Re strength, the rest of the neck joint is doing 99% of the work. So a small ear like on mine is enough. Also you could radically thin the upper bout down too. 
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Re strength, the rest of the neck joint is doing 99% of the work. So a small ear like on mine is enough. Also you could radically thin the upper bout down too.
Interesting, in a good way. I’ll ponder that, thanks!
With all due respect, Rev, chinjazz's looks very nice with the sculptural curves. I would be dubious about radically altering that. Tweaking, refining, sure - but reducing to a bulge would be throwing away a stunning and evidently original sculptural feature.
It's always a blend of aesthetics and functionality. I like the current curves, but if they are still functionally not enough for you, tweak until you are there 
I'm so offended! Nah, just kidding.
I guess, I'm really a function over form guy. And what I've noticed is that if you concentrate on the function, you can come up with much more interesting aesthetics than you might have imagined. I'm also becoming allergic to over-engineering. I guess that's my interest in race cars. Why have all that extra weight there if it does nothing? Beyond that, the extended neck pockets I've done in the past quickly taught me they were a pain the behind when I went to play chords high up or take a solo around the 24th fret. So, Leo Fender's neck joints look boring, but by Jove they let you get the notes you want. And that's what guitars is for, notes. Not looks!
A small bit of progress after we went on a spring break trip to NYC & Upstate NY (Chatham) for sight seeing and snowboarding
Small bit of shaping/sanding, then made this paint jig.
Small bit of shaping/sanding, then made this paint jig.
A small bit of progress after we went on a spring break trip to NYC & Upstate NY (Chatham) for sight seeing and snowboarding
Small bit of shaping/sanding, then made this paint jig.
View attachment 2970307
View attachment 2970308
I haven't been able to keep up with build threads for awhile due to my move to the West coast, then I saw this today. That jig is fantastic! It's how I know I've reached the pinnacle of luthier nerddom - that jig is just as sexy as your bass.
I haven't been able to keep up with build threads for awhile due to my move to the West coast, then I saw this today. That jig is fantastic! It's how I know I've reached the pinnacle of luthier nerddom - that jig is just as sexy as your bass.
That’s funny! I’m the same way now
I realized if I want to paint the “right way” and get coats on both sides.
Initially, I had this but it was too flimsy:
Who said a drop in a pond couldn’t be a learning experience? I’ll get to that point in a few...
Grain fill
I mixed a 5-1 batch of 105/206 with spoons. Actually, my spoons didn’t have a 3ml but it did the larger 15, but I had a children’s liquid med dropper from Walgreens that got me there for the hardner. I went about my plan to epoxy the body and peg head very thinly and wiping off almost all with a used up gift card. Like clock work it was cured the next day - Awesome!
So I mixed up a second batch, this time with the pumps (bad idea). Dang, that nagging learning experience.... Anyway, 3 days later it wasn’t curing all the way in spots.
You wouldn’t have thought by seeing how great this looked :
Anyway, I’ve since taken a cabinet scraper to it and some 220 / 320 to it and it needs more.
It feels like cheap or old scotch tape to the touch in just a few spots. I can leave a light fingerprint in it in those spots.
I would like to not take it all off if possible.
Any suggestions?
By the way, I did search the web in a few places and what came up was heat to cure further, scrape, sand, or the recommendation on the West System site: Clean the residue with lacquer thinner, acetone, or alcohol.
Invalid Link Removed
Grain fill
I mixed a 5-1 batch of 105/206 with spoons. Actually, my spoons didn’t have a 3ml but it did the larger 15, but I had a children’s liquid med dropper from Walgreens that got me there for the hardner. I went about my plan to epoxy the body and peg head very thinly and wiping off almost all with a used up gift card. Like clock work it was cured the next day - Awesome!
So I mixed up a second batch, this time with the pumps (bad idea). Dang, that nagging learning experience.... Anyway, 3 days later it wasn’t curing all the way in spots.
You wouldn’t have thought by seeing how great this looked :
Anyway, I’ve since taken a cabinet scraper to it and some 220 / 320 to it and it needs more.
It feels like cheap or old scotch tape to the touch in just a few spots. I can leave a light fingerprint in it in those spots.
I would like to not take it all off if possible.
Any suggestions?
By the way, I did search the web in a few places and what came up was heat to cure further, scrape, sand, or the recommendation on the West System site: Clean the residue with lacquer thinner, acetone, or alcohol.
Invalid Link Removed
If it's epoxy, try adding a little heat to it. Epoxy is actually heat set. A good summer's day or in front of a heat lamp or similar.
Today the tack/gummy-ness is less, perhaps because yesterday it was rainy and cooler.
Thanks for your feedback @reverendrally.
That’s funny! I’m the same way now
I realized if I want to paint the “right way” and get coats on both sides.
Initially, I had this but it was too flimsy:
View attachment 2970450
Funny, but my "painting stand" looks pretty much just like this. I hung weights on the opposite side if the boom arm but I think I wilk move them to the bottom of the stand.
Your build looks great!
BnB
Thanks for the compliment BnB!
I definitely need something to keep it from turning when I want it still. Like a bolt and nut handle running thru the post or something.
Borrow from lathes and make an indexing plate if you want choices (disk with a lot of holes that you pin into a hole on the upright) or if a few choices will do, drill a hole through the upright and several into the pipe to stick a nail into - but don't overdo that and weaken the pipe excessively. You could also get "clever" and make it clamp into the uprights, but this may be excessively "clever."
Yes, all good ideas. I like to land somewhere in between clever and rediculously simple
I was thinking I needed to get a longer piece of pvc so I can have more clearance to ensure I can spray the front tip better, then started to think about metal tubing instead (with all the wear and tear). Maybe metal for version 2 of this thing.....
Chinjazz, meet EMT, Electrical Metallic Tubing. Also known as thinwall conduit. Dirt cheap, I suggest 3/4 or 1 inch for "good and sturdy" for what you have there in PVC, based on my calibrated gut. If you want extreme, (but it costs more) IMC, RMC (intermediate and rigid metallic conduit) or "iron pipe" (which is sort of what RMC is, but certain details of RMC are done better since it's conduit. They don't matter for most purely mechanical jobs.)
In general, if you have the space, larger diameter EMT is cheaper than the thicker-wall versions for the same effective result.
I've been biting my tongue given just how dubious PVC can be mechanically, though I understand the allure of cheeeep and easily fabricated.
In general, if you have the space, larger diameter EMT is cheaper than the thicker-wall versions for the same effective result.
I've been biting my tongue given just how dubious PVC can be mechanically, though I understand the allure of cheeeep and easily fabricated.
Thanks! I’ll look into EMT when I’m at HD or Lowe’s. Lowe’s was good for threading my pipe clamps and they may also do other fab tasks since I would most likely need it.
EMT fittings just clamp on. For mechanical tasks you might squeeze the end flat in a vise and drill holes, say. IMC or RMC get threaded, but may not be stocked by the big-box stores (any electrical supplier worth the name will have them, though.)
One of the flavors of clamp-on fittings is clamp on threads ;-)
For larger-scale fabrication, a bender (which is size-of-tube specific) is one of those tools that is most cost-effectively found used rather than bought new. EMT is easily bent, the others require specialized tools and techniques that I consider out of my range.
Rather than try to replicate the "Tee on end of PVC pipe" for holding the neck, I'd probably put a threaded adapter on the end of EMT and connect that to a junction box (specifically a "handy box" which are less likely to cut you than some), which will provide the "thing on the end of the pipe to bolt the body to" more easily.
Here we go:
For a thin box, there's a nut which clamps the box to the fitting which is hidden in this picture, or they didn't bother properly assembling it for the picture, not sure which. Goes on the inside of the box, not a normal nut, you tighten it with a hammer and a punch (or screwdriver.)
One of the flavors of clamp-on fittings is clamp on threads ;-)
For larger-scale fabrication, a bender (which is size-of-tube specific) is one of those tools that is most cost-effectively found used rather than bought new. EMT is easily bent, the others require specialized tools and techniques that I consider out of my range.
Rather than try to replicate the "Tee on end of PVC pipe" for holding the neck, I'd probably put a threaded adapter on the end of EMT and connect that to a junction box (specifically a "handy box" which are less likely to cut you than some), which will provide the "thing on the end of the pipe to bolt the body to" more easily.
Here we go:
For a thin box, there's a nut which clamps the box to the fitting which is hidden in this picture, or they didn't bother properly assembling it for the picture, not sure which. Goes on the inside of the box, not a normal nut, you tighten it with a hammer and a punch (or screwdriver.)
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