- On the one hand, six.
- On the other hand, half a dozen.
- On the third hand, if you actually radius, it will be tricky to "make them parallel to the new tapered surface", because it won't be a flat taper, it will be a radius - so unless you make a radius shoe for the router, it will want to wobble. It's a large radius, so it may not be a huge wobble - but it will want to wobble, I think.
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$100 Bass Challenge - Marceline's Axe Bass
- Thread starter mapleglo
- Start date
I'm still not sure what I'll do, but I'm still thinking about it. There's some time left before I reach that stage.
I made a few marks, using my RIC and Precision as general guides for neck shape.
And then took out the jig saw and went very, very slowly.
When I tried that on the maple neck, the blade took an inward turn which almost ruined the neck. I stopped often to make sure the same wasn't happening here. I felt the softer mahogany wouldn't strain the blade as much, and it turned out ok so far. I'll drill two relief holes tomorrow, and cut down the rest of the back. Not enough time this afternoon. I was sure to leave enough "meat" for a volute.
I made a few marks, using my RIC and Precision as general guides for neck shape.
And then took out the jig saw and went very, very slowly.
When I tried that on the maple neck, the blade took an inward turn which almost ruined the neck. I stopped often to make sure the same wasn't happening here. I felt the softer mahogany wouldn't strain the blade as much, and it turned out ok so far. I'll drill two relief holes tomorrow, and cut down the rest of the back. Not enough time this afternoon. I was sure to leave enough "meat" for a volute.
Today I cut a couple of relief holes and started cutting. Here's where I'd really love to have a band saw, but will do the best I can with the jig saw.
I cut about halfway through, and saw that the blade was starting to take an inward turn, so I started sawing from the other side.
Made it through, with some variation in thickness, but within the specified parameters. Yikes, starting to sound like Spock there...
Then I trimmed the neck to the fingerboard with the router.
At this point, I decided I need a way to make the back of the neck straight, as a starting point for shaping, so I started on a router sled.
Then I saw my husband coming home from work, so I went to make him dinner. I'll try not to get mahogany saw dust in it
I cut about halfway through, and saw that the blade was starting to take an inward turn, so I started sawing from the other side.
Made it through, with some variation in thickness, but within the specified parameters. Yikes, starting to sound like Spock there...
Then I trimmed the neck to the fingerboard with the router.
At this point, I decided I need a way to make the back of the neck straight, as a starting point for shaping, so I started on a router sled.
Then I saw my husband coming home from work, so I went to make him dinner. I'll try not to get mahogany saw dust in it
Just a little work today.
Now I guess I have to make a sled for the sled...
Feeling a little under the weather. I may have caught a mild cold. Last week was cool and rainy. It's like 80 degrees outside now. Winter came and went, it seems.
Now I guess I have to make a sled for the sled...
Feeling a little under the weather. I may have caught a mild cold. Last week was cool and rainy. It's like 80 degrees outside now. Winter came and went, it seems.
A bit more work this morning. I set up this pretty ghetto "leveler", just to get the back of the neck level to start.
I had my husband hold things together as I ran the router.
Then I went at it with a rasp and some heavy sandpaper.
It's a start, but there's plenty left to do. I'm still fighting off this cold or something, so I'm taking a bit of a break for the time being. I may do a little more this afternoon.
On another front, I ordered a "Marceline" long black wig, and some vampire teeth the other day, and today I ordered a pair of red boots and a set of short scale Rotosound strings.
I had my husband hold things together as I ran the router.
Then I went at it with a rasp and some heavy sandpaper.
It's a start, but there's plenty left to do. I'm still fighting off this cold or something, so I'm taking a bit of a break for the time being. I may do a little more this afternoon.
On another front, I ordered a "Marceline" long black wig, and some vampire teeth the other day, and today I ordered a pair of red boots and a set of short scale Rotosound strings.
Stopped by Home Depot and picked up the paint.
Also shown are the two pots from Mouser.
Running total:
Tuners, bridge, pickups = $37.90
wood = $24.00
truss rod = $16.00
Rust-oleum = $7.52 ($3.76 x 2)
Volume pot = $1.93
Blend Pot = $2.16
Spike = $2.10
Total = $91.61
Technically, my husband bought the paint for me, but I'll include the price as I would have had to buy it had he not been there.
*edited for grammar.
Also shown are the two pots from Mouser.
Running total:
Tuners, bridge, pickups = $37.90
wood = $24.00
truss rod = $16.00
Rust-oleum = $7.52 ($3.76 x 2)
Volume pot = $1.93
Blend Pot = $2.16
Spike = $2.10
Total = $91.61
Technically, my husband bought the paint for me, but I'll include the price as I would have had to buy it had he not been there.
*edited for grammar.
Last edited:
Man, I love this build. I can't wait for the finished photos of mapleglo in character with this bass! Do 'em high resolution, in case we want to print posters. 
Patience, grasshopper
It's still in shipment mode, but expect everything next week. This is the look I'm going for:
The hair I ordered isn't quite that long, but should work ok.
And some more work on the neck this morning. It's a nice "D" shape now, though a little too thick, front to back. I could actually live with it as it is, but I'll slim it down a bit more.
I'm quite impressed with how quickly it shaves down using just a rasp and coarse grit sandpaper.
I'm quite impressed with how quickly it shaves down using just a rasp and coarse grit sandpaper.
A little more work this afternoon. I thickened the headstock.
Then did a little work on the volute.
Then cut the other side of the nut slot.
Then radius'd the fingerboard to 10 inches. It's the only radius block I have.
And that mass of clamps is gluing up the headstock wings.
Speaking of which, I'll have to finalize the design, now that I have the nut rough cut, and decided on going with a nut slot instead of a zero fret. I'll have to work a bit in Illustrator to get that design completed. Then I think I can glue on the body wings.
I still need to stain the fingerboard, and glue in the fingerboard laminates.
Oh, and I radius'd the board so I could see if there neck was done. It's pretty close. I may go another filing session, but it's pretty close as it is now.
Then did a little work on the volute.
Then cut the other side of the nut slot.
Then radius'd the fingerboard to 10 inches. It's the only radius block I have.
And that mass of clamps is gluing up the headstock wings.
Speaking of which, I'll have to finalize the design, now that I have the nut rough cut, and decided on going with a nut slot instead of a zero fret. I'll have to work a bit in Illustrator to get that design completed. Then I think I can glue on the body wings.
I still need to stain the fingerboard, and glue in the fingerboard laminates.
Oh, and I radius'd the board so I could see if there neck was done. It's pretty close. I may go another filing session, but it's pretty close as it is now.
I worked on the headstock design.
It's a little longer than the cartoon version, to better fit the actual physical tuners. I also set even spacing between the strings, and it aligns with my G&L neck, which I like very much, with about an 1/8" from either end of the nut.
It's a little longer than the cartoon version, to better fit the actual physical tuners. I also set even spacing between the strings, and it aligns with my G&L neck, which I like very much, with about an 1/8" from either end of the nut.
I took the day off from work today. I'm still battling a cold, and I was up half the night coughing. Not a total waste as I was able to watch The Walking Dead, which I usually don't get to see until Monday night on the DVR. It's on past my bed time. So today I'll do some low impact work, like tweaking the headstock design in Illustrator, and working on the nut. So first I filed the nut to the 10" radius, and then made starter mini slots using a small triangular file.
Then I went at it with the nut files.
I'll cut the height to size once I'm ready to put it on the neck, and tweak the slots. Notice the radius/string position template double-stick taped to the nut. I'm curious to see how the aluminum performs.
Then I went at it with the nut files.
I'll cut the height to size once I'm ready to put it on the neck, and tweak the slots. Notice the radius/string position template double-stick taped to the nut. I'm curious to see how the aluminum performs.
- May 1, 2014
- 2,494
- 2,341
- 56
- Disclosures
- Owner Melodious Resonance Constructs
Thanks! It's a small drill press vice. I don't remember where I got it - I've had it for years. I just mounted it to a piece of plywood so I could clamp it down. It's come in handy over the years. It has removable jaws too, in case I ever want to use it for different purposes.
Ok, just one more update and then I'm getting back into bed, I promise.
So I taped the template to the headstock.
And a quick cut to size.
Lots of shaping and sanding still to do, but I think the saw dust is aggravating my cough, so that's best left for another day. I had to play around a bit with the shape and length of the headstock to get it to fit correctly, but I think I came to a pretty good compromise.
*edited to add note to self - next time, glue up the headstock wings before the fingerboard goes on.
So I taped the template to the headstock.
And a quick cut to size.
Lots of shaping and sanding still to do, but I think the saw dust is aggravating my cough, so that's best left for another day. I had to play around a bit with the shape and length of the headstock to get it to fit correctly, but I think I came to a pretty good compromise.
*edited to add note to self - next time, glue up the headstock wings before the fingerboard goes on.
Maple,
Great practice neck carve for the Rick build. Did you use some kind of template, or just wing it? I'm paranoid about shaving through to the trussrod or stiffener rods. I'm going to make a series of templates for stations along the neck and gradually pare down to the templates.
Great practice neck carve for the Rick build. Did you use some kind of template, or just wing it? I'm paranoid about shaving through to the trussrod or stiffener rods. I'm going to make a series of templates for stations along the neck and gradually pare down to the templates.
