White Cloud Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Bloody hell...amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 22, 2017 Author Share Posted January 22, 2017 [quote name='White Cloud' timestamp='1485118268' post='3221334'] Bloody hell...amazing! [/quote] To be honest doing it this way will never match a professional spray job (and I always pre-warn owners that that is the case) but particularly once polished it comes up pretty good considering you could do it in a spare bedroom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 [URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Drink%20to%20that_zpsu8czsnkd.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Drink%20to%20that_zpsu8czsnkd.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 The finishing is always a bit fiddly and iterative, but this one brought a few challenges I don't usually encounter. The bit that was much easier than my normal method was using an artists fan brush for applying the laquer. With Ronseal's formulation change, the new brew doesn't thin well - essential for my normal wipe-on approach. So this used an artists fan brush (this is an old one - NEVER put a brush on a carpet unless you like dust in your paint ): I left the varnish un-thinned and it went on quite nicely (I think the new formulation is thinner than the old, just a tad), and it flattened well with very few drips to sort out. BUT the natural tint in the varnish, against the light cream, was the devil incarnate! The slightest variation in thickness (such as when you merge the next strip into the one you've just applied) resulted in a colour change In the end, I applied more, but thinner, coats and the colour variation is pretty much sorted. This is pre-polishing - that will be done after a couple of weeks to ensure the varnish is fully cured - but in the greatest test of full daylight: If it was a car body-shop, I'm sure I'd be given my P45, but for a pre-polish hand-paint job I think it is probably 'fit for purpose'? And I'm pretty sure it is the colour Nic was looking for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 It's looking fanatstic and I love the way the varnish has coloured the maple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 [quote name='gelfin' timestamp='1485431140' post='3223883'] It's looking fanatstic and I love the way the varnish has coloured the maple. [/quote] The rest of the neck should go a similar shade, albeit satin and silky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Still watching with interest. Love how this is progressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've judged that the varnish is now hard enough for normal handling. I also gave it a test light polish to make absolutely sure the final varnish coat was OK before starting the finish tasks. I think it's fine... Into the remaining tasks. The first one was quick and easy but strangely satisfying - lining the control chamber with copper foil: It's sticky backed so the joins inside the chamber will be solder-connected to ensure continuity, and also connected to the foil that will shortly be put into the pickup chambers. The top is also done - note the folded-over connecting tabs to ensure a complete Faraday Cage effect is achieved: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 29, 2017 Author Share Posted January 29, 2017 ...and the pickup chambers copper lined: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 The list of outstanding tasks is getting tangibly smaller I'll post occasionally as each gets ticked off. This is the first lick of varnish on the headstock. When that's had the requisite number of coats, it should tone well with the rosewood fretboard once that's also been finish-oiled: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) Another few jobs off the finish list. Final levelling and polishing of the frets, oil slurry and buff of the fretboard, slurry and buff (first of a few) of the neck and headstock varnishing. This is what the headstock is starting to look like: And the pre-hardware overall look: This afternoon will be the last crossed-fingers bit - fitting the bridge and tuners and stringing it up under full tension for the first time Edited February 1, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W1_Pro Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Looking really classy there Andy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) [quote name='W1_Pro' timestamp='1485960468' post='3228033'] Looking really classy there Andy. [/quote] Thanks, Stuart Now....this is where I have to urge Nic to keep hanging onto his patience because [b]"Nic - there actually still is a fair bit to do!" [/b] And the temptation to throw patience to the wind and just blast to the end is with me too...but softly, softly catchee monkey ...but this is admittedly very exciting: Nothing has bent Nothing has broken Nothing has twisted Here's the top end closer up: ...and here's the body closer up: Of course it's a bit like the first fitting of a made-to-measure suit (or so wealthy people tell me who have experienced such things). Now it's about getting the action height right and that may even need sinking the bridge a touch - I won't know for sure until the nut and neck relief is adjusted. Then there's the electrics and securing the hatches and finishing off the slurry and buffing of the neck....hmmm...well it shouldn't be [b]too[/b] long.... Edited February 1, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Love the headstock.. The truss rod cover just oozes class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1485968285' post='3228129'] Love the headstock.. The truss rod cover just oozes class. [/quote] Thanks, Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) I'm going to leave it overnight fully strung, but now with the nut and neck relief correctly set, the action gets pretty much down to the level where I personally would play. Having said that, two of the saddles are at the bottom of adjustment. There is plenty of break angle if the slots need filing down a touch but I won't do that until I know what action height Nic normally prefers. I had a little flash of inspiration, by the way, when it came to earthing the bridge. Normally, you basically splay out the wire under the bridge, or hammer a little dent for it to sit in but I always worry that either it may not give good electrical contact, or at the other end of the scale, may prevent the bridge from completely screwing down flat against the body. I then remembered the copper I use for shielding. With a small offcut, I soldered a tab to the earth wire: Then fed the wire through to the chamber, bending the very thin copper flat against the body: Result is excellent earth, very strong and with no tone-sucking lumpy bits under the bridge Edited February 1, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 Not done this before, but I've attached the trussrod cover with a neo magnet. Works well : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 (edited) Talking of magnets, I'm also attaching the control chamber cover with magnets. I don't know how other folk do this, including the positioning, but for what it's worth, this how I do it. The magnets come in a stick, all stuck to each other [list] [*]I drill a hole just a tad less than the depth of two magnets [*]I pop a tiny drop of thick cyano (I use Gorilla) onto the bottom of one of the magnets and push it firmly to the bottom of the hole [*]After I'm pretty sure it's set, I open out the edges of the hole a little with a sharp knife: [/list] [list] [*]Then I drop a second magnet in and pop a drop of cyano onto the top: [/list] [list] [*]Then I carefully position the cover in the right place - the cyano has about 20 seconds working time. The cyano sets, attaching the second magnet to the cover and, when you lift the cover off, the second magnet should come with it!: [/list] [list] [*]Repeat for the other holes (I used 4 for this one) and the magnets literally suck the cover onto the back, perfectly lined up every time. Well, much better lined up than if I'd tried to measure and drill locating pegs, which I'm rubbish at! : [/list] Edited February 2, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 Final mock-up before I fit the electrics. After that I'm pretty sure it's just the strap buttons and a final tweak of the frets and action Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 wow!!! may be your best work yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 [URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL][URL=http://s970.photobucket.com/user/gelfin5959/media/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae181/gelfin5959/Snoopy%20happy_zpsi3rmoywo.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Amazing .....just amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harryburke14 Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 Wow. Very nice. I have to admit when I first saw the body shape I wasnt convinced but now its together it looks laaavvly. Makes me want you to do some work for me... wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROConnell Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 OH WOW! Simply beautiful, it's not just a bass, it's a piece of art. Brilliant way of doing the magnets, such innovation sir. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 [quote name='roman_sub' timestamp='1486048323' post='3228802'] wow!!! may be your best work yet [/quote] Well, as you often hear mothers say of their children, "They are all my favourites in their own particular ways" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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