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What's On Your Workbench?
- Thread starter HaMMerHeD
- Start date
We can work something out I’m sure.DON:
What are you going to do with the Bardens?
I have a use for them
I figured we could.
With the Rails, I'll be able to purpose them in a 5 string "Precision" bodied bass on my (mental) drawing board.
With the Rails, I'll be able to purpose them in a 5 string "Precision" bodied bass on my (mental) drawing board.
Okay, so I finally got the ShopSmith headstock unstuck. That took way longer than it should have. I started setting it up as a table saw just to see what all was there and what was missing...
This also let me give it a good cleaning and apply some paste wax to all the sliding parts and the table tops.
Here's a shot showing the small dent in the rail where the lock had been cranked down FAR too tight and then stuck....
The headstock slides past it but you gotta get a run at it and go on past. I'm hopeful that it won't be a major issue.
So yeah, I know it's not guitars but this will become part of my work bench. For free I'm fairly happy at this point. I haven't put it to use yet but I have verified that everything functions. So now I have a rather bizarre table saw that also becomes a bizarre drill press and can also become a lathe with a 16" swing and can also become a 12" disk sander and can also become a horizontal boring machine. Once I figure out how to use all the different configurations, it's my understanding that it can also do overhead routing as well as a funky drum sander (in that drill press turned drum sander sort of way). It's an odd duck, but I'll start getting to know it.
This also let me give it a good cleaning and apply some paste wax to all the sliding parts and the table tops.
Here's a shot showing the small dent in the rail where the lock had been cranked down FAR too tight and then stuck....
The headstock slides past it but you gotta get a run at it and go on past. I'm hopeful that it won't be a major issue.
So yeah, I know it's not guitars but this will become part of my work bench. For free I'm fairly happy at this point. I haven't put it to use yet but I have verified that everything functions. So now I have a rather bizarre table saw that also becomes a bizarre drill press and can also become a lathe with a 16" swing and can also become a 12" disk sander and can also become a horizontal boring machine. Once I figure out how to use all the different configurations, it's my understanding that it can also do overhead routing as well as a funky drum sander (in that drill press turned drum sander sort of way). It's an odd duck, but I'll start getting to know it.
I think every one of us probably had, or knew, a Gramps with a Shopsmith. I've never used one (as an adult) so I have no idea how well they perform, but I have to admit they're really fascinating just as an engineering puzzle.
There are some modern versions of the Shopsmith concept, mostly for the European market. Very cool gadgets, the only real criticism being the time required to "convert" from one tool to another, though with practice, its pretty quick. Ive seen a specific tool for removing dents in tube steel, probably the gunsmithing gadget used for taking dents out of shotgun barrels. I hadnt realized they still make these tools, the Shopsmith Mark 7 Makes me wonder if you can still get parts for the old ones?
Last photo of the bridge, I promise! This was 15 minutes of micro mesh and a felt wheel on a dremel. I'm pretty happy.
Dang @dwizum that is beautiful! Well done!
As for the tube, the guys in the owners group (there’s a group for everything) said “Just rotate the tube so the dent is down”.
I don’t think converting from function to function will be a big deal, I’m never in a hurry anyways. And I will probably only use it as a table saw and a drill press with the very rare use as a lathe. I just need to get to know it.
Exactly! It is very fascinating just to stare at the engineering. I’ve been told several times “They don’t do anything well, but they do everything very mediocre.” I don’t know, we’ll see.
Yeah, it’s crazy that they are still in business and basically still making this exact same unit. And yes, you can still get parts for this one. Basically any of the Mark V or Mark 7 units you can get parts for and a lot of the parts will interchange on the really really old model E units.
As for the tube, the guys in the owners group (there’s a group for everything) said “Just rotate the tube so the dent is down”.
I don’t think converting from function to function will be a big deal, I’m never in a hurry anyways. And I will probably only use it as a table saw and a drill press with the very rare use as a lathe. I just need to get to know it.
I think I saw something like that by Maffel which is more expensive than even Festool!
No... keep on showing photos! That is beautiful!! Fabulous job!
How thick is the bridge/tailpiece? I've worked aluminum with hand tools to make bridges, but I always get concerned when trying to figure out how thick pieces should be in order to stand up to the string tension.
It was cut from a bar that was 3/8" v 3/4." The weakest part is probably the back of the curved "wings" that go around the studs. They're probably about 5/16" in cross section. This design is heavier-built in pretty much every way than commercial guitar wraparound bridges which need to hold about twice the tension, so I'm not really worried.
I got the original tapped P pickup back from being repaired. I installed it and the original tapped J pickup. I bought new switches but re-used the old ones. After getting it all back together I find both switches broken probably from over tightening them. So... I put in the new switches.
Have I said lately that my soldering skills have turn to suck? Yea...
I finished up waxing and put it back together.
I’ve been resisting putting on new strings because I’m not playing out anyways. But I did put some on...glorious sounding!
I’m very glad to have the original PU’s back in! It plays like the olden days!
Edit: I didn't have to adjust the truss rod. This neck is very stable.
I think I like putzing around with the equipment as much as playing.
I like this wood grain in this area. It’s not seen much when I play it.
Back to your regularly scheduled stuff!
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I did a very similar thing for my mandolin that I finished recently. It's an 8 string bridge of my own design out of 360 brass. A milling machine is so nice to have!
Playing around with knobs on the lathe. Trying to get a feel for how I want them to look. Wenge with a Purpleheart stripe and a Maple "pointer" line.
This was sanded to 400 then an abrasive paste and a polishing paste then "finished" with what is commonly referred to as "OB Shine Juice", a 1-1-1 mix of boiled linseed oil, denatured alcohol and shellac. The trick is to get the lathe speed super high so the alcohol flashes off or it won't shine up.
My struggle with wenge is that it seems so much lighter when freshly sanded. I really like it after it gets darker.
This was sanded to 400 then an abrasive paste and a polishing paste then "finished" with what is commonly referred to as "OB Shine Juice", a 1-1-1 mix of boiled linseed oil, denatured alcohol and shellac. The trick is to get the lathe speed super high so the alcohol flashes off or it won't shine up.
My struggle with wenge is that it seems so much lighter when freshly sanded. I really like it after it gets darker.
I'm envious of those of you who have a lathe whenever I make knobs on a drill press!
One thing I think would be cool, but I can't quite picture how to pull it off cleanly and without hassle, would be to have the indicator line raised above the surface - even just a mm or so - so it gave a tactile indication of where the knob was pointing. The plastic knob styles I like all have some sort of tactile indicator, a plain turned wood knob doesn't unless you reach down to feel for the set screw...
One thing I think would be cool, but I can't quite picture how to pull it off cleanly and without hassle, would be to have the indicator line raised above the surface - even just a mm or so - so it gave a tactile indication of where the knob was pointing. The plastic knob styles I like all have some sort of tactile indicator, a plain turned wood knob doesn't unless you reach down to feel for the set screw...
