The FireDragon Triplets

[AndyTravis]

I just seethe when I see your talent.

In a polite “wish I could do that, wish I had the time!” Kind Of way.

the draig should be on the Pickguard too 😏

[honza992]

22 hours ago, Christine said:

My other half called Bassdirect today to find out where the pickups we ordered were, turns out they sold the last one nearly two weeks ago the same day as I ordered mine and they haven't bothered getting in touch with Mike Lull until after the call earlier. Am I impressed with that you might ask? 2 - 3 weeks they say, bet it's 4 - 5, I'm in half a mind to cancel and use Mojos, I really really hate shoddy service, I suspect that will be my first and last order with them, not happy! Considering Andy's experience getting his Nordies in for Len's beautiful bass I shall expect a toilet roll in the post on the first shipment! (can you tell I'm a little cross?)

I've had exactly the same thing with bassdirect.  Why have a website that says 'in stock' or 'out of stock' if that isn't accurate.  Why not keep your customers updated?  I really don't understand.  Retailers operate on such a tiny margin, that customer service is the only thing that seperates them.  And bassdirect are, I'm sorry to say it, rubbish.  I've ordered from Bestbassgear in the US, and the service is outstanding.  OK, you have the slight extra palaver of paying the VAT and duty, but at least I know what's in stock and how long it will take.  And when I have contacted their customer service they are brilliant. Come on bassdirect, get it together. 

[Christine]

I think the world is out to get me at the moment!! One of those days, well one of those nights, the day in the workshop was good though, got tons done

What you ask? Well this: I carved out the necks, out of interest, anyone ever use a drawknife? Maybe better of sticking with spokeshaves if you haven't but a very useful tool with some practice. I carved one neck ultra thin, 20.5 at the nut and 21.5 at the 12th, hells bells I like it! Trouble is I did it on one of the ebony ones, maybe I'll get lucky and no one will want to buy it

After that I planed down the stock for the wings and cut them out, I started the contouring too, a little heavier shaping then the original Tbirds, still quite flat but will put a bit of a shallow curve into them tomorrow I think. Oh I cut the control cavity too

Drawknife

Tools used

Uncontoured wings

Basic taper

 

[fleabag]

Still following Chris - amazing. 

[Norris]

I envy you having the time to spend building (let alone your skills!)

Fabulous work

[BreadBin]

Looking really good Christine 

[Christine]

19 minutes ago, Norris said:

I envy you having the time to spend building (let alone your skills!)

Fabulous work

The joys of retirement

[SpondonBassed]

10 hours ago, Christine said:

anyone ever use a drawknife?

My housemate got one in for our workshop when he was making his first ukulele from scratch, kerfings and all.

It was the first and last time he used it.  For later builds he bought in ready carved necks.  It's definitely a tool that demands respect.  I'd imagine the trick is to observe the grain closely at the heel of the neck and modify the cut accordingly?  If there is a recommended drawknife sharpening technique would you be kind enough to append it to your blade sharpening guide please?

I'm loving how the final form is shaping up.

[Christine]

28 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

My housemate got one in for our workshop when he was making his first ukulele from scratch, kerfings and all.

It was the first and last time he used it.  For later builds he bought in ready carved necks.  It's definitely a tool that demands respect.  I'd imagine the trick is to observe the grain closely at the heel of the neck and modify the cut accordingly?  If there is a recommended drawknife sharpening technique would you be kind enough to append it to your blade sharpening guide please?

I'm loving how the final form is shaping up.

Ha! Sharpening a drawknife, yes the exception to my rule You need to keep the bevel either flat or with a slight convex curve, the bevel becomes your bearing surface for work like this. It's a fiddly thing to sharpen at best but worth the effort and practice to get to know how to use one. They come into their own with green wood, bodging and such but have a valid place in the workshop.

It is a case of observing the grain and how the wood works, sometimes you need to work both ways on a single cut but it is a very fast tool so it's less hassle than it sounds. Practice in scrap first and soon you will be doing quality work with it

Edit: sorry sharpening, one of the few tools where the stone goes to the tool not the tool to the stone

Edited September 6, 2018 by Christine

[fryer]

How did you get the slope from 21.5 to 20.5 straight with that draw knife ? Do you have magic eyes ?

[Christine]

3 minutes ago, fryer said:

How did you get the slope from 21.5 to 20.5 straight with that draw knife ? Do you have magic eyes ?

That's easy, I use these

 

Seriously, you can get it close by using the bevel as a guide against some sort of reference surface, in this case the edge of the neck. I only take it so far then use spokeshaves and a block plane to get to the finished profile. The draw knife just makes the process of removing wood quicker, 3 minutes or so as opposed to maybe 15, I am inherently a lazy sod

I would have liked to get the nut end down to 19.5 but I got nervous about the amount of wood under the truss rod anchor

[SpondonBassed]

4 hours ago, Christine said:

Edit: sorry sharpening, one of the few tools where the stone goes to the tool not the tool to the stone

I can see how a hollow ground blade might steer the cut in the wrong direction.

The oil stone that I inherited would be ideal for that job.  That would leave me free to adopt a method similar to yours for sharpening edges that are not curved.  Nice.

PS; I have a scythe that I'd love to learn to sharpen well.  In my youth I never quite got my technique down to my satisfaction.  Any  tips for that one?  Heeheehee.

Edited September 6, 2018 by SpondonBassed

[Christine]

2 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

I can see how a hollow ground blade might steer the cut in the wrong direction.

The oil stone that I inherited would be ideal for that job.  That would allow me free to adopt a method similar to yours for sharpening edges that are not curved.  Nice.

PS; I have a scythe that I'd love to learn to sharpen well.  In my youth I never quite got my technique down to my satisfaction.  Any  tips for that one?  Heeheehee.

I might be many things but the Grim Reaper isn't one of them!

Yes for the bevel side the oilstone would do but not the back which still needs to be flat (ish)

[SpondonBassed]

50 minutes ago, Christine said:

Yes for the bevel side the oilstone would do but not the back which still needs to be flat (ish)

Cheers.

"Grim Reaper"  Hahahahaha!  If anyone resembles that character it is me wearing a black and hooded robe!  Stop giving me good ideas about how to deal with local oaves.

[SpondonBassed]

OT:

Have you ever taken on an apprentice Christine?

[Christine]

4 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

OT:

Have you ever taken on an apprentice Christine?

I did once but he was a waste of space, couldn't concentrate, was an accident waiting to happen. Thankfully he left of his own accord

[Christine]

I finished off the shaping of the wings today, just rounding off the general profile of them, I also cut the veneers and stuck them on in the vacuum press. Tomorrow I'll finish off the shaping and get them glued to the bodies

 

 

[Jimothey]

42 minutes ago, Christine said:

I finished off the shaping of the wings today, just rounding off the general profile of them, I also cut the veneers and stuck them on in the vacuum press. Tomorrow I'll finish off the shaping and get them glued to the bodies

 

 

So far looking at these you are succeeding in converting me to the charms of the TB!! They are looking great!! 😀

[Christine]

56 minutes ago, Jimothey said:

So far looking at these you are succeeding in converting me to the charms of the TB!! They are looking great!! 😀

I'm very pleased with them, looking better than I thought, once the edges are smoothed and rounded ...and painted they should look the part. I'm looking forward to seeing that ebony lacquered, I hope they will come to life then.

I'm a little worried that I may have made the body a little lightweight and the neck may become heavy in balance despite my efforts to keep the headstock lightweight. I'll have to see when I stick some hardware on it and a strap.

On that subject, how can I try out different straplock positions without drilling holes all over the body? Any suggestions would be most gratefully received

[Jimothey]

3 hours ago, Christine said:

I'm very pleased with them, looking better than I thought, once the edges are smoothed and rounded ...and painted they should look the part. I'm looking forward to seeing that ebony lacquered, I hope they will come to life then.

I'm a little worried that I may have made the body a little lightweight and the neck may become heavy in balance despite my efforts to keep the headstock lightweight. I'll have to see when I stick some hardware on it and a strap.

On that subject, how can I try out different straplock positions without drilling holes all over the body? Any suggestions would be most gratefully received

On my Tangocaster build thread Andy gave me some advice and showed some pics of how he got over a couple neck dive problems maybe have a read of it, it might give you some ideas? 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Jimothey

[fryer]

Ducktape may hold them in place temporarily ? 

[Jimothey]

8 hours ago, fryer said:

Ducktape may hold them in place temporarily ? 

I know that things can be held relatively secure but I wouldn't trust holding the weight of the bass with just gaffer tape?? 

Edited September 7, 2018 by Jimothey

[SpondonBassed]

7 hours ago, fryer said:

Ducktape may hold them in place temporarily ? 

Yes.

I have always used it for working out where I want to put a strap on my duck.  If you own a gorilla there is a solution for that too.

Sorry.  I was being facetious.  I'd worry about the residue that Duct tape would leave behind in the wood grain.  I have nothing better to offer however so I'll shut up now.

[bartelby]

maybe they were talking about: https://www.duckbrand.com/products/duck-tape/colors 😉

Edited September 7, 2018 by bartelby

[Christine]

1 hour ago, bartelby said:

maybe they were talking about: https://www.duckbrand.com/products/duck-tape/colors 😉

Pink duck tape? .... off before I hit you with my bag!!

Hows about using a 50mm x 1mm panel pin, drill a 1mm hole and insert the pin with a strap button help onto it. As long as I drill into end grain I can insert a sliver of wood to fully hide?