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Winter Build Off 2025 Tele
- Thread starter mapleglo
- Start date
More sanding.
I also drilled the bridge ground hole and ran a wire through to the control cavity. And then from each pickup location. And then more sanding.
Now I'm thinking I'll just coat the body in a few coats of epoxy as a finish. I've done that before with good results, and I have the epoxy in stock.
I also drilled the bridge ground hole and ran a wire through to the control cavity. And then from each pickup location. And then more sanding.
Now I'm thinking I'll just coat the body in a few coats of epoxy as a finish. I've done that before with good results, and I have the epoxy in stock.
And yet even more sanding. Today I started 220 grit. I have at least another day or two of this. At some point, I want to drill the neck mounting holes. The nut is supposed to come today, so I can start on that soon.
The new tuner came in. Of course, they sent the wrong tuner type - a "Y" instead of a clover - so I just swapped with a clover I had and we're good to go.
Very nice access to the truss rod nut, that will make it easier to adjust.
Attached the neck to the body today.
And of course, more sanding.
And of course, more sanding.
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I notice again that we have the same PC router, so I have to ask.... Is it just me, or does changing bits on this thing purely suck? That little fiddly button to push (and hold) while you wrestle the wrench into the openings either side is a huge PITA. Bits tend to get stuck in the collet too, despite cleaning them often. PC routers have a reputation for long life, so I don't expect to ever need to replace it, but it seems like a design update is long overdue. I think all the other major router brands (even the Harbor Freight ones) have a built in light these days. I have a cheap old Craftsman router that has a shaft lock, built in light, and D handles. Neither has any provision for dust collection, but I have seen aftermarket ones for the PC router. It's standard on Dewalt and Bosch. This concludes my Router Rant.
Sorry for the hiccups in your build, it takes me so long to do my builds, but it's all about the deft recovery, and you are nothing if not deft. I literally forget how I did some stuff and end up reinventing the wheel. Maybe I should read my own old build threads before I start a new one.....
Sorry for the hiccups in your build, it takes me so long to do my builds, but it's all about the deft recovery, and you are nothing if not deft. I literally forget how I did some stuff and end up reinventing the wheel. Maybe I should read my own old build threads before I start a new one.....
Thanks!
Yeah, I'm not a fan of the fiddly button that locks the shaft of the router. I usually lower (or raise, depending on your point of view) the floor of the router so I can just slap on the wrench from the bottom. Is that called the floor? As I get older, I seem to be unable to remember words. I've got like a word demon stealing them from me. (Just looked it up - it's called the base - duh). I have a Makita router also, and the collets are very similar - bits are tight in either, so I think it's just a result of the design.
But yeah, a built-in light would be real nice.
And dust collection - I can't imagine a dust collector being able to collect the shavings being blown off a screaming router. But just because I can't imagine it, doesn't mean it couldn't happen. That said, I can't imagine that having a vacuum tube attached to the router making it any easier to use. I'll just vacuum up the debris.
My memory is not what it used to be, and I don't work in the shop nearly as much as I used to. So I can't remember half the procedures either.
What forum is this again?
*edited to add - the height adjuster knob on my router is very difficult to turn. That is a real pain.
More and more sanding. After going at it with 220 grit, I switched over to 320 grit. I think most of the major scratches are gone. I don't know how much more I can do. I may have to start thinking about finishing.
I did a little more sanding and then wiped on a coat of epoxy to seal it.
The solution for that is.......to work in your shop more often, and keep your brain exercised! That's what I do. And when my old body is tired, I lie around and think happy thoughts about my machines. Shop operations, designing new fixtures, inventing new machines in my mind!
Seriously, there have been studies showing that practicing intense creative thinking can reduce or delay dementia. Particularly 3D thinking; picturing complex things in your mind in fine detail. This forces your brain to make lots of calculations and dig deep into your memory for details. Dementia is the decay of the "wires" connecting your brain cells together. From chemistry and lack of use. Exercising your brain shoots signals through the wires to knock the rust off them.
I watch a lot of videos showing industrial processes; machines at work. I particularly like the ones where there's minimal explanation and narration. I often turn the sound off, because the blabber is too slow and annoying. I concentrate on picturing the machines in my mind on the fly, figuring out the details of the parts and how they work. Mental exercise to keep my brain in good shape.
Here on TalkBass, I spend time almost every day going back and reading old threads from years back, particularly ones that I've written and posted in. Keep the memory refreshed.
To live a long life, you need to keep your brain pumping. In addition to your heart and lungs.
I epoxied a piece of maple laminate to the front of the headstock. I didn't like the look of the seam between the headstock main piece and the piece I added. For some reason, it doesn't look as bad in the rear, but I'll look at it again once this is done curing. I'll let the epoxy sealer on the body dry another 24 hours before I start sanding it - it's not as warm in the garage these days. It gets down to below 60 at night.
Below 60 is better then 60 below. It’s been between 10 and 20 here recently.
The front of the headstock looks much better with the laminate applied.
I'm thinking I'll do the same to the back of the headstock.
It may be a little difficult to feather it into the neck there where the headstock transitions into the neck, but I think I'm willing to take a chance. Perhaps I'll start on that tomorrow. The body is waiting patiently for sanding, in the mean time.
I'm thinking I'll do the same to the back of the headstock.
It may be a little difficult to feather it into the neck there where the headstock transitions into the neck, but I think I'm willing to take a chance. Perhaps I'll start on that tomorrow. The body is waiting patiently for sanding, in the mean time.
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The back of the headstock is nice no matter if you apply a laminate or not IMO but I prefer without because the wood grain is rather nice and I prefer the homogeneity of the transition between the headstock and the neck.
Just my two cents !
Maybe I'll just leave it then. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.
I also forgot to mention that I bought some copper shielding tape which I'll apply to the control cavity, once I start wiring it up.
I went ahead and epoxied a piece of laminate to the back of the headstock. I saw a few drips, and now I'm hoping I don't regret it.
I also started sanding the body, and applied some more epoxy filler.
I'll let both of those cure overnight.
I also started sanding the body, and applied some more epoxy filler.
I'll let both of those cure overnight.
I've done better shaping. Perhaps I'll work on it a bit more. That 2nd coat of epoxy on the body didn't work out too well either. For some reason, I forgot to scrape it smooth, and it dripped pretty severely. I'm in the process of sanding it all off. I'll lay on another coat once that's done. I worked on it for about a half hour today, and ran out of steam. I'll do more tomorrow.
I sanded the body for as long as I had the patience for, and then applied the 3rd (and I hope final) coat of epoxy.
I also worked a little more on the headstock, but I think I'll just leave it for now. It's on the back, and it looks ok for today. Maybe I'll do a little more over the next few days.
I also worked a little more on the headstock, but I think I'll just leave it for now. It's on the back, and it looks ok for today. Maybe I'll do a little more over the next few days.
