Andyjr1515

Yes - count me in. I'll be coming along with Chris Sharman and Jo (Mrs S). I'll bring my (avatar) veneered Squier VM Jaguar and, if I can prise it out of our bassist's clutches, the Jack Bruce Thumb 4 fretless tribute build. Andy

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1426266541' post='2716409'] Looking great - the grain is much clearer and sweeter under that finish. For the cover . . . How about a brass sheet, cut to fit, with walnut veneer glued onto it? Did a quick search, it's not excessively costly: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=brass+sheet&_sacat=0"]http://www.ebay.co.u...+sheet&_sacat=0[/url] And it's conductive (not nearly well as copper, but should work just fine for shielding). [/quote] Hi, PlungerModerno Great minds think alike-ish. Gone for some 1.2mm copper. Should work fine

[quote name='Kev' timestamp='1426265422' post='2716391'] Stunning indeed! I can only hope mine turns out that well [/quote] I've a very sneaky feeling that it will...

That's some bass, Jellyfish!

Looking really, really good

Thanks for the ideas, alittlebitrobot and KingBollock. I was wondering the same ref having an 'inner' plate that acted as a flattener. I think the idea that this could also be the shielding is inspired.... Andy

Heading towards the final coats of the Tru-oil, using WezV's method. It's coming up really nicely. Silky smooth to the touch... The final stages should get a satin sheen without losing the 'real wood' feel. I've also got a bit of finishing off to do for the control knobs recesses and I am going to [u]attempt[/u] to do a matching control cover in walnut. Because of the grain, I'm not totally sure it's going to work (it might warp too much) - if it doesn't work, I'll just use the Cort cover. Then drill a few holes for cables, earths, etc and it's ready for reassembly Andy

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1426242561' post='2715985'] I did some filling and then sanded the body down over the last couple of days, the next step is to wait for a dry and still day to add some filler primer, I'm guessing it doesn't have to be perfect conditions as it's a layer that will be sanded back? [/quote] Just dry and still....so July, then lol

[quote name='wwcringe' timestamp='1426117724' post='2714750'] Andy this is looking superb!! Nice one [/quote] Thanks, Tom! Timing's good too...carbon rods arrived yesterday

[quote name='alittlebitrobot' timestamp='1426096641' post='2714381'] Wow, this is coming together so nicely. Congratulations on the weight loss! and really nice carving too. I agree it's an improvement on the original. I'm currently in the middle of a 'lack of powertools, money to buy them or space to use them' crisis and I'm interested in your thicknessing-by-hand method. Anything I've seen online makes it seem like a vigorous, violent process with a scrub plane, which requires a very sturdy workbench. All I've see in your photos is a collapsing workmate thingy. Can you divulge your secret? [/quote] Hi alittlebitrobot In terms of the body blanks thicknessing, I'm afraid I did indeed use a power-tool. Last year I invested in a Makita planer. The most expensive tool I've ever bought...and worth every penny! The reference to the handtools was the carve once the blanks had been thicknessed, joined and the outline shape cut out. That was all hand tools - most done with a block plane, a spokeshave, a cabinet scraper and a rasp file. I have thicknessed blanks by hand in the past, using a jack-plane, but it is hard work! It was quite cheap - I bought an old Stanley plane for peanuts off ebay and read up how to refurbish it, sharpen the blade and set it up. The easiest way, if you are buying blanks anyway, is to ask the supplier to plane them down to a specific thickness... Andy

The gouges will want filling and sanding down, but the scorches should cover OK with the primer coats assuming you are still planning on painting it a solid colour. The first one I did looked like the remains of a BBQ!

Those are lovely pieces of timber. Watching with interest.....

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1426007666' post='2713367'] Much prefer your carving to Mr Cort's, looking good [/quote] Thanks, scojack

Time for the final carves and the last dry day forecast for the week Crucial thing now is to work towards a weight. As I said at the start, the chap I'm doing this for has arthritis in his neck and needs a light bass - which the Cort is. My hope is that I can carve it down to a weight, eliminating the need for an extra 'control chamber'. Before the final carving tweaks at the back, we are getting pretty close: The Cort Luthite body is 1428g and the solid walnut body is 1462g Back to the final carves - the horn scoops at the back. A combination of rasp file, medium file, curved scrapers and sandpaper got me here: Now was the time to finish-sand the edges. One of the things I do when I'm at this stage is save some of the fine sawdust. You never know when you might need some body-coloured filler : Then all round finish-sand. The top now came up like this: I took a tip from a great builder on one of the other forums (WezV) to sand wet with Tru-oil, to create a grain-filling slurry. I've yet to decide whether to use his technique for a fabulous tru-oil final finish or my normal wiped-on Ronseal, but the latter is completely compatible with the former anyway so I can try the tru-oil and, If I cock it up, still go onto a gloss finish. The final colour is going to be something like this: I still have an option to sand down the top a bit more where the control knobs sit but, presently: Cort Curbow : 1428g Solid Walnut: 1422g Result !!!! Thanks for looking and your encouraging feedback Andy

Yup - we've all been waiting....but no doubt going to be worth waiting for

No probs - if you are tight on facilities and equipment, it's probably worth a try... Andy

Caught a couple of hours of dry before the rains came again. Managed to finish the main carve of the top and started on the back. Here's the top: When it's had its finishing applied, it will be more this shade: I've also done the main relief at the back - still got to do the two scoops at the base of the horns: Also got to add a touch of extra cutaway at the top waist to do to even it out: I'm hoping that tomorrow is dry as forecast so I can do the scoops at the back and tidy up the outer edge and the flat surfaces of the top and back. By the way, I do it this way round as the planing, spokeshaving and scraping quite often results in dints and dig-ins along the edge - b****y irritating if the edge is already tidied up and perfect! Thanks for looking Andy

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1425749360' post='2710354'] When you mention Microfibre cloths are you talking about the cloths used to polish cars? [/quote] I use the cheapo ones from Sainsbury's / Homebase. I think they are around £5 for 4. I use a slightly fancier one as my 'tack-rag' - a window-cleaning one

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/244071-fender-precision-lyte-body-refinish/page__fromsearch__1"]This is probably the most relevant thread for you, Rumple[/url]. It was the refurb of Paul S's black Precision Lyte, pictured above. Hope it helps. Andy

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1425744873' post='2710293'] And Andy, I'm going to have to try your finishing method as those two look amazing. [/quote] It came out of necessity - I don't have a workshop / garage / shed that I can spray in and I knew that furniture makers quite often wipe varnish on...many reckon that however well you clean your brushes, there will always be bits coming off them. The transformation was the introduction of cheap microfibre cloths...they are brilliant for the job. When I get a moment I'll post some links I've done in the past (poss from other forums) ref some of the tips and tricks to get a pretty decent finish in not much time or effort...and indoors (ensuring good ventilation, of course ) As I always stress - it will never quite match a professional spray job, but for its practicability and cost it is good enough for many projects Andy

Hi, Rumple It really depends on what you are after. To go for the full spray-can whack certainly notches up the cost more than any of us would like, but it IS possible to achieve a perfectly decent and effective finish much cheaper than that. You could go the ink & wiped on Ronseal approach: Materials - ink £5; Ronseal £7; microfibre cloths £5; white spirit £5; Wet n dry sandpapers £7 Or you could go the spray primer, spray colour, wipe on Ronseal approach: Halfords Primer £7.50 ; Halfords Colour x2 £15; Ronseal £7; Microfibre cloths £5; Wet n dry sandpapers £7 Or the spray primer, spray paint, spray clear lacquer approach: Halfords Primer £7.50 ; Halfords Colour x2 £15; Halfords Clear Lacquer x2 £15; Wet n dry sandpapers £7; Autoglym polish £13; microfibre cloths £5 I don't have any shots of that because I always use the wipe-on approach. It takes some practice, and there are some hints and tips, and it won't QUITE make the same quality as a very well applied spray and buffed finish...but it will be better than a badly applied spray and buffed finish. I'm more than happy to point you to various threads of how to do it... Andy

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1425661269' post='2709552'] Looking quite special already. Glad to see you using a spokeshave for the carving. I was watching a series of videos on youtube recently where the guy was using a rasp file for carving body and neck. It all seemed like really hard work. He produced good results though. Would imagine a spokeshave will be somewhat easier. [/quote] Hi, BassBus Thanks! Yes - once you've got the blade sharp enough and at the right projection, it works very well indeed. You also have to remember (like a router) to always to be cutting 'downhill' to avoid digging in and tear-out. Andy

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1425655623' post='2709472'] Hi Andy, good thanks, it's had a band practice and was really nice [/quote]

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1425653878' post='2709447'] Always enjoy your build threads Andy [/quote] Thanks, Bryan - good to hear from you How's the Thunder Jet? Has it had its first 'blooding' yet?

Did the main carve for the upper half of the top this morning. Almost all hand carve...there's too many things that can go too wrong too fast with power tools at this stage Here's the body marked out and the main tools for starters - a block plane and a razor-plane: Quite early on in the process I also brought in the spokeshave: Other tools at various times included a 'D' profile rasp file and a cabinet scraper and 2 mins worth of Dremel. Now here's the thing...I've never done woodwork before I started on the builds and no-one had ever taught me how to sharpen chisels, plane blades, scraper blades or set up a plane, spokeshave, etc.. So I did what we all do - looked up EVERY internet tips and tricks I could lay my hand on and, guess what - it works!!!! The block plane was a 'special event' present and I think this particular make costs over £300 (yes...quite...). It is a thing of beauty and a joy to use. BUT, with the blade properly sharpened and properly mounted, I was getting as good a quality of shaving with the Record spokeshave which - if I remember correctly - cost about £12.00 in Homebase So - if you do use handtools and, like I was, are not overly familiar with how to set them up, it's well worth spending that bit of time learning and trying it out. Anyway, enough spouting - here's the progress today: As always, thanks for looking Andy