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The Hossenfeffer II Build
- Thread starter Gilmourisgod
- Start date
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- build
I think I’ll try the simple expedient of masking the board around the inlays and go at it with a dremel buffing wheel. I have some Novus plastic polish in two grades, fine and finer, I’ll give it a try. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try the vegetable oil trick.
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I tried the dremel, seemed a little too agressive, so I just hand buffed them with Novus plastic polish, which definitely got them shinier, but not as shiny as just the untouched original pour. I guess that makes sense, since this stuff is meant to be poured on with no further messing about, it self-levels to gloss, not possible on a radiused board. The photos don't do it justice, looks better in person. The polishing did reveal some tiny flaws, pinhole sized bubbles, etc., so its not perfect, but overall I'll call this a qualified success. At any rate, I'm not doing it over again!
Taped up the neck and clamped it to my tablesaw to glue in CF rods. The neck beam has developed maybe a slim 1/32" of forward bow, just the act of gluing in the carbon stiffeners may cancel that. The HF 1 backbowed at the same step, nothing the DA trussrod couldn't straighten, thank God.
Some messy and ineffective attempts at putting black PVC rod in .040" deep holes drilled into .060" binding. This is going to be a PITA. The blotchy mess is some acetone dissolved black binding, troweled into a drill hole, I'll try sanding or scraping it flush and see how it looks. other alternatives would be black CA glue or black tinted epoxy. Wish Id' thought this through better before gluing on the binding!
Next up (finally) neck carve!
Taped up the neck and clamped it to my tablesaw to glue in CF rods. The neck beam has developed maybe a slim 1/32" of forward bow, just the act of gluing in the carbon stiffeners may cancel that. The HF 1 backbowed at the same step, nothing the DA trussrod couldn't straighten, thank God.
Some messy and ineffective attempts at putting black PVC rod in .040" deep holes drilled into .060" binding. This is going to be a PITA. The blotchy mess is some acetone dissolved black binding, troweled into a drill hole, I'll try sanding or scraping it flush and see how it looks. other alternatives would be black CA glue or black tinted epoxy. Wish Id' thought this through better before gluing on the binding!
Next up (finally) neck carve!
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Obligatory Fingerboard Glue Up Shots:
After all the agonizing, the side dots went in with no drama, I used a hand drill and just went very slowly, careful not to punch through into the inlays, then just set some Stewmac black dot rod stock with a drop of acetone.
Then cut down to binding with a flush cut saw and sanding block.
Neck waste bandsawed off about 1/8" proud of finish line, starting to shape volute and heel.
Next I'll put the whole neck beam in a router jig and shave it down to about 1/32" above finish line, then start rough shaping it using the "facet" method, which worked really well on the HF I.
After all the agonizing, the side dots went in with no drama, I used a hand drill and just went very slowly, careful not to punch through into the inlays, then just set some Stewmac black dot rod stock with a drop of acetone.
Then cut down to binding with a flush cut saw and sanding block.
Neck waste bandsawed off about 1/8" proud of finish line, starting to shape volute and heel.
Next I'll put the whole neck beam in a router jig and shave it down to about 1/32" above finish line, then start rough shaping it using the "facet" method, which worked really well on the HF I.
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- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,701
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Yay, you’re making great progress! I was looking forward to six weeks of fiddling with side dots; too bad they just slipped right in... 
Yeah, I was disappointed too, hoping for at least a couple days of fun and angst on the dots. On vaction this week, which makes my usual agonizing slowness and whining less palatable. PLENTY of opportunities for sloth and delay on the neck carve, of course. Scrape. File. Sand. Repeat. Ill lay off posting until I have something intersting to show and tell.Yay, you’re making great progress! I was looking forward to six weeks of fiddling with side dots; too bad they just slipped right in...
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,701
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Neck carve finished, now on to the Endless Sanding.....
I used the "facet" method throughout, but unlike the HF I, I'm relying less on templates and measurements for the final profile, and more on just sitting there with the bass in my lap, eyes closed, trying to judge what needs work by feel alone. The HF I ended up a little "square" than I wanted, but I was too nervous about how much I could take off it. I have 3/16" under the trussrod, really trying to get it to a flat ellipse that rolls right into the fingerboard.
That major milestone crossed, starting to feel pretty good about this one. A long way to go, obviously, but no fatal router mistakes left to make.
I used the "facet" method throughout, but unlike the HF I, I'm relying less on templates and measurements for the final profile, and more on just sitting there with the bass in my lap, eyes closed, trying to judge what needs work by feel alone. The HF I ended up a little "square" than I wanted, but I was too nervous about how much I could take off it. I have 3/16" under the trussrod, really trying to get it to a flat ellipse that rolls right into the fingerboard.
That major milestone crossed, starting to feel pretty good about this one. A long way to go, obviously, but no fatal router mistakes left to make.
Attachments
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,701
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Gorgeous! Glad to see you’re making good progress on this one. I am loving the heck out of my walnut 4004 build, let’s add to the club!
Rôckhewer
Commercial User
- Feb 28, 2015
- 2,922
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- Owner/Builder- RockHewer Custom Guitars LLC
And so ends another Fabulous Gilmour Christmas Staycation..... using the router I said I was done with. Body roundovers, anybody?
Now it's back to stealing a few hours of precious shop time on the weekends, but I have to get those few hours consistently if I want to finish this on time.....
Now it's back to stealing a few hours of precious shop time on the weekends, but I have to get those few hours consistently if I want to finish this on time.....
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,007
- 1
- 31,701
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Home stretch, baby! A few frets, some finish, assembly, and Bam!
