$100 Bass Challenge - Nucifera (The Violent Squirrel)

[michaelwayneharwood]

Actually red squirrels are more violent than grey or black squirrels... Back to the bass... It looks great!

Thanks!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Although it's not anywhere near time to start staining and finishing, I thought that I would throw a quick coat of iron acetate on the back to check for spots where glue drip will create splotchy areas. Sure enough I found a few, though I am hoping a bit of sanding will fix that right up. A quick check on the exposed walnut from the neck between the body and the fingerboard proves to be as attractive as I had hoped, and the chemical reaction that is causing the black is not completely covering up the walnut which will make for a gorgeous finish.

In slightly bass related news my kids and I were at the local pond earlier today sailing some boats I made for them out of cedar and some oak dowels when a man stopped and asked them about the construction. My daughter replied "We painted them, but daddy installed the truss rods onto the body blanks."

 

[Lonnybass]

That thing looks sweet!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

That thing looks sweet!

Thanks so much!

A bit of scraping with a chisel later and things are looking much better, though I still have some work to do. I really need to invest in some scrapers, but for now the chisel serves the purpose as well, though it's a bit cumbersome to use. I started another batch of ferric acetate by immersing a couple of 000 steel wool pads in a white vinegar bath. In about 2 to 3 days I will have a nice strong brew I can use once my current batch runs out.

I am really loving the results so far. I can knock back the black a bit with some fine sandpaper to expose a bit of the walnut and get a lustrous black with walnut overtones, and the walnut drinks it in really nicely so the black goes as deep as a water based dye. The nice thing about this coloring is that the wood has actually changed color due to a chemical reaction, so it's colorfast. It reminds me a bit of Warwick's "Nirvana Black" finish, but I'll bet they didn't use pickled iron to do theirs.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

After a bit more scraping and sanding the entire bass was given a ferric acetate bath to expose anything I missed. One thing I am finding nice about this method is that the grain is being raised and showing off areas I need to focus on from a scratch and dent perspective as well. She's looking much better, and a night or two more of this process will yield clean lines...at least I hope so. I have attached a test piece that has a bit of Tru Oil on it as well- you can see the promise of deep luster even with a single coat.

The effects the solution has on the hickory is very pleasing as well. Since the wood is much lower in tannin content the effect is more of a "weathered" look. the grain is graying up a bit, and the contrast with the golden color of the rest of the top is gorgeous. When the top and fingerboard get dyed black it's going to pop. If it ends up too dark I will sand it back just enough to let the gold shine through.

The end where the piano tuners will go will need to be routed down a bit to get a good break angle. I have attached an updated concept that I am hoping to get close to.

 

[Rôckhewer]

Very nice!
I'm gonna have to try the "pickled iron" thing on .....well, something someday.
That's a cool effect.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Very nice!
I'm gonna have to try the "pickled iron" thing on .....well, something someday.
That's a cool effect.

The results are very much dependent on the tannin content of the wood, though you can use a "tannin wash" by making a strong infusion of wood or bark that responds well. The best results from raw wood I have seen have been with oak, walnut, and redwood. Redwood looks stunning when sanded back just enough to let the wood glow through. Shedua darkens up very nicely, but not totally black...though I don't think I would want the beauty of shedua to be too heavily masked in any case. Maple, pine, hickory, and other woods will get a grey weathered look that has it's own appeal.

 

[Rôckhewer]

Thanks for the complment! No side dots for.this.build. I am hoping the lines prove to enough as they are exposed on the side. Excuse any typos as I am on my phone and have fat thumbs.

I understand now how you are able to go without side dots..... I just noticed the difference in color and position of the fret lines that you have there.
Very clever!

 

[Will_White]

I actually like how it looks here

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

I actually like how it looks here

The weathered look is nice...let's just say I reserve the right to abandon any plans I have made if'n i change my mind mid stream.

 

[Jon Clegg]

The results are very much dependent on the tannin content of the wood, though you can use a "tannin wash" by making a strong infusion of wood or bark that responds well.

Tannin wash? So that's what the tea is for

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Tannin wash? So that's what the tea is for

Tea works very well actually.

 

[PDX Rich]

That's really getting squirrelly (in a good, thematic way)!

 

[Feral Feline]

...
In slightly bass related news my kids and I were at the local pond earlier today sailing some boats I made for them out of cedar and some oak dowels when a man stopped and asked them about the construction. My daughter replied "We painted them, but daddy installed the truss rods onto the body blanks."
...

That's just whole levels of awesomeness right there!

Bass is shaping up as nicely as the kids seem to be. Oh... and the story of Squirrels Triumphing Over Sentient AI is shaping up nicely as well.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

That's really getting squirrelly (in a good, thematic way)!

Bass is shaping up as nicely as the kids seem to be. Oh... and the story of Squirrels Triumphing Over Sentient AI is shaping up nicely as well.

Thanks guys!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

A small area was routed out at the end of the fingerboard to give a decent break angle for the strings when attached to the piano tuners this evening. I also sanded the finger board level to get rid of some CA glue that was "sticking" around. I need to get a pickup cover made next, and then route the cavity. I think I have decided on a position where the center line of the soapbar is 2.75" from the end of the scale length on the treble side, and angled so that the bass side is 2.25" away. It's in the ballpark of in between the position of two J pups on a Warwick Thumb, but scaled down a bit to accommodate the 30" scale length.

I am liking the color of the body so much I may not dye it black, but I think a darker fingerboard is a done deal. Here's the most recent concept.

 

[Jon Clegg]

The contrast looks good. Don't think you could go wrong either way though.

 

[Mktrat]

View attachment 596064

Does anybody else think you need a Montgomery Burns "Excellent" captioning this pic?

BTW, Sweet Bass!!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

Tonight the Chinese soapbar received a full shield using a covering of copper foil, and a pickup cover was made of some thin walnut I cut out on the table saw. The sides are about 1/16" thick, and the top is super thin at close to 1/32" or less. The cover was then washed in ferric acetate to ebonize it a nice black. When things dry out I will do a quick final sand to remove any errant saw marks and then wash it again. Once that's done I should be ready to coat it in Tru Oil and glue the pickup in. I have a "Powersound" single coil jazz pickup I pulled from an Ibanez that had it's cover removed and a thorough shielding done, and I will be making a cover for it as well and then be putting the two pickups head to head to see which one I like best for this application. I am also planning on putting together a low impedance pickup to add to the choices. I figure that whatever is left over after I make my choice will be used somewhere else eventually.

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

BTW, Sweet Bass!!

Thanks!