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What's On Your Workbench?

#3,561
dwizum said:
If you're looking at the Amana 45475, I use it a ton and find it very versatile. It's good for pickup cavities, control cavities, neck pockets, trimming headstock profiles, and all kinds of odds and ends. The double bearing and 1/2" cutting depth adds some level of forgiveness in terms of needing to over-think the template thickness vs cutting depth when setting up a template. I find it more versatile than both really long bits or really short ones.
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Yup, that's the one. :thumbsup:
 
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#3,562
I sneaked downstairs at lunch time and took some slices. There's going to be plenty of that nice steel blue color buckeye is known for.

IMG_20210706_125940.jpg


I'm undecided about hardware color on this. I will probably default to plain black hipshot stuff.
 
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#3,563
Amana makes good router bits. I've been using them for years and trust them. That particular bit looks like a good choice for pickup cavity routing, bearing style.

But, look at getting or making a collar base for your router. Most major brand routers have collars available to fit the existing bases of their routers. A couple-dollar part that bolts on. If not, it's easy to make up your own custom collar base.
 
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#3,565
Yeah man, I love the unique stuff.
Black always looks good, but in my mind's eye, I'm picturing black being a lot of contrast. I'm kinda seeing a satin nickel-ish hardware. Maybe even something in the gold spectrum. But not super gaudy, super shiny gold bathroom hardware from 90s gold.
Something satin, maybe pewter-ish.
 
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#3,566
Yeah, the thing is, I can picture lots of colors in my head that would look great. But the selection of actual hardware that's available or which I can make doesn't always line up to that.

Satin nickel or satin stainless steel would look great!
 
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#3,568
I like satin-finish aluminum hardware on wood-finish basses. If you are making up your own custom hardware, aluminum is light weight, inexpensive, and easy to machine and shape. And satin-finishing aluminum is easy to do yourself. And I really like the look of it against dark wood.
 
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#3,569
@Bruce Johnson I've made several wraparound style bridges for ukuleles and guitars from brass and aluminum. I'm considering making a "high mass" style bridge for this from aluminum. Aluminum plate for a base, aluminum bar across the back to anchor the strings and mounting screws, and brass saddles on intonation screws with grub screws for action adjustment. Just teetering on the edge of whether I want to commit the time to do something that new and different right now or not, but I think this discussion is pushing me to lean in that direction.
 
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#3,571
dwizum said:
@Bruce Johnson I've made several wraparound style bridges for ukuleles and guitars from brass and aluminum. I'm considering making a "high mass" style bridge for this from aluminum. Aluminum plate for a base, aluminum bar across the back to anchor the strings and mounting screws, and brass saddles on intonation screws with grub screws for action adjustment. Just teetering on the edge of whether I want to commit the time to do something that new and different right now or not, but I think this discussion is pushing me to lean in that direction.
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Go for it! Custom aluminum hardware is not difficult to make. An important thing is to buy 6061 bar stock and plate stock. That's the best alloy to use for machined, shaped parts. Don't use that cheezy 3000 series stuff from the hardware store. It's too soft and gooey, difficult to machine and finish.

One downside to 6061 is that it isn't very good for bending. If you want to make a bent-plate style bridge base, use 5052 aluminum plate.
 
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#3,573
Matt Liebenau said:
Let us know how that works. I got the water based and it’s not conductive when dry. Also, the can doesn’t have the warning about the paint being heat and electrically conductive. I’d get that one but now I only see gallons on Amazon.
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Hey Matt,

I’ve applied two coats thus far and am deciding on a sealer now. T Toast guys say they use Simtec 28-50, but I’m thinking of using one of my Minwax wipe on polys once it’s completely dry. Confirmed it’s thick stuff :)

This was after the first coat:
65E5AA2C-7915-41A4-8E7D-518D2D23FDA2.jpeg

Yep, thick stuff:
9B69E46C-38DA-4AFF-AF3C-CB93C68789A2.jpeg
 
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#3,574
chinjazz said:
Hey Matt,

I’ve applied two coats thus far and am deciding on a sealer now. T Toast guys say they use Simtec 28-50, but I’m thinking of using one of my Minwax wipe on polys once it’s completely dry. Confirmed it’s thick stuff :)

This was after the first coat:
View attachment 4327470
Yep, thick stuff:
View attachment 4327469
Click to expand...


Is it conductive once the paint is dry?
 
#3,577
Matt Liebenau said:
Sounds good. That was my issue with the water based. I didn’t read any continuity across it. Matt said in one of the Texas Toast videos that that doesn’t matter but I don’t entirely agree. I’d feel better if it was conductive.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with you on that. If it doesn’t work out I can remedy it fairly easily with copper tape or some other “really” conductive application.
 

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