Winter 2017 Build Off -- The Dan-0-Backer

[Beej]

That roundover looks great

 

[Jon Clegg]

Thanks

 

[Jon Clegg]

Busy day, yesterday; opened up the pickup routs

And drilled the holes for doing string-thru; Started by screwing an empty bridge piece into a slot, using and using a brad-point drill bit to mark the center of the string space, then drilled a 1/16" pilot hole through

Used those pilot holes as the centers for the 3/8" holes for the ferrules:

Then drilled the 11/64" hole for the string.

Ready to mount the ferrules after finishing:

I'm now ready to glue the wings onto the neck beam. Should be doing that today.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Upper wing going on:

 

[moonshinegtrs]

@Jon Clegg; those pickups look wider than stock Dano units (could be just me)... could you tell me how long they are?

The bass looks great!


Moonshine

 

[Jon Clegg]

@Jon Clegg; those pickups look wider than stock Dano units (could be just me)... could you tell me how long they are?

The bass looks great!


Moonshine

3-1/4"

Thanks!

 

[Jon Clegg]

Brief update, I'll be getting the other wing on tonight. Also been working on the TRC logo, I'll be going with a black TRC to match the pickguard, and using the following logo which matches the color of binding printed on waterslide decal paper

I plan to make 2 TRC's; one from the same black ABS I used for the pickguard and one from clear acrylic with the logo on the backside and see which I like better.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Halfway there:

The other half in the clamps:

My gosh! It's a bass!

While I was clamping things together, I noticed that the binding wasn't quite stuck in a few spots, easily remedied with some super-glue and more clamps:

WIP Glamour shot:

Thanks to @JIO I was listening to some cool music as I worked.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Made the TRC template and checked for fit with the nut, tuners etc. I ended up making a narrower TRC than what was on the plans to accommodate the headstock binding

Template attached to the back of a scrap of the ABS leftover from the pickguard

Trimmed, drilled, and ready for a decal

Meanwhile clearcoating begins:

 

[Jon Clegg]

TRC update:
Decal applied:

After clear-coating with gloss acrylic:

Applying to the back of an clear acrylic did not acheive desired results; I'm going to print a new sheet wednesday morning and try applying to a thin sheet of styrene whch I'll cover with the clear acrylic TRC and see which I like better

 

[Jon Clegg]

And here's where I'm at on the clear-coating; about 10 coats(?) using Varathane WB poly, the build up is slow and I was a bit concerned about the pebbly finish until I read some posts from others like @mapleglo that that's the nature of the beast with this stuff.

Back to spraying and waiting!

 

[mapleglo]

And here's where I'm at on the clear-coating; about 10 coats(?) using Varathane WB poly, the build up is slow and I was a bit concerned about the pebbly finish until I read some posts from others like @mapleglo that that's the nature of the beast with this stuff.
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Back to spraying and waiting!

If it's getting rough more than "pebbly", you may want to sand a little between coats with 600 or 800. The smoother the base, the smoother the coats will go on.

Love the double binding

 

[Jon Clegg]

If it's getting rough more than "pebbly", you may want to sand a little between coats with 600 or 800. The smoother the base, the smoother the coats will go on.

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a once over with 600 tomorrow morning. I wanted to get somewhat of a coat on it before doing any sanding since the stain tends to burn through if you stare at it too hard.

Love the double binding

Thank you! I was afraid it might be uncomfortable with no contouring. But the body is so skinny at 1 1/4" it feels fine.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Did a little sanding with 600, also decided to hang it to spray, two more coats on

Shaping up nicely, I think.

 

[ICM]

What a great build, the mahogany really pops and it looks like you brought out a great colour from it. Also, a short scale, great idea, I've always dreamed of a shortscale Rick. The double binding ala tele custom is fantastic two, a 4003WBBS!

 

[Jon Clegg]

What a great build, the mahogany really pops and it looks like you brought out a great colour from it. Also, a short scale, great idea, I've always dreamed of a shortscale Rick. The double binding ala tele custom is fantastic two, a 4003WBBS!

Thanks, Ivan! For my first 'from just wood' build, I think it's turning out well.

 

[Jon Clegg]

Still working away, sanding after every 4th coat. Going to be a short pause since I'm running out of Varathane WB Poly, and will need to order a few more cans; thought 3 would do it but it won't

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Which version of the Varathane are you using? I had to order a 2qt pack of the gloss Heavy Use formula from Home Depot, none available locally. Im thrashing around with using it through a Harbor Freight HVLP turbine spray gun here,with mixed initial results:
Using water based products for instrument finishing, Target Coatings 9000 6000 and Varathane WB
Glad I didn't just jump in painting on my Ric build, steep learning curve on spraying finishes! What are you using for gun and compressor?

 

[Jon Clegg]

I'm using spray cans. I bought them from Invalid Link Removed

 

[Jon Clegg]

Getting close. A couple more coats and it will be done. This bad boy is thirsty; by the time I'm done I will have used 6 cans of WB poly.

I've decided to use the rest of the mahogany veneer I have to build a companion to this; A RIC-480 as a neck-through baritone. But that's far in the future as I have some other builds that need to get done first