2020 Winter Build-off - Skeleton-P

[louie_b]

built a truss rod channel jig based on this guy's design.
How To Install A Truss Rod And Fretboard
only changes are I built a square base plate for my router to ensure a tight fit with no sideways play. also I put some rails on each side for the router to slide on instead of the neck itself, but now that I'm looking at it I'm thinking it's a bad idea and I'll probably take them back out.

 

[Flamingo21]

What makes you think it's a bad idea?

 

[louie_b]

What makes you think it's a bad idea?

It keeps the base of the router from touching the neck, which means there is potential for the neck to lift if the side screws dont hold well enough. I guess I can clamp the neck down at each end to keep it from lifting.

 

[Jon Clegg]

It keeps the base of the router from touching the neck, which means there is potential for the neck to lift if the side screws dont hold well enough. I guess I can clamp the neck down at each end to keep it from lifting.

Put a blob of hot glue where each of the side bolts contacts the neck blank -- it's easily removed from both the wood and the screw but will prevent slippage.

 

[louie_b]

Got the truss rod slot cut. jig worked well, except I didn't make it long enough. I had to do it in 2 halves.

 

[louie_b]

Also got the basic shape bent into the body and headstock frames. Still not 100% sure how I'm going to attach them.

 

[Will_White]

Also got the basic shape bent into the body and headstock frames. Still not 100% sure how I'm going to attach them.View attachment 3682020

Headstock I'd just use a couple screws on the headblock, the body I'd cut the excess off and use a couple screws and the strap button on the tail and bend a couple tabs on the neck side to screw it down.

If you know someone that can tig weld you could cut the excess off, and make the wings similar to a neck through and just screw them on, I'd also probably add a brace at the waist and maybe at the widest part of the lower bout so it won't bend if it falls or something.

 

[Five String]

This looks really really cool.

 

[Fat Freddy]

This looks really really cool.

Yes, it jolly well does...

 

[ctmullins]

This looks really really really cool.

 

[Jisch]

Can't wait to see the next step here.

 

[Novarocker]

+1 to what others have said! I'm so excited to see this come together.

 

[louie_b]

Got the standard P-Bass templates in from Faction Guitars today and got to work making my own template by piecing together theirs. Yes the headstock is still in tact on the template, I wanted mine to curve in the right direction to make the transition to the aluminum more fluid. Also used the pickguard template to get the pickup route lined up and marked out. Laid the body template on after for the start of the outline, again, for the transition to the frame.

 

[louie_b]

Got the template done early enough to get it laid onto the neck blank and get the basic shape cut on the bandsaw. The hole in the headstock is there so I can see my center line and line it up.

Tomorrow I Route!

 

[louie_b]

Neck routed and "wings" cut. Going to have 2 pieces, one top and one bottom, flushed into the neck.

 

[Flamingo21]

That last pic somehow conveys an impression of a plexiglas body.

 

[louie_b]

Channels routed on top and bottom for the wings to mount flush into. Also cavity for electronics routed into bottom. Controls and jack will be mounted to bottom wing and fire down.

 

[louie_b]

Also, Truss-rod installed and fret board glued on. used the 'pin' method of aligning the fret board yet somehow the body-end pin failed and the fret board creeped a little. quickly un-clamped and got it most of the way back square. it might be off just a tiny bit. fingers crossed!

 

[Flamingo21]

yet somehow the body-end pin failed and the fret board creeped a little. quickly un-clamped and got it most of the way back square

Ouch, those panicky moments!

 

[JRA]

ha! neat idea for the build-off!