Finished Pics! Single Cut 5-string Short Scale

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, HazBeen said:

Wow, that is some glow!

The second shot is in direct sunlight but yes - it's like a tigers eye semi-precious stone

 

[Andyjr1515]

And I think the finish for the body and neck may be there.   Still got to do the headstock plate but that is a straightforward job.

What I'm trying to do is achieve a 'light gloss' with the tru-oil.  That is, enough thickness to get the figuring really popping but letting it sink in some of the grain to retain the organic feel of the wood.  On the neck, a classic Tru-oil slurry and buff silky satin.

Here's where I've got to:

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

For the rebate that the magnets will fit into, I've cut a couple of pieces of the offcut from the walnut top:

Not the prettiest, but it should be functional (and it's hidden  )

I have a decision on whether to add a binding to close the gap a touch, but this is basically how the grain will match so I am glad I did it this way:

 Tomorrow will be the trussrod cover

 

[Matt P]

such great attention to detail! the anticipation is really building here.

 

(i quite like the idea of binding on a control cover)

 

Matt

[Andyjr1515]

So what I will have a go at is bending this type of b/w/b purfling (generally used for detail features on acoustic edge binding and rosette holes)  to go all the way round  the edge of the recess.  This should give a passing nod to the same b/w/b of the fretboard/neck demarcation line:

It will need bending over my acoustic side bending iron first.  While I'm fiddling with that, I'll carry on doing the final sand and putting the additional tru-oil coats on the hatch itself.

 

[Simon.]

I really like the idea of the binding! Always thought it was a great way of being able to cut a grain-matching cover and then fill it out to fit the space.

[Si600]

Then you could bind the inside of the pickup cavities... 

Fortunately you haven't got a neck pocket... 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Si600

[Matt P]

12 minutes ago, Si600 said:

Then you could bind the inside of the pickup cavities... 

Fortunately you haven't got a neck pocket... 

the neck joint is kind of bound with purpleheart stringers between the oak and the maple 😁

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Matt P said:

the neck joint is kind of bound with purpleheart stringers between the oak and the maple

Strictly speaking - and important if you are discussing with other luthiers - it's a "purpleheart-stringers-bound-between-oak-and-maple" joint

Also known as ein "lilaHerz Stringer zwischen Eiche und Ahorn gebunden"  gelenk in Germany, @Si600 ? 

 

[Andyjr1515]

And out comes the acoustic guitar sides bending iron.  Note the positioning of the waste bin - it saves time when you are throwing all the snapped ones away

 

 

But it's a lot easier bending purfling than acoustic side sets  ... I reckon this is going to work OK. 

I'll tidy up the sides of the rebate to get smooth continuous curves so there are going to be no gaps and then get it trimmed to length and glued.

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

Because it is going to be important that the purfling is fit well round the rebate, I've decided to use the 'iron on' method I use for veneer and bindings.  This is what I will use:

A thin coat of PVA round the rebate, a thin coat round the outside of the bent purfling, then let it dry.

Then use the travel iron to 'weld' the two pieces together, a few cm at a time and then holding it tightly into the recess while it cools:

Then a trim of the excess with a single edged razor and we basically have the binding fitted other than a coat of tru-oil to blend it in:

The hatch needs a bit more sanding for smooth edges and a to give a bit more clearance and also I need to create a fingernail recess so that Matt can get it off once the magnets are in (the hatch here is sitting a bit proud because it's tight and I don't want it to get stuck!), but this is broadly the idea  :

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

And yes, the hatch all-in-all has probably taken more time than the neck carve did...but it is, nevertheless, probably the best hatch I've done to date   .  Now complete with the all-essential fingernail cutaway:

Trussrod cover and jack plate next

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Andyjr1515

[Richard R]

On any scale of workmanship, linear or log, Andy will be so far to the right you need another piece of paper.

[Daz39]

50 minutes ago, Richard R said:

On any scale of workmanship, linear or log, Andy will be so far to the right you need another piece of paper.

What’s bigger than A0, A-(minus)1??

[Hellzero]

Not too far right, I hope... 

[Andyjr1515]

To inset the jackplate I first attached it and then scribed round the outside and marked the jack centre-point:

Next, I tapped some curved incisions around the marked periphery with a couple of sizes of chisel and mallet:

Then drilled the 20mm hole with a forstner and started very carefully chiselling a 1.5mm depth within the marked periphery.  It takes care and very sharp chisels.  The mallet is essential.  I still managed to take a chip out around the hole but happily nowhere that mattered (phew):

And done:

 

 

[HazBeen]

3 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

To inset the jackplate I first attached it and then scribed round the outside and marked the jack centre-point:

Next, I tapped some curved incisions around the marked periphery with a couple of sizes of chisel and mallet:

Then drilled the 20mm hole with a forstner and started very carefully chiselling a 1.5mm depth within the marked periphery.  It takes care and very sharp chisels.  The mallet is essential.  I still managed to take a chip out around the hole but happily nowhere that mattered (phew):

And done:

 

 

This is exactly the thing that separates the true professionals from decent amateurs like me. People underestimate how tricky a job like this actually is.

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, HazBeen said:

This is exactly the thing that separates the true professionals from decent amateurs like me. People underestimate how tricky a job like this actually is.

Very nice of you to say so, but I think I am also firmly in the decent amateur camp also    And a jolly good camp it is, judging on how your own and everyone else's projects here are developing! 

 

 

[TheGreek]

I think that we are spoiled with the quality of "decent amateur" builders here.

It's a joy following these - I just wish I had more money to commission more builds.

Keep up the good work people...

Edited June 20, 2021 by TheGreek

[Andyjr1515]

Today is all about the last flattening, now the main coats are relatively hard and cured, to remove any dust buggies, runs or roughness followed by a few whisper coats to re-establish the shine.  Because of the drying time that usually lasts a couple of days. 

So, if all goes to plan, final assembly and start of set up should start middle of this week

 

[Andyjr1515]

And so with the finish just about where I want it, the myriad of final assembly tasks begins.

The idea for using Tru-oil is to do something similar to @Jus Lukin 's headless build - have enough gloss to show off the wood figuring but still have enough grain showing through to retain the organic feel of some lovely timbers.  This is pretty much there - below, you can see the gloss on the main reflecting surface but, if you look at the edges of the reflection see the shimmer where the oil has sunk into the grain?  It's pretty much like that over the complete top and more-so for the 'strident' grain of the oak at the back  : 

 

The first part of the assembly is fitting the tuners, because I need those to line up the bridge.  Here they are fully fitted with the truss rod cover just placed on at the moment (magnets will be fitted in the next couple of days).  The nut, also, isn't yet fitted and finished and nor are the fretboard or frets:

 

In that it is easier to reposition two bridge screws rather than four, I fit two of them first and check the alignment of the two outer strings all the way down the fretboard:

 

 

Yup - straight.  So tomorrow I'll sort the bridge earth, drill the other two holes and fully fit the bridge.  Then next will come the cavity shielding and fitting the electrics.

 

Edited June 23, 2021 by Andyjr1515

[BassTool]

That finish 😍😍😍 

WOW! 👌🏼

[AndyTravis]

Looks lovely 

[PatrickJ]

@Andyjr1515 - I love the birds motif you use! (well they look like birds to me)

Edited June 23, 2021 by PatrickJ

[Hellzero]

Is lovely ! 😉