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Double Sevens
- Thread starter lbridenstine
- Start date
I finally got out in the garage to work on these guitars.
Like always, I didn't get as much done as I planned, but ya know, at least something happened.
I made clamping cauls for gluing bodies/tops/necks. I made a very quick and ugly table with fence to use with the Safe-T-Planer on my drill press. I tested the Safe-T-Planer by planing all of the clamping cauls to the same thickness, which worked nicely.
The first piece of black limba planed nicely with the Safe-T-Planer, but the next one didn't. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I think it's one or both of these: the drill press table spun to the side a couple inches which may have made the table un-level or something, and the blades on the STP seem to already be getting a burnt look to them. Maybe it didn't come fully sharpened and I'm supposed to do that before I use it. It does come with a sharpening stone.
Anyway, I jointed all of the limba pieces, so I decided to work on gluing the join lines this week and use the router sled to level everything for gluing the layers together next time. I think I should be able to use the STP for the neck laminates and the neck after glue up. I'll see if the blades need to be sharpened before I use it.
First glue-up of the build(s).
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Like always, I didn't get as much done as I planned, but ya know, at least something happened.
I made clamping cauls for gluing bodies/tops/necks. I made a very quick and ugly table with fence to use with the Safe-T-Planer on my drill press. I tested the Safe-T-Planer by planing all of the clamping cauls to the same thickness, which worked nicely.
The first piece of black limba planed nicely with the Safe-T-Planer, but the next one didn't. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I think it's one or both of these: the drill press table spun to the side a couple inches which may have made the table un-level or something, and the blades on the STP seem to already be getting a burnt look to them. Maybe it didn't come fully sharpened and I'm supposed to do that before I use it. It does come with a sharpening stone.
Anyway, I jointed all of the limba pieces, so I decided to work on gluing the join lines this week and use the router sled to level everything for gluing the layers together next time. I think I should be able to use the STP for the neck laminates and the neck after glue up. I'll see if the blades need to be sharpened before I use it.
First glue-up of the build(s).
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The local lumber yard (middle of nowhere, Colorado) has a cabinet shop, and they are always willing to help out with custom cuts, planing, holing, etc.
Ask the people where you buy your wood. I'd bet they know people who have small woodworking shops. I'm pretty sure a lot of them would be impressed with the quality of your work and be happy to help out.
As far as milling, I have found that most charge quite a bit per hour. However, an hour handles an armload of lumber. 
As far as milling, I have found that most charge quite a bit per hour. However, an hour handles an armload of lumber.
My problem is that I keep making guitars/basses out of a bunch of pieces of wood glued together, and I tend to need to plane a couple pieces, glue them together, plane more, etc. instead of having everything ready to go all at once. I am searching for somewhere close by for when I start making some furniture though. That's something I don't want to have to use my router sled on.
First pair out of clamps.
Second pair in clamps.
I have one more pair to go. To be honest, I don't even remember how that first pair became two pieces. Apparently I had a reason though.
Second pair in clamps.
I have one more pair to go. To be honest, I don't even remember how that first pair became two pieces. Apparently I had a reason though.
On my early builds I didn't have a thickness planer and had the blanks planed at a local woodworking shop. Then got tired of it and bought a 10" wide combo planer (jointer/thickness player) but with this one I had to plane blanks before gluing them together and it could be a headache. Now with a 52cm wide thickness planer I could put an entire bass in and shave it down LOL.
So if you're willing to pay some extra care, a small thickness planer (10") could be the solution. They're not hard to find used at pretty low prices.
So if you're willing to pay some extra care, a small thickness planer (10") could be the solution. They're not hard to find used at pretty low prices.
It has been a much busier year than expected, but I did get in some time working on the guitars yesterday. I spent 4 hours leveling off top and bottom of TWO pieces of black limba with the router sled. How did it take so long? I have no idea. My back hurt from leaning over the router sled for that long though.
At least they're perfectly flat now. One piece is a bit thinner than I wanted it to be. I meant to measure them last night after they were planed, but forgot to. I think they'll still be thick enough with the top. I'm pretty sure I don't have anything going in the control cavity that takes up much height, so it should be fine either way. Plus, the bridge and pickups for these guitars are strangely heavy, so thinner wood might be good for the weight.
The glue lines turned out nicely and the limba looks great after being leveled and lightly sanded. I'll take some pictures later when I do the glue-up. These pieces are for the guitar that will have the myrtle top. One of the two pieces for the tamarind guitar is one piece and roughly planed, so I just need to get that one smooth and plane the other glued up piece to go on top of it, so that guitar should be a little quicker as far as the limba goes. The top wood, not so much.
I took a vacation day this Friday so I can hopefully get in some extra work on the guitars. Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this in this thread, but I'm filming the process of these builds and will be editing together a video series of about 10 episodes that I'm hoping to start uploading late fall or early winter. I'm going to try to shoot some of the narrative stuff this weekend.
At least they're perfectly flat now. One piece is a bit thinner than I wanted it to be. I meant to measure them last night after they were planed, but forgot to. I think they'll still be thick enough with the top. I'm pretty sure I don't have anything going in the control cavity that takes up much height, so it should be fine either way. Plus, the bridge and pickups for these guitars are strangely heavy, so thinner wood might be good for the weight.
The glue lines turned out nicely and the limba looks great after being leveled and lightly sanded. I'll take some pictures later when I do the glue-up. These pieces are for the guitar that will have the myrtle top. One of the two pieces for the tamarind guitar is one piece and roughly planed, so I just need to get that one smooth and plane the other glued up piece to go on top of it, so that guitar should be a little quicker as far as the limba goes. The top wood, not so much.
I took a vacation day this Friday so I can hopefully get in some extra work on the guitars. Also, I don't know if I've mentioned this in this thread, but I'm filming the process of these builds and will be editing together a video series of about 10 episodes that I'm hoping to start uploading late fall or early winter. I'm going to try to shoot some of the narrative stuff this weekend.
BassHappy
Supporting Member
Sounds GREAT Lisa
The video is a super good idea - can't wait for that and some more pics...
I wish more builders would make videos . I'd love to see someone else's take on building . Good luck with your build !
I, also, agree on the good-ness of a maker vid.
Expectantly waiting...
I'm glad you guys like the video idea!
I recorded the shots of me talking for the first 3 episodes over the weekend. I plan on those being the only ones I talk in other than the final demo.
And a little bit of an update on the builds:
The Sugru corners worked well for the twisted piece of spalted tamarind. Only problem was that I had a really hard time getting carpet tape to stick to it, but I did eventually get it.
I used the router sled on one side and that side is now flat.
That side will ride against the bandsaw fence while I re-saw it, then I'll plane all sides flat and thickness with the router sled.
I also recently bought this moldable plastic.
So, I'm sure that I will be using that to make some kind of jig or caul or something. A removable handle for the radius blocks would be at the top of my list if I hadn't gotten these fretboards pre-radiused, but luckily I did so I don't have to worry about that.
I cleaned the sawdust off of the black limba. I'm noticing that it seems a lot like mahogany as far as the size of the open grain and the amount of time it takes to get sawdust off of the surface.
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I set up my clamping cauls and glued both bodies at the same time (with wax paper in between). The thinner pieces are in the middle and thicker pieces on top and bottom to help with even pressure.
Next time I'm going to work on the top woods and the control cavities.
That tamarind FB reminds me of marble cake. Delicious.
marble cake - Google Search
That + the limba seems like a fine match visually.
marble cake - Google Search
That + the limba seems like a fine match visually.
It does look like marble cake!
It's not actually a fretboard, I'm going to make a laminated top with spalted tamarind and katalox. I can't wait to get the top put together and see how it looks and also be able to show everyone because I'm sure it all just looks like a pile of random pieces of wood so far. If all goes well, I should have enough tamarind and katalox left over for a top for another build too.
I chose the pieces of limba that matched the tamarind best to go together. I don't know how much that will change with finish, but so far they are very close in color.
I've checked out your Facebook and Instagram pages, and I have to say I'm quite impressed with your work. I really like your esthetics, and the workmanship seems top notch, too. I'm very interested in seeing how these basses turn out.
Thank you!! These ones are actually guitars, but I'm hoping to make more basses next year.
Guitars? That seems like a bit of a waste. Half those guys can't even read music, let alone play it... maybe I should take up guitar.Thank you!! These ones are actually guitars, but I'm hoping to make more basses next year.
It looks like I should definitely be able to cut the cavities out with the bandsaw before gluing the ears on. I was going to do it yesterday, but thought maybe I should wait until I change to my non-resaw blade to make the curves.
Myrtle top ready for glue-up.
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I bought some wireless noise-canceling earphones so I can listen to music while I'm building! I tried them out today and I'm really glad I got them. It made a day of jointing and re-sawing go by much faster.
The myrtle glue up looks like it turned out good.
And here is what I spent the day jointing and re-sawing (and router sledding) - the second top.
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I'm pretty excited to see this one after it's cleaned up. I think I'm going to be happy with it. I have both woods left for a matching top too, with 2 of the pieces already re-sawn and jointed, so that should help a bit on a future build.
The myrtle glue up looks like it turned out good.
And here is what I spent the day jointing and re-sawing (and router sledding) - the second top.
Invalid Link Removed
I'm pretty excited to see this one after it's cleaned up. I think I'm going to be happy with it. I have both woods left for a matching top too, with 2 of the pieces already re-sawn and jointed, so that should help a bit on a future build.
