Andyjr1515 Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 [quote name='alittlebitrobot' timestamp='1425565452' post='2708662'] Yeah, but they're mad-looking things but I love the design and, having played a fretless 5, I really like the sound. However, my bass-playing never extends beyond the walls of my house so strap balance is irrelevant to me. What matters is how comfortable they are on my lap, and that's where these fail, in my opinion. I found my left hand was kind of holding the neck up while playing. [/quote] Well maybe that supports at least part of my theory - one element missing (strap support) = neck dive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Always enjoy your build threads Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 [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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Hi Andy, good thanks, it's had a band practice and was really nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1425655623' post='2709472'] Hi Andy, good thanks, it's had a band practice and was really nice [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 [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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 (edited) 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 Edited March 9, 2015 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scojack Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Much prefer your carving to Mr Cort's, looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 [quote name='scojack' timestamp='1426007666' post='2713367'] Much prefer your carving to Mr Cort's, looking good [/quote] Thanks, scojack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Very nice . . . If the finish turns out well you should have a gorgeous piece of work - and one happy player! I very much like the accent on the upper horn, and the grain of this piece of wood - nice, without looking like a coffee table! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myke Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 [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] Just a thought. I've taken some pieces of wood into a cabinet makers in Weston and asked them to plane down a couple of pieces of wood for me. Cost me a fiver. Maybe something you could try if there is anyone near by to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mixingwithtom Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Andy this is looking superb!! Nice one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 [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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 (edited) 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 Edited March 13, 2015 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 ! That looks incredible. Thanks for your reply (and Myke) about my projects. For the control cover, I don't know if the walnut would warp but what if you sanded the walnut down to a veneer and then glued it to original cover (having sanded it down the equivalent amount)? Having said that, using the old cover wouldn't detract from this at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I absolutely adore that body shape and would love to own a Cort Curbow. You've got the finish looking really, really good. I think I may well copy it when I refinish my Cort Flying V. Similar to alittlebitrobot's idea, I have recently decided to replace the cavity and truss rod covers on my Warlock, which has an ebony fretboard. I am going to try to find some 1mm ebony veneer and some 1mm steel sheet, glue them together and cut them to shape. The steel will act as part of the shielding, and I will embed some magnets (my wife has these tiny neodymium magnets, for her floristry, that are really strong) into the bass to hold the covers in place. If I can't find ebony veneer I might try to find something else with a nice grain and dye it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlungerModerno Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 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.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=brass+sheet&_sacat=0[/url] And it's conductive (not nearly well as copper, but should work just fine for shielding). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 [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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Yeah, I have to admit that steel isn't ideal. I'd have gone for aluminium if it was magnetic. The little magnets that my wife uses have little steel discs that come with them. I might well use something less prone to corrosion and drill out holes to mount the steel discs into on the back of the cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.jpg.7e18f76540598a8efc0e6ca9be453059.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.