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4001 Mashup

#703
Thanks everyone :)

Just a little work today. Printed out the fret slot guide and cut a piece for the fret board.

2eevc6p.jpg


I didn't notice that pretty severe knot on the board at about the 24 inch mark. It's just about at the 21st fret. I may decide to just go in search of a new board. That one was only $7.00, and one without a knot may serve me better. Or, I may just go ahead and slot this one, and see how it works.
 
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#704
I ordered a drill chuck from Amazon. I needed a specific size, and they had one that appeared that it would fit. Of course, it was being shipped from Hong Kong, but since I wasn't in a rush, I figured I'd give it a shot. That was on July 22nd. It arrived today, and it fit well, with a small spacer.

210zpsp.jpg


So it seems I have a fret press of sorts. The chuck holds the caul I got from Stew Mac, and the Skil "Drill Press" I bought at a garage sale for $5.00. I just need to make a base, and it appears like it may work.
 
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#705
So it appears the neck blank has warped.

2jystt.jpg


While I work on the fretboard, I'll have to decide how I'll fix this. I'll either use the table saw, or jointer. I'm more experienced with the table saw, but I think the jointer is better suited. I just don't want to make it worse, or ruin it altogether.
 
#708
Did you orient the grains in opposing directions during glue-up? If not, then perhaps ripping off the outer maple strips and re-gluing them with opposing grain will work.
 
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#710
RaniBrandt said:
I guess it's good that you made it extra wide! The only problem is that even if you flatten the sides, the middle strips are still going to be warped. Is it maybe possible to wet the convex side and see if it will bend back the other way first? I'm just spitballing here...
Click to expand...

I have it clamped straight since last night.

wtc4ub.jpg


I'm not confident it will work, but I figured it can't hurt. Great minds think alike :P

ctmullins said:
Did you orient the grains in opposing directions during glue-up? If not, then perhaps ripping off the outer maple strips and re-gluing them with opposing grain will work.
Click to expand...

Yes, and I also thought of cutting off the sides and re-gluing, but I'm trying to figure out how to cut it straight if the entire thing is warped. I may just go back to the wood store this weekend to see if I can get some more wood.

Heh, this is starting to feel like the build that will never end...
 
#711
I had a Carvin one piece koa neck warp on me (not on a home built, on one of their basses) rendering the bass unplayable. It didn't have a two way truss rod, with the truss rod completely loose and the strings at tension the neck had back bow. I sent it back to Carvin and they put it in a heat clamp and it came back perfect and has been so ever since (going on 20 years). I haven't ever looked up what a heat clamp is exactly, but I presume they put the neck in a clamp (like you have done) and applied heat where the neck is warped. I can't imagine it's much heat, just enough to loosen the wood up.

Failing that working, the way I would straighten that on the table saw is put the side that is up in the air against the fence and cut off enough to make it straight on the other side, then flip it and run it through again. If you cut twice on each side like that you should be able to make it square on both sides, unless I'm not thinking of something correctly, which is entirely possible.
 
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#713
Hmmm, something is broken. I just tried to "like" the above 2 posts, and it's not responding. Unlike the neck. I took it out of the clamps and it seems to be a little better. So I clamped it back up to leave it out in the blast furnace like temperatures in my garage/workshop for another day or two.

30hx43m.jpg


k3nn6g.jpg


And thanks for the YouTube link @JIO - I don't think I've heard that before.

Also, the truss rods came in today.
 
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#714
Blast furnace-like? Really? it was only 114 today. Not even hot enough to stop drinking beer.
Although, TBH, I am not really sure where that line exists, but living here is a continual test of it.






Oh, also... Looking good. :D
Straighten that thing the best you can, truss rod it, and move on while thinking good thoughts.
That is my prescription, and this is what you must do.

Have I mentioned the beer?
 
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#715
Started slotting the fret board.

30cbx9i.jpg


Even inside, with the A/C going, I'm working up a sweat. Thus this update now, instead of after I am done :P

I also picked up a couple of pieces of 4 foot long, heavy duty angle iron from Home Depot. When I glue up the next neck, it'll be sandwiched between those two pieces of iron. That ought to keep them from warping. They're the same size as the piece I used to make the fret board miter box, only 3/8" thick instead of 1/4".
 
#719
Since I'm leaving for the wood store in a few, I figured I'd attempt a last ditched effort to reuse some of the pieces I have.

8yxqf4.jpg


The two side pieces are *really* warped, once freed from the neck. And there's no way I can get the center laminates even because of the warp. The five strips are even at the ends, but one side is thicker than the other in the middle. Even the jointer couldn't do it because of the warp. I'm glad I'm not using this piece(s). It's too far gone.
 

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