There's another storm brewing!

[Beej]

Fine Woodworking had a nice workbench in an issue I read over the holidays, I think it's this one? http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...-big-workbench

For what it's worth, my favorite work surface is a 2' x 4' 1.5" MDF top standalone bench with 4x4 construction. The first one had lockable wheels, but it moves so little I built a second replacement one with no wheels. It stands in the middle of my "shop" (8x10 outbuilding) and allows me access to all sides for working on instruments. The MDF is a sacrificial top...

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by pilotjones

I picked up a few tools this weekend.

First up: this was a cheap set of Chinese pieces, and the vinyl pool float stench from the pouch attests to it. Currently half priced at Woodcraft. I don't expect them to be tempered properly for metal die work, but for wood they should be OK. These are fine cut files, rather than the coarse rasp-type ones I've seen before for wood. They might be useful in blending some contours, if I can get them to cut without clogging.


This is something I've been wanting for a while:

I definitely enjoyed doing the last neck (and some roundovers) with my giant rasp, and files. But I've seen enough glowing mentions of this to want to try it.


Question:
I might be making a new workbench. Can anyone give me any suggestions of favorite plans, or websites with plans? Thanks.

You wont be disappointed in that Shinto rasp. Mine is one of my favorite tools.

[pilotjones]

Rasp: yes, I think yours was one of the several recommendations.


Bench: Thanks for the info, Beej.

Has anyone else got workbench info, tips, or suggestions?

[shporsche]

Hi,
Enjoying your builds, I really like the fingerboard going right up into the body.

The Shinto Rasp, my most used tool for majority of the shaping.
I've built 8 instruments with it, only now I feel its getting blunt.

I recently built a workbench, couldn't find much on the net that suited what I was after.
I ended up designing it by myself, as I couldn't find anything that suited what I used.
This is what I came up with, its not exact as there is no actual dimensions, it was just for the idea.
I will get actual pics later tonight.

[eeyorebass]

This bench is very straight forward:
http://artofmanliness.com/2012/04/04...-a-work-bench/

I plan on building one if I ever get my garage cleared out enough to have a place to put it.

jeremy

[Ironfingers]

I'm looking at making this bench. I love the idea of the pipe clamps.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/works...revisited.aspx

Also, if you haven't already, I'd recommend reading Chris Schwarz's "Workbench book".
There are a couple of nice ones in there.

[pilotjones]

Nice benches, thanks. That one with the built in pipe clamps looks cool, though I'm not sure whether it applies to guitar making as much.

[Ironfingers]

I agree. I decided today that however interesting it looks, I'm going to go with something more traditional like this:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...-big-workbench

[pilotjones]

Originally Posted by Ironfingers

I agree. I decided today that however interesting it looks, I'm going to go with something more traditional like this:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...-big-workbench

When I saw the bench, I pretty much dismissed it because it was so nice - and complex - that I knew I that I couldn't devote the hours to building one, nice as it is. But I'll take another look to see what bits and ideas from it I can use.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by Ironfingers

I agree. I decided today that however interesting it looks, I'm going to go with something more traditional like this:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/...-big-workbench

That is an awesome bench!

My dad and I are finished a room in his basement for a wood shop, for work benches, his neighbour was replacing his kitchen, so he gave us the old cabinets if we would pull them out. We jumped all over that. A few modifications and they will make awesome work benches.

lowsound

[pilotjones]

I've got some questions about the Shinto rasp. Starting a new thread on it.

[ edit ] Here it is. Any help is appreciated.

[pilotjones]

lbridenstine very awesomely came through with a translation. Here it is.

[pilotjones]

It's been suggested that since this neck (and the bass in general) will have several layers, it would be a good idea to use epoxy for the glue-up, to avoid introducing a lot of moisture into the wood. So, I've got a few questions.

1. Who has used epoxy for their laminations? What results have you gotten, and what tips can you offer?

2. West Systems? System Three? Z-Poxy? And which version (which resin, hardener)?

3. Surface prep - De-oiling? Scratching for added tooth? None?

4. Reasons to use epoxy, or not to?

Thanks.

[HaMMerHeD]

I've never had good luck with those shinto rasps. I have a hard time getting the right shear.

I used System Three T88 for a laminate glue-up, which gave me about 30 minutes of open time, which was about right for me.

To prep the glued surfaces, I scuffed with 60-grit paper.

My understanding is that S3 is a bit more sensitive to mixing ratios, so to get the best bond, you'll want to use a good kitchen scale.

[pilotjones]

Thanks for the info, HH.

Can anyone else lend some epoxy laminating expertise?

[iamlowsound]

I haven't used it in a bass, but I have used it in many other things. I just sanded to about 150, or so. I just used cheap 60 minute epoxy, so I had about 30 minutes of working time; it was the kind that had two tubes and you squeezed it out and mixed. This is the table that I used it for, all 8 joints on the top piece. The 30 minutes of working time gave my dad and I just enough time to get it all in place and clamped. A few pieces of advice, make sure that you put it on both pieces, it will slip around more than Tightbond, and it doesn't clean up as easy.



lowsound

[pilotjones]

Thanks.

[pilotjones]

Wood is in. It's great (as expected from Larry). One piece was damaged in transit, so that will require a solution.

Types are rock maple with some flame, quilted bigleaf maple, calico padauk, peruvian walnut, gonçalo alves, and beeswing makore.

No pics tonight, gig. Probably tomorrow.

[pilotjones]

Today I got in from work early enough to take the wood outside in the quickly dying light, splash some alcohol on them, and take a few pics before the bitter cold froze my hands. (I'm not used to 12 F / -11 C in NYC!).

(Some of these have a touch of color correction to try to counter the setting sunlight.)

Some thin rock maple, to be used for accent in neck and body. These are the ends of two long boards.

The narrower piece is significantly darker than the rest of the maple accent wood. But the figure popped so much when wet, I'll have to figure the best way to work it into the build cohesively!

Two thin panels of bigleaf maple, also for accents.


Two more. These are actually a beautifull bookmatch, so it will be a shame to bury them between other layers. But I will position them to best put the quilting where it will be revealed in roundovers or sculpting.


Peruvian walnut for the body core.

This is nice and light. Lighter than Juglans walnut proper, and a little more porous.

The makore for the back.

This is the problem panel. It was a one-piece to span the back, with just one check to be sorted out. In shipping, the check grew, plus it cracked apart in a different place, and the panel picked up some cup. So there's a bit of work to be done to salvage it. If it hadn't also cupped, I would just rip both sides of the split and glue, and the figure would hide the seam, per Larry's advice. But I think I'm going to have to un-bend it first, before doing any cutting. All advice is welcome!

And finally the two that surprised me the most when wetted: the calico padauk (bottom) and the gonçalo alves (top). (Again, these are one end of some long boards.)

The thing is, dry, the padauk has very light white/cream stripes that darken up wet; and the gonçalo dry is completely various shades of warm-to-cool chocolate. Once wetted it actually lightened up, which I've never seen wood do before, so the two of them approach each other. Also, I'm pretty sure the gonçalo the has some flame, of which I had no idea until I got the pics out of the camera.

The GA is one of the densest woods I've ever hefted. I think the grain/porosity is fine enough that I can polish it up and leave the fingerboard unfinished. Does anyone have experience with using gonçalo alves that way? So these two will probably be as: GA for fretboard and back of neck, and padauk for neck core as well as front face of body wings. They are both very nicely quarter sawn (or, technically, radial cuts).



I'm a pretty happy camper!

[sargebaker]

What do you intend the final thickness of the makore back panel to be?

Edit: That Calico Paudouk is sweet, never heard of it before.