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What's On Your Workbench?
- Thread starter HaMMerHeD
- Start date
Pounded a few frets in yesterday morning while the bird was in the oven.
Fretwork done, finish sanding done (thank goodness, my least favorite part), branded, numbered, first coat of finish on, and hung to dry!
I have to say this, and I'm sure others can relate: this part of the process is bittersweet. On the one hand, it is really exciting to be so close to finished. I can't wait to hear these. But on the other hand, you spend so much time working on instruments, you get close to them. You get to know the wood and every little knot and twist of the grain. And then one day they "grow up" into finished creations, and move out of the shop. It always feels so empty after an instrument moves out.
Not to worry though, you still have nine million more things to do... 
I'm having some fun prototyping...I tell you what...
Gluing something on top of that? Will the top be carved too, or just bent to fit?
I'm gluing on a 5mm thick top that will be bent to fit. I've dry fitted it already to test, and all seems good. I made a 24"x16" mdf concave clamping caul with the same radius, in an effort to get a good glue up. I hope it works!
1525mm (shade over 60"). I first tried 39" like an aerodyne, but since my body shape is 16" wide, the side edges were around 8mm thick, which didnt allow enough clearance for the preamp I want to use. Then I tried 1270mm (50") and 1525, and I liked the feel of 1525.
I've also made jigs and cauls for a guitar design that's 13" wide, and that will get a 900mm (35.4") radius, as it feels right.
My design does not call for a radiused back - mine will be a flat back and radiused only on the top. The aerodyne is convex top and back, whereas Warwick does a convex top and concave back.
For a solid body, I'd just do all of that before doing the radius - front, back or both. I'd also rout the rear roundover first. In my case, since it has a separate top, I made a large gluing caul with a concave radius, and I think I can use that as a routing template. We'll see...
This is before sanding, but you get the idea...
Mmmm... spalted hickory.
@rogerbmiller will likely enjoy this one.
Mmmm... spalted hickory.
@rogerbmiller will likely enjoy this one.
I’m going for radiused front and back, like Warwick and Spector. I’m going to radius the front of the body first, then route the hollowbody cavities, cut the body and top close to final shape, glue the top and last radius the back. Then sand the final shape, route the edges and neck pocket, pickup and bridge cavities and control cavity.
