• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

First Build - "Lucifer"

#361
Tim Barber said:
I just did a quick and dirty test with Varathane Ultimate for my current zebrawood build. This is L-R semigloss, gloss, and bare wood. Three coats brushed, cured about 12 hours, sanded to 600, hit with 0000 steel wool and rubbed with a paper towel. I think that's how Stradivari did it? :roflmao: I wasn't expecting the difference between the two. The gloss popped the color more but the semigloss seems tougher and easier to work with. YMMV and I'm new to water-base finishes.

View attachment 3985332
Click to expand...
Thank you for that! :cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tim Barber
#362
My new router bit just arrived....
20200916_150912.jpg

I'm far too excited about this. I ordered this for doing some surface planing. Yeah, yeah, I know. It doesn't need the bearing. But this is the only quality brand that I could find on Amazon that met the major specs (1/2" shank, 1-1/4" cutting head), so I went with it. I saw a 1/4" shank bit with no bearing, but why drop to a smaller shank if I don't have too? The larger shank seems like it would be more stable and maybe vibrate less, which seemed desirable. The bearing can just sit there doing nothing, I don't think it'll be a problem.

What IS a problem is the stupid smoke in the air. I can't kick the garage open to build the router sled until the air clears up enough that we at least get out of the "hazardous" rating we are in now. And my luck, that'll probably be when the rain starts, and then doesn't stop until May of next year. :thumbsdown:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Matt Liebenau
#364
So I'm still working on that neck heel to body transition. No pic because I just didn't take one last night. I'm shooting for something along these lines -
unnamed.jpg
A bit farther into the body, but that concept. I went at it some last night, sketched some lines for my limits, then attacked it with the Saburr bit just trying to hog out some material. Currently I have it to a point where I'm not comfortable going further with the Saburr, so I need to move to other tools to start refining the shape before it gets away from me. There's a "too far" limit somewhere in here that I don't want to hit because this feels like another one of those points where I can make super expensive firewood. But the struggle I now have is, my half-round file doesn't really "fit" in there and I'm not sure how to get at it in a manner that works beyond "rough hogging of material". I need to start actually shaping now.

So, of those of you who have done this, what was your method here? What tools did you use? How did you go at it? Please be in depth with the detail if you don't mind.
Really appreciate all of you! :cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodRy
#368
I used to hate carving that transition. So I feel your pain.
Scared to go too far, so you don't... then sand smooth and realize you should have carved more...
....etc.
After getting close with the saburr bits, I usually break out some riffler files to carefully
level up any peaks & valleys left by the bit.
Screenshot_20200917-115901_Chrome.jpg

After that... a scraper is my friend.
The convex curved scraper edge can remove an amazing amount of material when contouring and does it very nicely. (Scrapers aren't just for flat surfaces)
20200917_115101.jpg

There's a bit of a learning curve to use & sharpen well... but it's not hard.

Check this out... at the end of the video he uses a big scraper to actually hog off material on a arch/carved top.
You can do the same at the neck/heel transition with the goose neck and small curved scraper.
Then sandpaper wrapped around semi-hard rubber backer pads and dowels & such for places you can't reach with scrapers...
...and hand cramps... lots of those.

 
  • Like
Reactions: S-Bigbottom, I-Am-The-Slime, postalflunkie and 5 others
#370
The first thing I do is draw the arc across the back of the body using a French curve, below that line the body will remain at full thickness, that is really important to a nice looking carve.

On my first through necks I left a lot of material there before glue up, but as I've gotten more confident I cut the shape I want on the neck before I glue it up with the bandsaw, so it's gotten easier over time.

Probably the easiest way to remove material quickly is with an angle grinder with a 120 grit flap wheel on it. You have to 1) be careful of how much material you're removing and 2) keep track of the "other" side of the grinding wheel. I've created some nice divots in the adjacent horns by accident because I didn't realize the other side of the wheel was touching. I sincerely dislike using the angle grinder as it creates a LOT of fine dust. I try to only use it outside now, but my workbench is not outside so it's never fun.

I've also used a gouge, which gives a ton of control, but is slow going. I've also used a sanding cylinder in a dremel, again slow going and due to the small radius you have to be careful to not let it create divots.

On one build (I can't remember which) I used my router to create a stair step. It was scary enough that I didn't do it a second time.

Once I get it close I use a scraper to smooth it out.

The hardest part for me is getting the transition from the neck/body into the neck. I've learned to leave more material for the transition, if you cut the neck right to the final thickness that transition is hard to smooth out without creating a groove.

I often think "that looks great" then I come down to the shop the next day and I start all over again.

I hope that helps, I'm more than happy to clarify anything that's not clear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reedt2000, RodRy and TerribleTim68
#371
Thanks @Rôckhewer and @Jisch, much appreciated input!

I started poking around on the Youtubes and ran across a couple videos of random dudes carving that area and it looks like all of them are using chisels and gouges and going at it slow and steady. I think I like this idea. The gouge is a new one for me, I'm not super familiar with all the different woodworking tool options, so that one is a new one. I think I may want to look into getting some of varying sizes and angles. Right now my toolbox consists of one "medium" toothed half-round rasp, one "fine" round rasp and one shinto. As much as my wife absolutely despises the place, I should probably take a trip over to Harbor Freight and look at some files and rasps. (She worked for DeWalt for about 2 decades and constantly heard "I can get it at Harbor Freight for like 1/5th of that price!")

So yeah, gouges, who knew?
.......I need more tools........
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodRy
#373
Harbor freight rasps are kinda barbaric. They will leave tooth marks you will curse yourself for. Their files are OK though. Don't know if they sell gouges.

I carve that area with a saburr-like power carver and then just immediately switch to sanding with power tools - a random orbit with a soft rubber pad and/or round drums in a hand drill. I can't really do the whole gouge and chisel thing any more thanks to finger pain and arthritis.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rôckhewer, RodRy and TerribleTim68
#374
dwizum said:
Harbor freight rasps are kinda barbaric. They will leave tooth marks you will curse yourself for. Their files are OK though. Don't know if they sell gouges...
Click to expand...
Yeah, I really should just go down to my woodworking store. But the fact that they are only open when I'm at work or on Saturdays (which I spend with my racecar) are problematic. I'd much rather support them than HF, but business hours are rough to get to.

I wonder if I could just use a small lathe gouge. I may have some of those that were really short.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: RodRy
#376
The Shaping Continues.....
So I think I have the rough shaping finished. My edge bevels are cut, both front and back. My scallops at the horns are cut and I got the neck heel transition roughed in how I want it.

The Neck Heel.....
This one was rough, but I came back after talking here, picked up my sad excuse for a chisel and my mallet that I turned on the lathe (posted that over in the "What's On Your Workbench" thread) and started tapping away. Between that, coming back in lightly with the Saburr bit and then some Shinto and half-round rasp action, I have something I'm kind of fond of -
20200917_204258.jpg

Still a lot of work to do there. It's got a little hump at the spot where the neck had been shaped and then I cut this heel transition, but that's to be expected.

So Where Do We Stand.....
I took the random orbital sander to it to kind of take off some of my rough shaping marks. Then decided to wipe it down with a damp cloth......you know......for photos -
20200917_204147.jpg

20200917_204200.jpg

20200917_204312.jpg

Yeeaaaah.......I'm not unhappy with this. :cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: John_Nicholas, tobascovodka, S-Bigbottom and 20 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back