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- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Well, the shape is not mine. It is a replica of an Alembic "balance K " . They created this particular shape by modifying one of their existing shapes for a custom build... I believe, in about 2005. It caught on.
- Feb 28, 2015
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- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Any body else having A real hard time with the whole "day job" thing today?
"Happy Holidays"?....BAHH.....humbug!......HUMBUG I SAY!!
"Happy Holidays"?....BAHH.....humbug!......HUMBUG I SAY!!
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,015
- 1
- 31,728
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Alembic 34
Guitar plans Unlimited sells a set of plans for the Balance K design, I guess Alembic never bothered to copyright it, so it's public domain. I AM going to build one of these, nicest body shape around IMO.
Guitar plans Unlimited sells a set of plans for the Balance K design, I guess Alembic never bothered to copyright it, so it's public domain. I AM going to build one of these, nicest body shape around IMO.
- Feb 28, 2015
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- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Ok...it's later
After routing the back of the board, I figured that the 1.5mm Fiber-o's I'm using were going to be slightly difficult to bend in a very tight rad.
So I did a little relief carving in the channel, adjacent to each hole....to help, & give space for a little bigger bend:
For the actual dot material, I am using basically the same stuff I used on my last build.
Metal tubing!
Last time I used one .156" OD aluminum tube filled with little ebony dowel I made.
This time, for the fiber-o's... I'm using the same .156" size, but in brass.
Inside that, a .125" tube fits perfectly, also brass.
Inside that...a .092" tube fits perfectly, but this one is aluminum.
Inside THAT.... The 1.5mm fiber-o......you guessed it, ....fits Perfectly!
So, for these happy little bullseye's ...I get to cut, AND DEBURR ....36 little chunks of metal tube
Fast fwd. a few hours & I got this handful of happiness
:I'm actually pretty proud of how these came together, being my first time messing with
fiber-o's
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Then I fed them/glued them into the holes & used tape to hold the fiber-o's down....kinda...
Like I saw @scottyd do in his tutorial.
But to hold them down whilst I filled the channel with epoxy, I cut some 1/8" strips of plexiglass as long as the width of the route. ...then lightly clamped them down, and applied the epoxy. The plex "hold down" chunks will actually stay imbedded, as the epoxy filled right up to them. If that makes any sense.
This is second coat, you cant see the plex pieces.
Like I saw @scottyd do in his tutorial.
But to hold them down whilst I filled the channel with epoxy, I cut some 1/8" strips of plexiglass as long as the width of the route. ...then lightly clamped them down, and applied the epoxy. The plex "hold down" chunks will actually stay imbedded, as the epoxy filled right up to them. If that makes any sense.
This is second coat, you cant see the plex pieces.
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- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Here's my happy little bullseye's
Just to see them light up I shined a flashlight into the end of the bundle:
The LED light I am using will be switchable from red, green, blue....or red/blue together=purple
Just to see them light up I shined a flashlight into the end of the bundle:
The LED light I am using will be switchable from red, green, blue....or red/blue together=purple
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,015
- 1
- 31,728
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Woooooooooow, that is so cool! I'm really happy that other people have enough motivation and focus to do cool things like this.
Looks like all of that extra board work is going to pay off quite well! Excellent work!
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Not to mention, Fiber-o's are a delicious part of a balanced breakfast! 
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
- 9,028
- Disclosures
- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
Allright ....now that I have the fiber optics ..."paths of relative uncertainty" ... behind me. (At least for now)...I can really start making some progress again!
After installing the truss rod, with a little bead of caulk...
And making sure that the top panel... (where it slides under the end of the fretboard)... was clearanced to accept the routing of the fiber-o bundle ... (which btw, does not like to "bend", as I over-optimisticly hoped - like a wiring harness would)...
I finally got the fretboard glued to the neck!
I made this fretboard clamping caul during my last build. It has a concave 12" radius & works really well.
After installing the truss rod, with a little bead of caulk...
And making sure that the top panel... (where it slides under the end of the fretboard)... was clearanced to accept the routing of the fiber-o bundle ... (which btw, does not like to "bend", as I over-optimisticly hoped - like a wiring harness would)...
I finally got the fretboard glued to the neck!
I made this fretboard clamping caul during my last build. It has a concave 12" radius & works really well.
Is that your cavernous shop, or do you have access to a commercial shop? Either way, I'm jealous. I'm a total workshop geek.
- Feb 28, 2015
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- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
That's the woodshop where I work.
"Roadrunner Furniture & Shutters"
& that is only about a third of the shop.
And we are moving to an even bigger shop space.
The company builds shutters mostly.
But I am head of a "special projects" division that creates anything strange, different, unique etc.. that comes our way. From furniture ...to these elaborate, modular ...adjustable surface, golf putting greens.
That's the owner test driving, (putting) on the biggest one I've done....20' x 25' cased by 10" of hard maple ....with an adjustable surface of pvc sheet under the carpet and a spring assisted foot lever system I designed.
Kind of a fun gig
