Andyjr1515

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1472153549' post='3118984'] Nothing going in the overcut area, the only 'control' will be the jack socket . I share your concern about edge routing the body, it would be b* to get a tearout at this stage. I have either 2" cut 1/2" shank template bit i.e. all in one go or 1" cut 1/4" shank i.e. two successive passes. Andy, what tactic do you use? Apart from the hardness of the oak (it just ignores 80 grit paper) hand tools are tempting. First guitar built aged 13, from elm coffin boards and coffin making scraps (aka free), all done with hand tools, seems a lifetime ago. [/quote] Assuming they are both bearing trimmer bits with the same cutting diameter, I would personally go with the shorter one until I'd done a few successful bodies. A 2" bit, if it digs in a bit too hard, can kick like a mule with no chance of holding it. Same can happen with a shorter bit but at least it gives you a fighting chance. However, presumably you would need a bottom bearing bit to do the second half? If you don't, I'm not sure how you will be able to do it, in which case, maybe hand tools are the safest, if not the quickest ....

I'm going to use what I usually use...and what often kicks off a debate . - red fountain pen ink. Specifically Diamine ink. I may try a few different reds to get one that looks right with this particular mahogany.

Ref the overcut of the router, as long as there's nothing going there, 6-7mm is plenty thick enough. Looking really good

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1472150414' post='3118946'] oh now were talking that top's a belter, can't help but notice the nice mahogany on the neck as well ....quality stuff Andy.Top notch carving too. Ian [/quote] Thanks, Ian The neck timber is the best I think I've used to date (all credit to David Dyke). The top is from Kirk at exotichardwoodsukltd

LOADS of scraping, filing and sanding to do, but couldn't resist a sneak preview

Very, very cool

Well, the top is on good or not I'm very pleased to say that, despite my fear of not really enough clamps, the cauls did their job and I have the best join I've ever achieved - I usually have SOME gaps, but it is pretty much like this all the way round: I'm pleased and relieved.... While I routered the bulk of the back, using the top as the template, it is too dodgy at the very ends of the horns so I will finish those off with files and sandpaper. Then it's carving the chamfer!

Well, as the mantra goes, 'you can't have too many clamps!' But actually, you can have too few and this is borderline too few: With the help of the cauls, I think it will be OK - but the schoolboy error was forgetting that I almost never glue a [u]whole top[/u] on with the unconventional way I build guitars and basses. That'll teach me to go conventional on this one! Ideally, I would have at least half as many again... I had a quick look at the sides and I don't think there are any gaps but I'll know for sure in the morning when it is ceremonially unclamped!

Still got to do the finish-rout of the control chamber, but the rest of the chambers and channels are functional only and won't be seen, so they will be left as below: I'm going to leave the top left pencilled chamber unrouted. I'm down to a projected finish weight of around 8 1/2 lb, which I think is OK. If there is no neck dive and the finish weight turns out to be heavier than expected, I can always rout a 'false' control chamber from the back after everything else is sorted. I don't think that will be necessary, though I don't think there is anything stopping me gluing the top on now!

I've checked the flatness of the joining surface of the back and, after a couple of minutes with a scraper, it's good to go. But before I glue on the top, I need to route or cut the various chambers. These include:[list] [*]Straight through control chamber - the sides will then act as a router bearing guide when I route the top to thickness for the pots. [*]Cable runs from the pickup chambers to the control chamber [*]Weight relief routs [/list] Although one is optional here, this is broadly where they will be. Each has to be clear of structural essentials, such as the bridge bushes, but I also like to keep clear of any chamfering areas, even though break-through is highly unlikely: The top left hand side weight relief chamber is optional and - depending on the overall weight when I've done the others - probably won't be routed. Reason for this is that it is useful tail-end weight to counteract any neck-heavy tendency, particularly when you think of all the wood that will be removed for the control chamber itself.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1472021175' post='3117663'] It's all gone wrong. I might even keep it a while! [/quote] Clunk-click....you know it makes sense...

Excellent. I really, really like the carve on those Ibanez's. I reckon this is going to turn out to be a real good buy once you've finished with it

Gunstock oil on a fretboard that's been slurried and buffed...well, maybe. But applied as gloss????? Still - easily fixed

Great!

[quote name='Bottle' timestamp='1471695735' post='3115116'] Bridge & MM Pickup sorted (many thanks Thunderbird) and neck with maple fretboard (Dannybuoy) Have a little question regarding placing the bridge. Obviously this will be a 34" scale bass (as the neck is already fretted for that scale length), so how does one determine the optimum position? Do you pick the midpoint of the saddle travel front to back or is there an offset position to account for string intonation? Cheers, Ian [/quote] Hi, Ian There is a frets and bridge calculator on the Stewmac site but it does assume you are using a standard Fender P-bass bridge How I do it is slightly different to what you say. If I have at least 4mm adjustment of the saddles, I wind the G saddle to the very front and place that at the scale length, knowing that it will wind back maybe 1mm but that the bass strings will be able to wind back at least 4mm (the bottom E is usually at least 3mm back from scale length - but can be more. However, the G saddle will never be in front of the scale length but often isn't much further back than that). If I have more limited saddle movement, then I would wind the G to the front and place it 1mm max back from scale length. Hope this helps and anyone who disagrees please do chip in!

[quote name='Bastav' timestamp='1471690405' post='3115053'] Youre working very fast! Looking good [/quote] Got a bit of a break after today so I've been trying to get ahead

The first back wing is now glued and I have checked the flatness in relation to the neck: From the back it looks almost identical (just as well, really!): Because the top is slightly unstable, it is critical that the top-surface of the back is [i]completely [/i]flat. That way, when I clamp the living daylights out of the top onto the back, I should be able to achieve a gap-free almost competent looking join (well - here's hoping ) Because of this, when I have come to glue the second back panel, I have flipped the bass over to make absolutely sure the final mating surface is going to becompletely flat. My workbench is flat and I have used a number of top clamps, holding both the neck assembly and the second back panel firmly to the workbench top. I've also heartily whacked all components with a heavy hide mallet to make sure they are fully in position. Then I have used the bench vice, a couple of sash clamps and some standard screw clamps to hold it tight and flat: Note the clingfilm to stop it all being comprehensively glued to the bench! With any luck, this finished surface should need no levelling prior to the top being clamped on (again, here's hoping!)

[quote name='Bastav' timestamp='1471678822' post='3114917'] Thanks andy, dont know that i would call my routing clean but this was certainly better than my last pickup routes! [/quote] Mmmm...but you should see mine at times!

Now that's what I call an individual design! I envy clean routing like your pickup chamber and fretboard end and, as for that carve...top drawer

Oooooo - flattery gets you everywhere. Definitely will be watching this one!

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1471632219' post='3114683'] I am aiming to take the fingerboard and nut off the DB, cut the fingerboard down and glue it onto the present fingerboard of the Uke. I will need a curved bridge so will cut that down and shape it so that it will sit in the slot that the present bridge sits in so that I can use the piezo. This will give me a small EUB. In theory. [/quote] Ah...OK - got it. Thanks

Love it!

That is a stunning stoptail...

...and I'm not sure I do understand what you are planning to do....or how.

The nut to body taper of the neck has been rough band-sawn, the mating surfaces of the neck and body sections have been squared up and the first half of the body is now glued and clamped: Note the wenge veneer between the two components. The wenge veneer glued to the back of the top will effectively surround the neck when viewed from the back. I did the same with FuNkShUi's single cut: In fact, other than the different colours of the body wood, it will look pretty much like this