Winter Build Off 2020 - F1 Walnut Fretless

[rojo412]

My first entry into the Build-Off this year will be a fretless bass, which was based off of another build I'd done called "P3". The new owner of P3, @brstma likes it so much, he wants something kind of like it, but in a fretless design. And since this all coincided with the build-off (an event which keeps me on a tight timeline), we thought it would be fun and functional to make it an entry into the competition.

The ACF F1 WALNUT FRETLESS

Specs:
- Walnut crotch top and back
- Birdseye maple core, chambered thoroughly
- 5-piece walnut/maple neck, tiltback headstock
- Lined fretless richlite fingerboard, 33.5" scale
- Delano dual J pickup
- Passive controls
- Hipshot D bridge, string through
- Hipshot UL tuners

Here's a rough sketch of the plan so far:

 

[brstma]

So excited to watch it happen

 

[Jon Clegg]

Subd

 

[rojo412]

Starting with the core. Squared up edges, tapped in some tacks to avoid slippage, and glued up the panel.

All of the surface will be sanded off, so no worries about that test finish there. It will be gone in so many ways.
And in case anyone wants to ask "Why use birdseye for the core?"
- It was the only 5/4 I had
- It's a light piece
- I already cut tops from other parts of the board
- It's gonna look hot!

 

[rojo412]

Betcha thought I gave up on this!

Chambered the core and it's crazy light now:

Plotted the back pieces:

Put those through the planer (brand new set of knives today, by the way) on this anti-snipe sled:

Then trimmed it up a bit, set up the top for epoxy and glued the back to the middle.

I don't think I'm in the running for most clamps with this, but definitely have a variety
When this cures, I'll trim it up and figure out the top and hole arrangement(s).

 

[rojo412]

Unclamped, trimmed off, sanded flat, tested the look with alcohol

 

[brstma]

Walnut makes me smile

 

[rojo412]

That's the goal!

 

[rojo412]

Neck blank is done. This was a chunky one! And I got a chance to use just about every trick I had to make it go from a bunch of thick cut, kinda craggy pieces to this fine specimen.

Lotsa support.

We're gonna powwow on some ideas for the "semi hollow window hole thing of sorts". More on that as it unfolds. But here's the more trimmed up top, pre-glue up:

 

[rogerbmiller]

How did I not know about this thread?!

Subbed for BEM, crotch walnut and fretless. Three of my favorite things. And all in one ACF build? My cup runneth over!

 

[rojo412]

How did I not know about this thread?!

Yeah, seriously! Coulda sworn...

 

[rojo412]

We figured out the hole arrangement and neck specs, so here's where things land:

Clamp Henge Cleveland-

Drew up the lines on the board, glued it, cut to basic shape. We're doing only white markers along the edges to keep the middle section extra dark -

And the nut will be here -

I'm really stoked to see this one come to fruition. It's gonna be quite a beautiful bass.

 

[rojo412]

Out of clamps and shaped up:

"Acetone preview"

Mock-up:

And control space:

Gotta find a hobby shop around here for the styrene lines, as well as get that headstock cut to spec. But this thing is starting to look REALLY hot.

 

[rogerbmiller]

Gorgeous.

 

[brstma]

I'm speechless at the moment

 

[rojo412]

Up to this point, I've been working around the uncut headstock blank. And frankly, it was getting heavy. So today was headstock time.
Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of the initial work. But let me paint a picture with words...

Using the bandsaw, I started trimming the angle to the face and back of the headstock. Nothing close enough to the lines to be dangerous because I had other plans for the final thickness. Not far into the trimming, my bandsaw had a slight blade mishap, as it came off the top wheel. But no worries, I shut it off and it wasn't in danger of hurting the neck.
Bummer was, I had to re-setup the bandsaw. But no biggie, took me a few minutes.
Trimmed as much as I could and then began the process of figuring out how to flatten a now-angled face.
The solution: planing jig.
That said, I was planing a face that forced the neck angle below the table's bottom. With some crafty clamping, I managed to set up the neck in a way that the face was now in a plane with the router sled. Cautiously, I went to work on it and it was working very well! So well in fact, I was able to get the face flat enough for hand tools.

That's where I picked up the camera again

The router managed to get it pretty nicely flat. All I'd need is a little block plane action to smooth it further.

And that is fun. But... I couldn't resist busting out "Old No. 7"

NO, not that "Old No. 7" (damn autocorrect)...

This old no. 7. It cuts like a dream. And you bet it made short work of this.
After getting it nice and smooth, I hit it with the card scraper and got it damn near shiny.

With a perfectly flat face, I was able to attach a "head only" template for the shaping with the router.
But I forgot the pics.
Long story short, made the template, attached it to the face, took it to the saw and router and shaped the headstock.

With that done, I now had a flat surface to mount to the jig bottom. With the face being double-sided taped to the jig, I supported all of it and went to work with the router sled.

VOILA!

Tomorrow is volute time and probably fret line markers as well.

NOW... I can hit up the other Old No.7.
(Well, truth be told - I'm more into Makers or Knob Creek)

 

[BishopJP]

You need a seperate "like" button for the No. 7 plane. That's one I don't have in my collection...

 

[Slidlow]

You need a seperate "like" button for the No. 7 plane. That's one I don't have in my collection...

What we need is a "show your no. 7 thread" Here's one of mine.

 

[fauxtoe]

The last couple posts on this thread just reminded me to ask my dad about his antique plane collection which probably includes a No 7. Here's my question - was there a reason why you needed to specifically use the No. 7 on the headstock?

 

[Microbass]

Up to this point, I've been working around the uncut headstock blank. And frankly, it was getting heavy. So today was headstock time.
Unfortunately, I didn't take pics of the initial work. But let me paint a picture with words...

Using the bandsaw, I started trimming the angle to the face and back of the headstock. Nothing close enough to the lines to be dangerous because I had other plans for the final thickness. Not far into the trimming, my bandsaw had a slight blade mishap, as it came off the top wheel. But no worries, I shut it off and it wasn't in danger of hurting the neck.
Bummer was, I had to re-setup the bandsaw. But no biggie, took me a few minutes.
Trimmed as much as I could and then began the process of figuring out how to flatten a now-angled face.
The solution: planing jig.
That said, I was planing a face that forced the neck angle below the table's bottom. With some crafty clamping, I managed to set up the neck in a way that the face was now in a plane with the router sled. Cautiously, I went to work on it and it was working very well! So well in fact, I was able to get the face flat enough for hand tools.

That's where I picked up the camera again

View attachment 3695709
The router managed to get it pretty nicely flat. All I'd need is a little block plane action to smooth it further.

View attachment 3695710
And that is fun. But... I couldn't resist busting out "Old No. 7"

View attachment 3695719

NO, not that "Old No. 7" (damn autocorrect)...

View attachment 3695711
This old no. 7. It cuts like a dream. And you bet it made short work of this.
After getting it nice and smooth, I hit it with the card scraper and got it damn near shiny.

View attachment 3695712
With a perfectly flat face, I was able to attach a "head only" template for the shaping with the router.
But I forgot the pics.
Long story short, made the template, attached it to the face, took it to the saw and router and shaped the headstock.

With that done, I now had a flat surface to mount to the jig bottom. With the face being double-sided taped to the jig, I supported all of it and went to work with the router sled.

View attachment 3695713
View attachment 3695714
VOILA!

View attachment 3695715
Tomorrow is volute time and probably fret line markers as well.

NOW... I can hit up the other Old No.7.
(Well, truth be told - I'm more into Makers or Knob Creek)

Auto-correct is the worst..

This is shaping up to a be a sweet bass!