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Muzz

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Posts posted by Muzz

  1. So the construction of the individual parts of this guitar is nearly over. the neck is close to finished. In fact two more coats of finish should do it. The water slide decal material is incredibly diaphanous and gets buried to the point where you can't feel the edge under two coats of poly. The neck is  getting two more coats over two days to complete the clearcoat then I'll let it harden up. and I can screw everything together. The model name, country of origin and serial number went on today, the machine heads were dropped into the holes to help position the info where it wouldn't be obscured by the hardware,

    871811027_IMG_5395E.jpg.01dda0b16cda0771cbff00e54d6a1646.jpg

    This is the last of the home made templates to show you. which was used to slice out the scratch plate.

    IMG_5384.thumb.JPG.2a6a95de42a7a08166b6e6ed2f954323.JPG

  2. This time the decal isn't bleeding ink.

    IMG_7527.JPG.e3e455a28f3587d398becd00246cb5d5.JPG

    The first go at positioning the decal did not go so well and I got a fold under at the top, so I took it off and put a new decal in the water. the second go went well and it positioned all OK.

    IMG_7531.JPG.365a62e3936f33c7f44d56e4cf914bb2.JPG

    I'll let that dry, coat it with poly and then do the decal on the back of the headstock.

    • Like 2
  3. 5 hours ago, ScottR said:

    Happy New Year Muzz!

    Still have a little over 12 hours to go here....

    SR

    Happy New Year Scott :) 

    It's about quarter past ten in the morning here and about quarter past five in the afternoon in Texas so we are currently in different years.

    Hope your celebrations tonight are fantastic!

    • Like 1
  4. 19 hours ago, Prostheta said:

    I seal my decals to prevent lacquer or whatever from melting the ink, but I'm surprised to see this happening in water just releasing the film! Crazy. I found that wiping approaches (in my test case, Tru-Oil) wasn't satisfactory when sealing a decal. Vinyl sounds the way to go in this case, but I'd expect a lot of ridging. Test on scrap material if your cutter can provide a bit so you know it doesn't get messed up by the varnish.

     

    16 hours ago, mistermikev said:

    as prostheta pointed out... your problem there is you need a clear coat of something over the waterslide b4 you soften it.  I usually use acrylic as it doesn't seem to react to other things I use.  the key there being a coat heavy enough to seal the ink... but not too heavy or you'll see lines of the edges under whatever gloss you use.  

     

    15 hours ago, Prostheta said:

    I was actually surprised that the ink ran from the water and not the solvents in the finish. I guess this is more of an issue with the inkjet or whatever printed the decal.

     

    Yes there were a few issues that could strike the reader as possible culprits. Here is the last water slide decal I did a few years back.

    IMG_5372.JPG.69f5e3bd0191a2a845cb1defcb940e44.JPG

    That decal and the last one that ran were clear sealed before getting dunked in the water, so that wasn't the problem. That left,

    1. The age of the water slide paper, it is about 3 years older

    2. I have a new printer

    3. the printer uses a different brand of ink

    The new water slide paper arrived yesterday, I printed out some decals, clear coated them and tried one out on the practise neck,

    IMG_5375.JPG.a5489c1e97f6efbe9447ec28d6c8fcd9.JPG

    All looking good, no running ink in the water, it looks like issue 1 was the problem and has been solved. I'll let that decal dry and wipe some poly on it to make sure the decal is not going to crinkle up, and if all OK, do it all again on the real neck.

    It is nearly time to party so, fill up the esky, the chilly bin, the cooler or whatever you call it in your part of the world and go and have a wild night and welcome in the New Year.

     

    • Like 2
  5. So my experience with wipe on poly was a good one. I think if you are not in a rush this is a very good way to finish a guitar. Each coat went on very smoothly and didn't need much sanding, I used 1000 grit every 4 coats or so. I am happy with where it is now, but will do more coats over the decal after it goes on.

    IMG_5371.JPG.0e9bd3f83d229f02ed061a032e860bce.JPG

     

    IMG_5361.JPG.80beaa49cf0abf24c2e098a6d3798df8.JPG

     

    IMG_5366.JPG.5ba264b84f6b5dc342f205bc637e4bec.JPG

    I had a go at preparing a decal with old water slide paper,

    IMG_7521.thumb.JPG.36e59ac751cae7313bd8500a6e3d8d3e.JPG

    It didn't go so well

    IMG_7522.thumb.JPG.a3014fc37b109af890d8888b6b372b36.JPG

    I have got some new paper and will try again soon. If that fails I am going for a vinyl laser cut decal. That truss rod channel also needs the veneer removed from it soon. 

    • Like 1
  6. On 12/15/2021 at 11:13 PM, Prostheta said:

    Botanical name, "Eucalyptus Eubludygalah"?

    Close enough ! 

    You probably have read the November edition of Guitar World, it contains the most complete history of EVH's guitar I have seen yet, I also like the shark pre surgery, I would love to get my hands on one of those sometime.

    The neck is drinking the poly 4 coats so far, these photos are after the first coat.

    IMG_7501.JPG.1100bb0f3791fd4fdba7688a0e8534d0.JPG

    IMG_7502.JPG.66abc888d7e1e746dbace9b837d4419c.JPG

    Sizing up the decal. pretty close 

    IMG_7503.jpg.7e3472e603d914b5761ced7fad6836ae.jpg

    Time to recline and listen to Pure Rock FM https://www.purerock.fm/

    IMG_7504.JPG.4192c9230eb4c40dcda79dd2fcc13a94.JPG

     

    • Like 3
  7. On 12/14/2021 at 9:13 PM, mistermikev said:

    two things: 1 headstock looks good.  

    2 = I am familiar with strongbad/trogdor and I also freq have prune juice in my fridge.  

    carry on.

    Cheers Mike, talking of prunes,

    Q. What did the gum trees say to the Australian home owner after he pruned them?

    A. You clipped us 😄

    • Haha 1
  8. 20 hours ago, Prostheta said:

    Knowing Trogdor makes me feel old. 12 years ago, and before then I think it existed as a Flash anim? Yiiiiikes

    What a crazy cartoon that is, "I'll improve on your methods!" 😆 Strong Bad showing sibling rivalry to Strong Sad, 

    14 hours ago, curtisa said:

    That makes me feel old. StrongBad was the first internet animated series I wasted too much time watching while exploiting the heady speeds attainable on the broadband work internet connection 😀

    I bet when you first saw email #58 you didn't think, now that song is going to end up on Guitar Hero II 😀

    I think I'll put a few coats of poly on the headstock and then cut out the veneer over the truss rod channel and then finish off with more coats.

    IMG_5274.JPG.f2f3ed9e4b794751206a141638d6041b.JPG

    IMG_5278.JPG.072194bdc008d16620442fa97a6168cd.JPG

    • Like 2
  9. On 12/12/2021 at 7:12 PM, Prostheta said:

    Next to the fire extinguisher, funny. 😄 Bloody dragons coming in here and burninating all of our jerbs.

    The veneer work looks excellent! Very clean I'm sure that your step by step considered approach will show in the end of product. Doing only as much as is possible at any stage to maintain control over standards instead of meeting some arbitrary personal deadline should be how all projects are managed. There really isn't any prize for first over the line with making your own guitars....unless you're trying to hit a 2021 GOTM win which is a short deadline!

    😄 That fire extinguisher is there to stop him burninating the thatched roofs! 

    Those water dragons are so funny, they have the weirdest way of running, but when they jump in and swim underwater they are so streamlined and graceful. 

    Cheers, the veneer has a nice grain to it, I think I would need a two pack finish that goes on thick to finish it this year, and I feel like doing something other than that this time,  you are so right, no need to rush a project like this.

    I drilled the center of the holes with a 2.5 mm bit.

    IMG_7494.JPG.304d326f9f5b27276c29f9c9089a3263.JPG

    I opened the holes up with a file and then drilled through with a 7 mm bitIMG_7495.JPG.4853d28b6d79afa24d0c8bdb79f5f1c7.JPG

    Flipped it over and cleaned the holes up with sandpaper double side taped to a dowel.

    IMG_7496.JPG.a360e8df78ee922f462cc2cf386e99b4.JPG

     

    And for those of you who haven't heard the song about Trogdor the dragon (or a dragon man) here it is

     

    • Like 1
  10. On 12/3/2021 at 9:38 PM, Prostheta said:

    Solid acrylic fret file? Wow, cool. Source?

    It is so cool, definitely treat yourself, ebay has them, search guitar fret bevel tool 

    15 hours ago, ScottR said:

    The perfect excuse to go straight into another one when this is done.

    SR

    It is indeed, I may have to buy another wall hanger :)

    • Like 2
  11. 21 hours ago, Prostheta said:

    Any squeezeout? I don't always see this as a "gold standard" by any means, however faces that are being veneered often have slightly rounded edges that reduce clamping effectiveness at the perimeter. This is one of the few occasions that I think squeezeout is a good thing.

    I can see that you're right at the same stage as me with shaping around a rising curve! Was it yourself that made a template for the heel to protect it from stray shaping attempts?

    Yes squeezeout, everyone loves squeezeout, and i should have taken a picture of the sploge oozing out before I wiped it off with a paper towel, and a cotton bud about an hour before that picture was taken. 

    I did make a template as a sanding guide for that heel, out of 6 mm mdf, so easy and it works so well. 

    Inside the headstock I protected the truss rod from getting gummed up with squeezed out glue using a little blanket of baking paper, it can sit in there until after the headstock gets varnished before I liberate it

    .IMG_7450.jpg.fd3fe7d510a5036331d38643fd235690.jpg

     

    My fret end file arrived (a little late) today, it is a lovely addition to the tool box, such a nice weight to it, wish I had been able to use it on this guitar

    IMG_7456.JPG.6395e44aae54df067435598a59800f0c.JPG

     

    The veneer went on all OK, it's bent over the angle from where the bridge goes to the angled headstock. 2 Paddle Pop sticks were used as a caul to clamp it down on the bridge area.

    IMG_7458.JPG.42cf04632c522f4a196705c379d8b0e6.JPG

     

    And that is very close to all the wood work done, I just have to trim that veneer and it's on to the wiping on a few coats of finish.

    IMG_7457.JPG.802b3d9ad67f430640a0454ac490b0bf.JPG

  12. On 11/20/2021 at 6:29 PM, Bizman62 said:

    Home made tools are the best!

    I've seen instructions to make a two-in-one filing block that doesn't require any tape. It appeared that the blade of the circular table saw was of the same thickness as the file so one perpendicular and one angled slot on a piece of wood was all it took. And potentially a bolt for securing.

    kuva.png.2ad4908d679eab533d4b9182c18d5eb0.png

     

    Too right they are! There is a great sense of satisfation in making them, that plan looks terrific.

    On 11/20/2021 at 6:47 PM, Prostheta said:

    It's usually the case, yes. My small hand files that I use constantly are just (IIRC) a hair over 3,3mm or the saw kerf of a 300-350mm table saw blade. I should probably pick up a couple of files and make one of these whilst I still can. Thanks for reminding me!

    Looking forward in seeing the plan put into practise.

    On 11/21/2021 at 3:22 AM, mistermikev said:

    that is really clean.  I usually do this with just a bastard file by hand but I think you've convinced me I need to get a 22.5deg file holder.  nice work.

    Cheers Mike, the fret end files certainly makes short work of this task.

    On 11/21/2021 at 4:26 AM, ScottR said:

    Are you going to introduce any roundover into your fretboard edge or leave it that sharp?

    SR

    I think the feel of the neck is one of the most important things for a guitar. When the neck feels good it inspires you to play the guitar for hours, so that edge is definitely getting a round over soon.

    On 11/21/2021 at 4:34 AM, Prostheta said:

    Even though I wouldn't do it at this stage, it certainly looks like it will need it. That's a thick fingerboard, and it'll help visually as well.

    Oh believe me it needs it, I could use that neck to slash through long grass at the moment.

     

    But currently I am taking the sharp edges of the fret ends and making sure the tangs don't protrude.

    1889568568_filingends.jpg.6cfcad7528a344ad0b8ee3be013819e0.jpg

    And there is just time for another lizard photo, pull my finger :) 

    911363185_Pullmyfinger.jpg.18412e49a7042c67c19dd825e6980486.jpg

     

    • Like 4
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