Special Edition Build Off: 5 F-Squared

[Chuck Chill-Out]

I could not get the title changed on my current thread, so I decided to start a new one. Rojo412 suggested that I enter into the build-off, so I am throwing my hat into the ring.
Firstly, I am in awe of the builds in here and think I cannot hold a candle to y'all. Your basses are amazing.

That said, here we go.

This is my second build. Creating a 5 string, (potentially) fanned fret bass. My first build was fretless, so this will be a giant leap. I will try to have this done by the deadline, but I am currently looking for employment (I have a second phone interview this week with Starbucks - EHS Manager for their roasting plant) and three other corporations, one being Harley-Davidson.

The materials:

• Neck-through is Ash-Maple-Ash (no Cherry nor Walnut)
• Wings are 200 year old Hemlock salvaged from a store built in the 1800's in southern Lancaster County.
• Pickups are Ibanez Dx5 Soapbar 5 String Bass Pickups from Reverb.
• Tuners have not been purchased yet - probably fleabay.

Hemlock Beams

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

Glued up the neck-through:

Layout of the wings on the Hemlock:

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

The sanding is going to make my forearms like Popeye's, but it is pleasing to see tool marks disappear and the grain to come out:

 

[dwizum]

Love the use of the reclaimed wood. Hemlock must have been really prevalent back in the day, it seems like every 200 year old home or barn I'm in here in the northeast has some hemlock somewhere in it.

And good luck on the job search! These are probably strange times to be looking for a job.

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

Love the use of the reclaimed wood. Hemlock must have been really prevalent back in the day, it seems like every 200 year old home or barn I'm in here in the northeast has some hemlock somewhere in it.

And good luck on the job search! These are probably strange times to be looking for a job.

My daughter wants me to make her a ukulele, and I am contemplating using the Hemlock for the sides and back. That is after I am done this current build.

Had a second phone interview with Starbucks this morning. Went well. Next step is a video conference, if they deem me worthy.

 

[dwizum]

Have you built any ukes before? I'd love to compare notes if you have.

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

Have you built any ukes before? I'd love to compare notes if you have.

Nope. Going down many new roads, wood bending being one of them. Any words of wisdom is appreciated.
This is the grain of the Hemlock. Would this be suitable for bending?

 

[dwizum]

I've never bent hemlock but I would give it a try. I would say the main thing is avoiding boards with a lot of runout, so looking along the edge of the board to see how true the grain is can help decide if it's worth trying or not. The good thing about ukes is they're so small, you don't need a big giant piece of clear wood to cut sides from.

My uke bass buildoff thread chronicles my growing pains while learning to bend. Most of my difficulties were my own dumb fault and would be easy to avoid. Once I got an adequate bending iron and the hang of it, it wasn't nearly as hard as I expected it to be.

 

[Allegrus]

How thick is that piece you are going to try to bend and what are you attempting to achieve bending that piece?

There might be a different solution to the issue you are trying to solve other than bending. I've seen many people doing bending ... that piece looks really thick and you might crack it if you attempt.

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

How thick is that piece you are going to try to bend and what are you attempting to achieve bending that piece?

There might be a different solution to the issue you are trying to solve other than bending. I've seen many people doing bending ... that piece looks really thick and you might crack it if you attempt.

Apologies for not replying sooner. That is not the piece I was going to bend, just an example pf the grain in the Hemlock that I have. When I get around to building the uke (after this bass and the bass I am converting to headless), I will start a thread.

Thanks!

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

I do not have a planer, and am waiting for the Stay At Home order to be rescinded, so I am set on sanding the wings:

I have a line on the upper wing where an arm relief will be. Slow going, but I am enjoying working with this wood.

 

[ctmullins]

Very cool.

One friendly word of advice regarding sanding: fresh paper makes a huge difference. This will seem ridiculously obvious, but if you’re like me (a cheapskate), you’ll try to get the most out of every sheet of sandpaper. Don’t do that. It’s so much faster, not to mention more enjoyable, to switch to a fresh sheet as soon as the current one gets dull.

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

Well, I had to take a break from building/sanding/shaping on the bass for this:

My daughter wanted a picnic table for squirrels. The paint is drying, then it will be mounted on our patio.

Oh, I had 4 interviews with Starbucks, 3 with Harley-Davidson, and two with two other companies within the past month. Now I am in a holding pattern.

 

[ctmullins]

A picnic table for squirrels??

That's nuts!!









Get it?? "nuts"?

 

[Reedt2000]

Well, I had to take a break from building/sanding/shaping on the bass for this:
View attachment 3796847
My daughter wanted a picnic table for squirrels. The paint is drying, then it will be mounted on our patio.

Oh, I had 4 interviews with Starbucks, 3 with Harley-Davidson, and two with two other companies within the past month. Now I am in a holding pattern.

That's cool, gonna mount an ear of dried corn in the center?

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

That's cool, gonna mount an ear of dried corn in the center?

She wants a bowl of some sort attached to put peanuts in.
She also wants 3 of these made...


I am bringing her into the shop to learn how to make them.

 

[Chuck Chill-Out]

I haven't worked on this for a while. Between converting my first bass to headless and finding a job, oh an now working, I finally got some shop time...

And this happened.

I was using a Forstner bit with my hand drill to create the hollow for the controls, and the drill slipped, tearing the wood apart.
The nice thing is, I have a lot more of this wood and I will use this now scrap piece to test finishes.

Oh, the red is not blood. It was paint on the bit.