Special Edition Build Off: The Paper Birch Precision

[AK4570]

Inspired by all you amazing builders, I am realizing a multi-year dream here…


…I’m finally dipping my toes into building—at least partially—my own bass.


2 years ago, after moving back to Alaska (my home state), I met a fellow who had a goodly supply of fresh-milled birch. Now, the Alaskan variety of birch (Betula neoalaskana) has a well-deserved reputation for both weight and weirdness… it likes to bend and twist into some pretty interesting shapes during drying. All that to say, hopefully, this winds up more like the design I’m shooting for—a Precision(ish) mashup—than a pretzel!


I’ve been collecting parts for a couple of years now and I (should) have everything I need to make it thumpy…


Used Mexican Fender bridge, Craiglist Squier VM Precision neck that I reshaped the headstock into a Tele bass shape, American P pickups, Chinamart tort guard (yummy… tort loaf!), Fender Mexican Tuners, Fender 51 control plate, etc., etc…


So here we go.


(pile o’ parts picture is badly out of order… but here they are)

 

[AK4570]

I actually started working on 11 April… it took me this long to summon the intestinal fortitude to post my “progress!”


Started off with a rough-cut plank approx. 2 x 12 x 8 ft.

 

[AK4570]

Apply ye ol’ wormdrive to arrive at this…

 

[AK4570]

Slice and dice into approximately rectangular shapes (smells exactly like firewood… I wonder why that is?)


And bob’s your uncle!

 

[AK4570]

After selecting the 2 blanks with the least twist (these 2 ONLY had 3/8 twist over a 28inch length)… mark ‘em up and get some flat(ish) glue surfaces.


Hopefully,

you all appreciate my highly genteel and precision glue-surface-preparation apparatus… AKA, a discarded melamine closet shelf

 

[AK4570]

It was right around this time that, out of curiosity… and the fact that my arms were about spent… that I decided to throw these 2 hunks on the scale.

Thweet thufferin’ thuckotash! (no picture… the horror…) 12 lbs., 13 oz.!

Ok… this is what we’ve got… how do we make it work?

Not too many places to chamber a 2-piece Precision body but let’s give it a go!

 

[AK4570]

Glued up

Got too involved and didn’t take pictures of flattening in the router-planing jig… oops.

 

[AK4570]

And yes, that knot is going to be an issue… oh well.

Went a little below the standard thickness to try to shave some more weight… she’s at 8lb 11oz now… outta sustain into the next millennium!

Anyway... made up some templates…

...and that brings us up to today.

 

[Scoops]

Welcome to the party

 

[Dark Horse]

 

[NKBassman]

Following

 

[Gary_M]

Looking good! I wonder with a blank that weighs that much, is it completely dry? I don't know if you have a moisture meter or not... and I'm not sure how heavy birch normally weighs, is it typically very heavy?

 

[wraub]

I'm also curious re: aging/drying of that wood... that's some heavy stuff.

 

[Deleted member 261632]

nice write up!

 

[AK4570]

No moisture meter, but “seems” to be dry (insert appropriate eye roll here...)

The wood database lists Alaskan Birch as having an average dry weight of 38 lbs/ft3 which is just higher than Bigleaf Maple which comes in at 34 lbs/ft3.

With routing done and cut to basic shape/not yet edge-sanded/no roundovers or comfort cuts, she’s at 6lb, 2.3oz... the diet plan is working! I’ll update with pictures shortly...

 

[Holdsg]

my upright is constructed of Birch ply. not that it matters here. just stating.

 

[Doner Designs]

following

 

[mexicanyella]

Thanks for documenting this; this is interesting. Looking forward to the next installment!

 

[AK4570]

A question for those that have tried it...

Does Varathane WB work over Tru-Oil? I’d like to use something that will pop the colors/grain of the wood prior to clear coating.

(I’ll cross post this to the Water Based finishing thread but thought I’d ask here as well...)

 

[Jisch]

Yes you can put Varathane over Tru Oil, I did that on my WBO bass. Just make sure the Tru Oil is dry (24 hours or so).