Learning how to build an electric guitar

[lumberjim]

Originally Posted by BigV

Scrapers aren't cheating. They're plane blades you hold in your hands. If you've filed them flat and sharp and burnished a cutting burr onto the edge, you can just coax the filmiest curl from the surface. They're lovely, when they're used for the right purpose.

The guitar looks really beautiful, what a great project.

I like them more and more. I say cheating because you're shaping, carving, sanding and polishing at once if you're getting it right. I got the groove going on the neck, and scraped what felt like a soft film off the entire side of the neck. It actually occurred to me as I did, that it felt like a scratch off lottery ticket...Now it feels like it's got a sealer on it. I know I'll need to oil the wood to protect it, but I like the way the scraper leaves that matte finish.

[Gravdigr]

If ya still feel like you're cheating w/the scrapers, use a piece of broken glass. Same outcome, only w/more effort.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

This vise is the tits.

I've got those threaded inserts in the bench top. They screw right in slicker n shit. You don't even have to tighten them down. The base of the vise is threaded the same, so once the bolt grabs thread, they're joined tight. I put three holes in, but only need two.

That is a cool vise.

[lumberjim]

The only complaint I have is that there is a bit of wiggle that comes from the rods that go through the aluminum housing in the center not being terribly tight. They have to be loose enough for the thing to slide along the rods.

The cure for that is a huge rubber band that I had from some work out jinx had me doing 8 years ago. When I need it super stable, I strap it to itself with one of those. I even put some foam from a window unit AC down on the base of the clamp part to protect the work from getting dinged if it should slip down.

[lumberjim]

Oh, and when I say it's 'the tits' , I mean it's round and fun to play with.

[Gravdigr]

the dog's balls

[lumberjim]

I made a thing today. This is made from the left over body blank. Design inspiration came from this Stew Mac product, which I'm sure is refined over years by luthiers going way back.


https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tool...kaAneJEALw_wcB

[lumberjim]

I made mine 3 parts



Comes apart, goes together for storage


Gives me 6 height options and other uses I'll discover, no doubt. And I'll have this going forward. Saved $25 too.

I used contact cement, stuck the felt on and trimmed the edge with a new xacto blade. Took about 30 minutes. I love having a band saw right here all the time.

I just ordered a jointer, a planer a burn in oven and a Swedish vise.

Check this thing out:

[lumberjim]

I've been waiting for this little chrome back plate.


I'm going to carve that corner down at an angle so I can reach farther across the high end of the finger board.
I laid a straight edge against a square to make sure I had exactly where the neck fits.



Check length

[lumberjim]

It goes right here. Exactly right here.



The screws need to go in perfectly in the center of those holes, and perfectly perpendicularly.

Say that 5 times.


This is a way to get that right.



Then..



The cross hairs are key. Find the right size circle template, line it up and strike a +



Very pointy scratch awl to make a little hole big enough to fit the brad on my smallest Brad point bit.

Now I need the depth.

[lumberjim]

Looks good.



To be double sure, I'm taping a stop line on the drill bit, and setting the depth stop on the drill press. Also awesome to have one of these handy... (shhh.... I have 3 more cool machines en route.(i got an unexpectedly large bonus this month))





Measure, measure, cut. errr... Drill



Zip zip zip zip. Just as easy as you please.

[lumberjim]

The neck posed a slight complication. It's not flat when it's laying on its face as it needs to be in order to drill the pilot holes.

I stepped away to consider. And pee. And eat something. Amanda's flight got delayed 45 minutes, so I had the time to finish before I had to go pick her up from PHL.

Saw some skewers while I was in the kitchen.



Improvised a kind of sled. Just taped them to the edges trying to keep the thing flat and stable for drilling.

I'll hang on to them. That worked well.


All holes drilled, let's do this. Because I'm a gentleman, I use lubrication for the first time I penetrate its body.



And because I don't want to fight it and strip chrome screws.



Stated them with my trusty genuine Snap On #2 Phillips carbide tipped driver. Ran the middle down with the Dewalt and took them home by hand, gently and lovingly.

[lumberjim]

It's apart now because I have to account for the 1/4" I lost fixing my scale length.



I'm going to have to shave that from the neck heel edge of the pick guard.



I think I have to be careful with that. 3 layers. I think I'll mark it and take it to Pete's. He has a laminator and binding machine.

When I disassembled it, I color coded the screws so I know which hole to return them to.



I'm going to paint the control cavities now.

You use conductive paint or copper foil to line the interior of the body cavities. Because of feed back or some science stuff. I'll probably need to understand that at some point, but for now, it's monkey see.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by lumberjim

To be double sure, I'm taping a stop line on the drill bit, and setting the depth stop on the drill press. Also awesome to have one of these handy... (shhh.... I have 3 more cool machines en route.(i got an unexpectedly large bonus this month))

When the cat's away the mice will blow their bonus. Good move, there's no better investment than capability.

Originally Posted by lumberjim

And because I don't want to fight it and strip chrome screws.

Good move, those chromed countersunk ovals tear up easily, then you have burrs that will rip your hand just as the stage manager at the Royal Albert Hall say 2 minutes Jim.

[lumberjim]

Guh. I picked up the new blue guitar for the first time since we decorated for Christmas today. Calluses totally gone again.

I actually need to poke some more holes before I put this paint in. There are wires that go from chamber to chamber so you can wire the pickups and outlet jack to the pots. Gotta do that research and drill them first so I can paint the inside surface of them with a cotton ball on a string. Sounds messy.



And this paint is purportedly noxious and stinky.