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What's On Your Workbench?

#6,701
I cut up some wood this morning for a CD rack I'm making. 2 shelves, just under 16" wide, for the book case, to hold overflow CD's that no longer fit in the full CD cases located in the utility room. I worked on this for just under an hour and I'm tired. Quite a change from just 5 years ago when I could work all day in the shop. But I'm trying not to over do it.

Cut-CD Rack.jpg

I'll start assembly tomorrow, or the next day. I have to decide if I'm going to glue this together, or screw it, or use dowels. I bought pre-finished plywood, so if I glue it, I'll have to sand off the finish so the glue will hold. Perhaps I'll screw it together, then use dowels in the screw holes. I plan on painting it once its finished.
 
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#6,708
/\/\3phist0 said:
Guitarist in my band has a Squier Tele that he dislikes. Just lackluster. So we discussed to do some updates and make it a bit more personal. He wanted a few things:
Budget 4-500 usd
3 pickups ( Nashville Tele)
Extended pickup selection options
Comfort contours
Retain a signature on the finish
Give it the impression of age without it being a “relic” job
Gold hardware.

Let’s get to it!

Selecting pickups is ongoing
Xentric White pearl knobs, and switch tip
Freeway 10 way blade switch on order.
250k Dunlop super pots
.22 uf tone cap
Switchcraft jack.
White pearl pickguard
Gold Engraved cut down modern tele bridge
Matching Gold Engraved control plate
Gold US Fender tuning keys with white pearl knobs
Adjustable brass nut
Gold roller string trees on order.

Progress:
Before:

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Hand cut contours
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Strip poly off neck
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Stain basswood body and neck with Aqua Fortis.
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Will use Tru Oil on contours and neck, will add light Nitrocellulose Lacquer coat to neck afterwards.
Yet to be done , Route for middle pickup.

Full fret dress.

Will come back and provide more status updates.
Click to expand...
Update: couple parts arrived, owner wanted a bit more “aging” :( JOY!?
Relic a poly coated basswood body, grr.

Well here we go. Shooting this with amber shellac, then will clear with satin poly and buff some spots to make a bit shiny.

Had to stain the exposed wood to look like the arm contour and belly cut, the basswood is almost white:( so I even stained the neck pocket just for consistency.

Results are ok, ( I think?) the wear points were derived from multiple online real world naturally aged guitars.

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#6,709
/\/\3phist0 said:
Update: couple parts arrived, owner wanted a bit more “aging” :( JOY!?
Relic a poly coated basswood body, grr.

Well here we go. Shooting this with amber shellac, then will clear with satin poly and buff some spots to make a bit shiny.

Had to stain the exposed wood to look like the arm contour and belly cut, the basswood is almost white:( so I even stained the neck pocket just for consistency.

Results are ok, ( I think?) the wear points were derived from multiple online real world naturally aged guitars.

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Click to expand...
Looks... Good? Looks fitting let's say. You did a good job either way. Though I wouldn't call this aging. More like abusing haha
 
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#6,710
Fynn said:
Looks... Good? Looks fitting let's say. You did a good job either way. Though I wouldn't call this aging. More like abusing haha
Click to expand...
I agree! a Shiny 3 year old Squier made to look as though it’s a 40 year old that has been through the object of a few years of teenage angst, and many Smokey bars, allowed to get philthy :)

I think I achieved an authentically abused look :)

Paired with the neck it’s really abused/ raw /Resurrected looking !
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#6,714
Fire reclamation project for a possible replacement body for my fretless Marco Bass:

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There was a bit of finish blistering on both sides and one small structural crack at the butt end of the control cavity, which doesn't go through to the top layer. I'm reshaping the horns a bit and then waiting to see how it all strips down before I decide on finishing.
 
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#6,716
TerribleTim68 said:
I mean, the finish looks kinda cool now. 😉
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Yep, I did consider leaving it like that. But it got wet during the firefighting phase too, and since the bass as it sits now already sounds really great I wanted to make sure the new body is sound enough to be worth all the effort of building it up. I was also curious to see what was under all the black paint on the edges, and so far what I've been finding is pretty nice figure.

One of the main attractions to using this body would be a do-over on the control layout. I did a pretty crazy new DIY filter preamp for it not long ago and although everything fits, the layout is not very intuitive at all. And frankly, I'm interested in seeing whether the different woods in this one make any real sonic difference.
 
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#6,718
Bruce Johnson said:
Does it feel good to have a screaming router in your hands again? To bring back that thrill?
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Yes, it actually did feel good. I think I'm up for putting together a bass together in this winter build-off, though it'll be a partial build. I have a neck, but I'll build the body. I just need to buy a pickup(s). I believe I have everything else as far as hardware and wood is concerned. I do need to get some more epoxy.
 
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#6,720
CD Rack coated.jpg

So I brushed on a few coats of that Varathane Poly, and I'm letting it cure. The can says it takes a week to fully cure, so I'll wait until next week, lightly sand, and spray a few coats of white. I really should have taken the time to fill all the imperfections in the plywood, but frankly, I didn't see too many of them until now, and I'm getting too old to care that much :P
 
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