Do we get a pic of the tidied up shop?
I'll get one tomorrow. I'm already done for the night.
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Winter Build Off 2022 - Back to '56
- Thread starter 41hzthunder
- Start date
I'll get one tomorrow. I'm already done for the night.
Finally got a couple pictures of the shop. Its not much, the thrid stall of a three car garage. Its about 12 X 22 with 10ft ceiling. Still have some lumber and few bits of clutter on the bench. I keep most of my tools put away, so there's not much to see, 25 year-old Sears table saw, Delta Drill press, Jet 14" bandsaw, dust collector and jointer. My clamp collection is growing. I keep the laser on one of the shelves, so its out of the way. The dog spends a lot of time with me. 
There's a doorway framed to separate the garage and shop, I just have to put the double doors in. I'm lazy, I guess.
There's a doorway framed to separate the garage and shop, I just have to put the double doors in. I'm lazy, I guess.
That's a great size for a shop. And the overhead door is a huge bonus.
So, one of the big challenges for me on this project is the tobacco burst finish. Getting the color correct and the fade from tobacco to the yellow just seemed to be something I couldn't get right.
I purchased a really cheap airbrush and compressor for $29 on the Bay after watching a youtube video. I'm actually impressed with how it performed. The cheap eye dropper that came with it broke within an hour, so getting a glass one is a must.
The Keda dye required some learning. The suggested regeant is alcohol, but the dye would separate out and clog the airbrush. The dye dissolves well in water, but that raises the grain, which I didn't want. I know some folks raise the grain and sand it back to get around this. I just wanted a regeant that would avoid these steps. I tried lacquer thinner and it seems to work well. It was on to mixing for color. I felt a bit like a chemist at one point and did throw out a few mixes before getting what looked right. There's actually three coats, yellow, black on the sides and a dark brown for the transition. When wet, the grain really came out and I was impressed that alder could do that. Of course, as the stain dried the effect dissipated. I'm hoping the topcoat brings that back.
Tomorrow, Ill put the topcoat on. I may play a little with the brown stain on the back near the neck as I'm not totally satisfied. So, here's the pictures.
I purchased a really cheap airbrush and compressor for $29 on the Bay after watching a youtube video. I'm actually impressed with how it performed. The cheap eye dropper that came with it broke within an hour, so getting a glass one is a must.
The Keda dye required some learning. The suggested regeant is alcohol, but the dye would separate out and clog the airbrush. The dye dissolves well in water, but that raises the grain, which I didn't want. I know some folks raise the grain and sand it back to get around this. I just wanted a regeant that would avoid these steps. I tried lacquer thinner and it seems to work well. It was on to mixing for color. I felt a bit like a chemist at one point and did throw out a few mixes before getting what looked right. There's actually three coats, yellow, black on the sides and a dark brown for the transition. When wet, the grain really came out and I was impressed that alder could do that. Of course, as the stain dried the effect dissipated. I'm hoping the topcoat brings that back.
Tomorrow, Ill put the topcoat on. I may play a little with the brown stain on the back near the neck as I'm not totally satisfied. So, here's the pictures.
It is my first attempt on an actual bass. I learned a lot working on this and think the next one will go much quicker.
I don't consider myself a perfectionist, but I did go back and play with the burst finish this morning. When I looked at the prior work, it just kept asking for more fade/transition. So, I worked on it and here's the result. The back definitely looks better and the transition is softer/easier. Now, I can finally get to the clear gloss coats.
Working on the finish and trying to fill in the time between coats. I'm using an oil based urethane (spar urethane), which should add a little natural yellowing over the next year. Today, four coats went on with a little over an hour between coats.
While waiting, I got the the pickup wrapped in string and darkened the string. The walnut veneer went on top and then a couple coats of finish.
Turned to the electronics after that. The control cover wasn't drilled with 3/8" holes for the pots, so I drilled the holes out. I decided to mount the pots on a scrap while soldiering, just to keep the control plate clean. When I tried to put the knobs on the pots for a test fit, they didn't! The hole for the shaft is too small. I may drill them out, but not today.
The finish on the body needs to cure for 72 hours before a light sanding, then will get a couple more coats. The urethan builds quickly and has given me a really good gloss surface on previous projects. I'm excited to see how this one comes out.
While waiting, I got the the pickup wrapped in string and darkened the string. The walnut veneer went on top and then a couple coats of finish.
Turned to the electronics after that. The control cover wasn't drilled with 3/8" holes for the pots, so I drilled the holes out. I decided to mount the pots on a scrap while soldiering, just to keep the control plate clean. When I tried to put the knobs on the pots for a test fit, they didn't! The hole for the shaft is too small. I may drill them out, but not today.
The finish on the body needs to cure for 72 hours before a light sanding, then will get a couple more coats. The urethan builds quickly and has given me a really good gloss surface on previous projects. I'm excited to see how this one comes out.
This seriously confirms my belief that a sprayed burst is far superior to a hand-applies burst. Well done! Makes me want to dig out my old model car airbrush. 
This seriously confirms my belief that a sprayed burst is far superior to a hand-applies burst. Well done! Makes me want to dig out my old model car airbrush.
My thoughts exactly! An airbrush does get the job done and with the right paint/stain would be pretty quick. I did a lot of experimenting with water and oil based stains. The transparent stain works well for the fade, but its hard to get the opaque color on the edge. The oil based ebony stain I tested worked well for the opaque color, but I was getting some very tiny spots. That could have been my technique or that the stain was too thin. I put it to the side and will experiment some more later.
I'm pretty impressed with the $29 airbrush kit I got. It works. It doesn't break. The parts fit together well. I do think a airbrush compressor with tank will be my future upgrade.
The weather is too cold to put the next coat of finish on. Waited 72 hours per the directions and sanded smooth. I was all set to spray when I got home from work, but no! It looks like cold weather for a few days. It feels like its raining on a school holiday! 
62 (16.6) last night, 56 (13.3) this morning, 28 (-2.2) now, headed to 14 (-10) later tonight.The weather is too cold to put the next coat of finish on. Waited 72 hours per the directions and sanded smooth. I was all set to spray when I got home from work, but no! It looks like cold weather for a few days. It feels like its raining on a school holiday!
Snow starts up again tomorrow night, after it pretty much got rained off in the past 2 days.
I suppose I shouldn't complain. I know California has warmer weather. I just wish it was warmer right now!
-25C (-13F) here right this moment. It was -31C (-24F) when I woke up this morning. High for tomorrow is -18C (0F).
Oh, and apparently we've also had the 3rd snowiest winter on record... ever.
It was -3c this am, but for Victoria, that is incredibly cold. At around 60% humidity it was brutal. I grew up on the prairies and would rather have the wind chill than the frozen damp clinging to my bones.
Damp + Cold is absolutely the worst, no argument there.It was -3c this am, but for Victoria, that is incredibly cold. At around 60% humidity it was brutal. I grew up on the prairies and would rather have the wind chill than the frozen damp clinging to my bones.
