I assume there’s an interesting story about how you got an expensive track saw for free.
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What's On Your Workbench?
- Thread starter HaMMerHeD
- Start date
The story is actually pretty simple: my dad died and I inherited his entire workshop. I was just trying to avoid saying so, for a reason.
You see, my relationship with my dad was so problematic that I haven't felt a snippet of grief over his passing, only relief. So a round of commiserations from y'all, however well meant, would feel out of place and awkward to me. So I'd rather you didn't. Thank you.
There's several really useful items, like my first ever B&D Workmate. And my first miter saw. Also, his kitchen stairs were in his workshop so I have those now. A good collection of the usual hand tools, some of it quite rusty (I already threw away most of his files) and and enormous variety of screws, nails, bolts, and washers, which I need to sift through.
Lots to discover and to explore here. Sorry, I'm on a device that doesn't make photos.
You see, my relationship with my dad was so problematic that I haven't felt a snippet of grief over his passing, only relief. So a round of commiserations from y'all, however well meant, would feel out of place and awkward to me. So I'd rather you didn't. Thank you.
There's several really useful items, like my first ever B&D Workmate. And my first miter saw. Also, his kitchen stairs were in his workshop so I have those now. A good collection of the usual hand tools, some of it quite rusty (I already threw away most of his files) and and enormous variety of screws, nails, bolts, and washers, which I need to sift through.
Lots to discover and to explore here. Sorry, I'm on a device that doesn't make photos.
I also have an early inherited BD Workmate. It is a very useful tool. I have 7 of the original top grips. I also made some leather padded top grips with curved faces for gripping guitar/bass bodies. There was a parlor body clamped in it yesterday.
If I were to make another set, I'd use 3/4" ply instead of 1/2".
My shop is full of prototype tools that are almost right.
Rick
Old files are your blacksmith friends bread and butter. They are made of good tool steel, and forge well. You can also shape them into other useful tools.
I would try a vinegar soak first - sometimes that's all it takes to get them back into working order. It definitely depends on the amount of damage done to them already, and the metal is desirable on its own.
Please talk me out of making a neck with this crazy figured white oak..
It’s riftsawn, looks great, and feels kind of light for white oak.. I would need to pop it on the scale and actually check it, but it seemed light.
Would be a center lam stripe, and it can’t be any heavier than Wenge, right?
It’s riftsawn, looks great, and feels kind of light for white oak.. I would need to pop it on the scale and actually check it, but it seemed light.
Would be a center lam stripe, and it can’t be any heavier than Wenge, right?
Gorgeous! I won't talk you out of it... Fodera uses white oak too. I've built necks and bodies out of white and red oak, as well as Garry Oak, which is local out here on the wet coast. The only thing I'd say is that it needs to be dry, really dry. Oak is one of those woods that likes to settle into a new position over time.
I've got a poplar/red oak neck that was built using all the wrong methods (non-opposing grain, lots of runout) and it's held up just fine over the last 15 years or so. 
Why would I talk you out of such a great looking piece? As long as it’s old enough to be stable and the the other lams are oriented properly, rock on!
I’m assuming you didn’t find the weight a big outlier?Gorgeous! I won't talk you out of it... Fodera uses white oak too. I've built necks and bodies out of white and red oak, as well as Garry Oak, which is local out here on the wet coast. The only thing I'd say is that it needs to be dry, really dry. Oak is one of those woods that likes to settle into a new position over time.
For bodies, I heavily chamber them, so it made no difference. For the necks, yes, it's heavy.
Is it wide enough to be a fretboard? Then, it's on the visible side of the bass.
Rick
The top wheel of my 12” Walker-Turner band saw had a tendency to wander front-to-back with a little less than 1/8” of play. It was very annoying when trying to get the saw to track well.
I got to talking to @Bruce Johnson about it as he has the 14” version of the same saw. I had been trying to come up with some sort of arrangement of shims and spacers when the ever-practical Bruce said “What about set screws?”
Well, what about’em, indeed?!?
I was trying to think up some sort of drill bit and tap extender when I realized I could just get aircraft extension bits and an extension tap. Problem solved.
There’s a fixed spacer between the bearings that the set screws can tighten down on:
And I can punch a leather washer to seal the front of the bearings just as the original did for 75 years.
Soon this saw will be back in service.
I got to talking to @Bruce Johnson about it as he has the 14” version of the same saw. I had been trying to come up with some sort of arrangement of shims and spacers when the ever-practical Bruce said “What about set screws?”
Well, what about’em, indeed?!?
I was trying to think up some sort of drill bit and tap extender when I realized I could just get aircraft extension bits and an extension tap. Problem solved.
There’s a fixed spacer between the bearings that the set screws can tighten down on:
And I can punch a leather washer to seal the front of the bearings just as the original did for 75 years.
Soon this saw will be back in service.
Wheel reinstalled:
two opposing set screws and no more play!
two opposing set screws and no more play!
Picked up this beauty locally for $600. Levinson Blade B-15. High-end brand out of Switzerland but made in Japan. It's pristine and it sounds and feels like a $3k bass... but she needed a makeover nonetheless!
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All this is next on the bench... should keep me busy for a while! Been in storage for 6 years. I cant wait to dig into it!
I see some tasty looking Bocote and Ziricote if my eyes aren't fooling me. Nice assortment!All this is next on the bench... should keep me busy for a while! Been in storage for 6 years. I cant wait to dig into it!
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I sent the pu’s back from my Butch build to Brantley Rewinds. They weren’t doing what I wanted. Almost unusable. I called him and I considered buying a new set..but he offered to rewind them. A truly stand up guy.
I sent them back about 6 weeks ago, they are being sent back today.
I sent them back about 6 weeks ago, they are being sent back today.
Check out my thread for the full details about this, but for now...
Got this about 98% done. Need a truss rod cover, strap locks, and waiting on a logo emblem thing for the headstock....but other than that, it's playable and done! I went with budget parts on this because it's more of a prototype/proof of concept for me, but I have a few more that I want to build, and I'm up for commission sales as well. As far as I know, no one really builds Grabber-style basses, so this was a fun project for me.
Specs:
- 3 piece ash body
- 4 piece curly maple neck with curly maple fretboard
- 34.375" scale
- Two-way truss rod (CB Gitty)
- Jescar Medium SS frets
- Tusq nut
- Guyker brand bridge, tuners, and pickup (Hipshot knock-offs and a stacked coil pickup)
- Bolt-on neck with 1/4"-20 threaded inserts
- Sliding pickup - the whole point of this build!
- CTS pots (with some random knobs I had laying around)
- Strung up with D'Addario 45-105 in Drop D
- 9 lbs. 4 oz.
- Rubio Monocoat finish on body (Intense Black Pre-color, then Silver Grey Oil Plus 2C with Accelerator)
- Tru-oil finish on the neck and fretboard (5 coats)
Got this about 98% done. Need a truss rod cover, strap locks, and waiting on a logo emblem thing for the headstock....but other than that, it's playable and done! I went with budget parts on this because it's more of a prototype/proof of concept for me, but I have a few more that I want to build, and I'm up for commission sales as well. As far as I know, no one really builds Grabber-style basses, so this was a fun project for me.
Specs:
- 3 piece ash body
- 4 piece curly maple neck with curly maple fretboard
- 34.375" scale
- Two-way truss rod (CB Gitty)
- Jescar Medium SS frets
- Tusq nut
- Guyker brand bridge, tuners, and pickup (Hipshot knock-offs and a stacked coil pickup)
- Bolt-on neck with 1/4"-20 threaded inserts
- Sliding pickup - the whole point of this build!
- CTS pots (with some random knobs I had laying around)
- Strung up with D'Addario 45-105 in Drop D
- 9 lbs. 4 oz.
- Rubio Monocoat finish on body (Intense Black Pre-color, then Silver Grey Oil Plus 2C with Accelerator)
- Tru-oil finish on the neck and fretboard (5 coats)
Nice build! Love the all maple neck & body colour contrast
I (jokingly) resent the statement of no one builds grabber style basses xD i've built 3 (Grabber, Ripper, & G3). The Grabber & Ripper were full builds, the G3 was more recycle parts from around home (many mods will leave you with lots of parts/pickups). I am based in canada so that may also be a thing.
