and so on, do you think that this could work? Having it printed in white, I suppose it is like a decal or something...

I thought it might be thin, but not impossible, I mean, I inderstand that some of the lines would cause trouble, but I thought I might be able to get it done with some scribes of sort...