Andyjr1515

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1495032489' post='3300704'] Looking awesome! [/quote] Thanks! Probably done enough for one day. Best to leave it and review it in the morning. This isn't the final roundover (and isn't all the way round anyway) but it gives me a lot more idea how close the carve is getting: It's pretty much there in terms of planing - before I then go onto sanding - for the lower large bout, but this view shows that I still have a 'hump' on the upper large bout relative to the fretboard: I'm pleased with today's progress

The carve is a softly-softly job. I started by using a generous round over router bit on the back to give myself a datum to carve towards: At the moment I'm just using a couple of hand planes. With a super-sharp blade, I'm taking off a thickness per stroke thin enough to read news-print through. This is a slow, careful job. Next job was to mark the fretboard-mating edge with soft pencil so that it doesn't get inadvertently planed and end up no longer flush...: The freshly planed surface shows the figuring very well: Here, the larger bout of the lower body half is starting to get there and the upper half is about halfway: In the meantime, I've been speaking to Martin at Herricks to firm up the custom coils he's doing for us. This is where the positions will be underneath the fretboard. The cable channel, already cut, is in the centre of the lower body half join: OK - that's the cup of tea done. Now it's time to hone the plane blades and continue carving

Yes - it's an old picture....

OK - spent the evening sharpening the planes, spokeshaves and scrapers so everything is ready to go. It will be a long job, removing tenths of a mm at a time. The profile obviously varies depending on the width at each cross section, but the slimmest it will get will be where the two bouts are at their widest, here: The cross section here will be something like this (this is full size): The minimum radius at the edges will be 12-15mm at these two extremes and larger where the body is narrower

Just to illustrate how much wood is going to disappear - this is the carve so far: ...and this is where it's heading: That's why it may take me most of tomorrow. And that's just the top

[quote name='stearstree1304' timestamp='1494948709' post='3299882'] Hi-tech display unit that Andy - My wife has a couple of these - can you believe she hangs clothes from them??? [/quote] That's quite shocking... I can't believe that MrsNorris would do such a thing. And anyway, Norris tells me she's much too preoccupied trying to work out where on earth her clothes rack went to worry about trivia like that

Like all steps on this build - first comes a significant time just looking at , measuring and thinking about the action before it's taken. This is a 20" template, roughly equal to the maximum width of the bass. That's quite a curve! I will spend the evening thinking it through before I get the scrapers out for the final carve

Back from a couple of days away and raring to go Tomorrow is going to be 'carving/sanding day' with a target to finish the top carve before the end of the day If you didn't see the shot in the 'Events' section, this was at the Midlands Bass Bash on Saturday - many compliments received (phew!) . It's hanging on Norris's super-high tech drying and displaying equipment next to his sublime tele first-build. I think it is really starting to look like a bass here.... :

Now THAT'S going to sound nice

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1494848566' post='3298919'] [URL=http://s1118.photobucket.com/user/SOrchard6/media/Bass_zpstdvpan7u.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k605/SOrchard6/Bass_zpstdvpan7u.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Sure? [/quote] NOW look what you've done!

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1494799600' post='3298652'] I am not feeling that headstock. Sorry, I'll get my coat.............. [/quote] Blast! And it was my favourite feature 'The Big Carve' is next and then we will be able to see exactly what works and what doesn't, so the headstock will probably be done quite late in the build process. The great thing about fixing the strings with the clamp block behind the headstock is that the headstock can be any shape at all. Just think what mayhem we can come up with!

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1494751124' post='3298239'] more pictures here... Let me know if the link does not work.. [url="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B6oFnWtRjlTpMk9TOVhWNkdmV3c?usp=sharing"]https://drive.google...V3c?usp=sharing[/url] [/quote] OK - [i]those[/i] are better pictures!

These are stupendously rubbish photos, but hey.... Norris's fantastic 'First Build': Some of Chris Sharman's basses - just look at that beauty on the left!!!: A cupboard hinge (I told you they weren't great photos): Some absolutely beautiful Warwicks and a sublime Letts (not that you can see any of them!): A couple of Harry's beasts: Talking of beasts, Jez with his raffle winnings : Mick's new build on Norris's custom hanging system next to Norris's build and Ric: Did anyone else take any [i]proper[/i] photos?

Sublime

I'll post some photos when work out how to get them off the iPhone but a few highlights among many that spring to mind: - Mrs Sharman's and Mrs Norris's cakes - Jabba-the-gut's builds...all of them - Norris's sublime blue wonder - the Letts and Warwicks and Westones and so many other utterly wonderful basses - the sounds of people who clearly know how to play bass - Chris's electric upright....and the acoustic double bass taking up 3/4 of the floor space - seeing so many of my past and future customers - and that Seashell could make it again this year - and that Harry's red veneered Harley Benton still looks good - and putting a face to Joe's PM's - and did I mention the cakes? Great stuff

Yup - great, great day. Thanks, Si....I know how much effort these things are. You're a superstar, mate But completely eclipsed, I'm afraid by MrsChis_Sharman's (Jo's) macaroons......

I think I have a raffle prize people might be tempted to put their hands in their pockets for...

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1494608701' post='3297367'] Bring something to hang it from or tie it on with then. Hopefully it will extend high enough [/quote] OK - I'll see what I can come up with No worries if we can't make it work...

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1494602591' post='3297308'] I'm thinking of taking my curing rail (ok, repurposed clothes rail) to hang my incomplete, curing parts on. Plenty of room for others if you two are doing "red-eye" builds tonight [/quote] That could be useful, Norris. As you can imagine, this is impossible to sit on a stand

There's literally days more sanding to do - this is nowhere near 20" radius yet - but this is as far as it's going to be for the Midlands Bash :

[quote name='Jabba_the_gut' timestamp='1494597955' post='3297261'] You will have sorted the frets and put strings on it ready for tomorrow won't you? [/quote] Only if you will have finished the second cheap build you have promised is on the cards after the magnificent recent one Going to be a long night for us both, then...

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1494596838' post='3297254'] Maybe you should offer to write a short instruction manual for the mitre jig on the understanding they let you have it for free and you get your money back? [/quote] I may well do a short tutorial for one of the other builder's forums. If I do, I'll post it here too and, if I'm feeling magnanimous, send it to G&W on the understanding that they check the rest of their stock for correct bearing washers (a 5 sec job at most) while they are at it

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1494597258' post='3297256'] I must say, Sir, you have a nice carpet in your workshop. And those adaptations you've made to the [s]dining tabl[/s]e workbench took good too! [/quote]

First job was the radius sanding the freboard. Wow - they don't call it rock maple for nothing. Knackered! Nowadays I set up a simple jig (basically just a straight-edge) to make it easier to apply some muscle to the radius block without skewing or scooping the board: Note also the soft-lead pencil scribbles and the centre line - this lets me see if I'm adding an unintended skew and also I know that as soon as the centre-line starts fading I've gone far enough. What I'm aiming for is an even sanding either side of the centre. The sawdust in the slots is a good indicator too : After a long long time and lots of graft, I have a radiused fretboard: Then I can start carving and sanding the body to the same radius and flush with the fretboard. Lots more to do on this but this is the general idea: Don't worry about the lower horn /neck join, Mick - has still to be radiused properly, but here's how it's starting to develop: You can never tell with these ambitious builds...if it all went wrong it might feel like a lemon..... it might even sound like a lemon....but whatever.... it's going to [i]look[/i] f*****g BEAUTIFUL

Sorry - hadn't seen this thread before. Have just responded to your PM, scoot. Hope it helps. Andy