Andyjr1515 Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Next job was fixing the trussrod cover. It will be held with a single pair of neodymium magnets. Because it has been cut out of the headstock plate itself, it's a very close fit and is quite thick, it needs some method of getting it out easily! Enter, one fingernail slot: And one fingernail groove in the headstock plate: And a neat, tight fitting cover that can nevertheless be removed easily when necessary: While this shot is here, worth mentioning that I still haven't decided whether to put in some hidden ferrules or not. Also, ignore the couple of gaps around the swifts - I haven't done the filling yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Just bumped into a friend of mine who's also a member here - he's been following the thread from the beginning - lots of compliments about Andy's work and the build in general. [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1498745453' post='3326788'] Just need to paint the whole thing green next! Looks fab. Well done Andy! [/quote] Green's my favourite colour but what chance is there of finding a green leopard this time of year??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1498748289' post='3326813'] Green's my favourite colour but what chance is there of finding a green leopard this time of year??? [/quote] At risk of a thread derail here but.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1498748890' post='3326820'] At risk of a thread derail here but.... [/quote] [size=6][b]Quick!! Shoot it!![/b][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1498749240' post='3326825'] [size=6][b]Quick!! Shoot it!![/b][/size] [/quote] WAIT!!! Shoot this instead, it's a favour to all of us: And it's even pink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1498478945' post='3324843'] Next task is levelling and re-crowning the frets. There are dozens of ways people do this but, for what it's worth, this is how I do it: I adjust the trussrod until the neck is flat. I use the back of my levelling beam to check: I then turn the beam over and level the frets. I try not to overdo this. Here you can see the metal dust where the high spots have been taken down: Then this is basically my kit: Decent quality masking tape, a hoscoe crowning file, the wonderful micro-mesh abrasive cloths (2400, 3600, 6000, 12000) and a fret rocker just to make sure! First I mark any flattened tops of the frets with a marker pen (in this case it was the whole fret): The re-file the crown with the Hoscoe, using the marker line to tell me when I've got there: I then wrap the progressively fine grades of the micro mesh round the hoscoe to finish off the shape of the crown and polish out the scratches, ending up with a levelled, re-crowned and polished fretboard : [/quote] Bass is looking great. And I pretty much level, recrown and polish frets in a similar manor. Although I use various grades of sandpaper wet and dry, then autosol, which does a great job. However I wonder if I should start using a combo of paper and micromesh as autosol can be messy and on some very hard fret material a few more grades would really take out any microscopic imperfections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1498765313' post='3326960'] Bass is looking great. And I pretty much level, recrown and polish frets in a similar manor. Although I use various grades of sandpaper wet and dry, then autosol, which does a great job. However I wonder if I should start using a combo of paper and micromesh as autosol can be messy and on some very hard fret material a few more grades would really take out any microscopic imperfections. [/quote] Hi, Twincam Thanks! Yes - Autosol is great, but you can imagine the problem on this in terms of staining... I've never tried using my method for stainless steel frets (which I avoid wherever I can) but it works for me for standard fret material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1498755685' post='3326862'] WAIT!!! Shoot this instead, it's a favour to all of us: And it's even pink! [/quote] I'm not surprised she has a face like that, sitting astride a giant ice cube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si600 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1498745930' post='3326794'] Next job was fixing the trussrod cover. It will be held with a single pair of neodymium magnets. Because it has been cut out of the headstock plate itself, it's a very close fit and is quite thick, it needs some method of getting it out easily! Enter, one fingernail slot: And one fingernail groove in the headstock plate: And a neat, tight fitting cover that can nevertheless be removed easily when necessary: While this shot is here, worth mentioning that I still haven't decided whether to put in some hidden ferrules or not. Also, ignore the couple of gaps around the swifts - I haven't done the filling yet! [/quote] Are the grooves from the string holes a byproduct of stringing it and is there a way of having a ferrule to protect the wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='Si600' timestamp='1498813520' post='3327186'] Are the grooves from the string holes a byproduct of stringing it and is there a way of having a ferrule to protect the wood? [/quote] Some is the original filing, but there are string marks too. As I mention above, I haven't decided yet whether to put ferrules in or not. I'm going to get some brass tube and have a play with a curved lead-in of brass first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blablas Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Brass tubing - Steampunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Could you inset some brass washers where the strings thread through the headstock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='blablas' timestamp='1498831025' post='3327427'] Brass tubing - Steampunk. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1498833270' post='3327458'] Could you inset some brass washers where the strings thread through the headstock? [/quote] I want to retain the 'teardrop' opening if I can. Hence me thinking in terms of brass tube sunk into the vertical holes, but with and angled top cut peened over and sitting in the teardrop. Hmmmm....maybe a picture would be a bit clearer than that description Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 While pondering on that, though, the exciting bit (for me at least) is that I've started the finishing. I make it a general rule not to show the shots for the first couple of coats, but it bodes well. Yes - it's darkened it, but what a lot of figuring there is in that wood! I should be ready show a couple of shots sometime tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Ritter Princess Isabella tailpiece for inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Looking at your truss rod cover, is it shallow enough to allow it to be removed while the strings are on? It looks quite thick in the picture. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted June 30, 2017 Author Share Posted June 30, 2017 [quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1498854064' post='3327630'] Looking at your truss rod cover, is it shallow enough to allow it to be removed while the strings are on? It looks quite thick in the picture. David [/quote] You have to slacken them off at the back tuners and just pull the strings clear either side of the nut but you don't have to unclamp them. Not a problem really because you need to have the strings slackened off before you adjust the truss rod in any event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 Can not wait for next batch of photos - oh the anticipation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 I feel so sorry for you.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 (edited) Like pretty much everything else related to this build, there's a lot of experimentation and testing with the finish. What I'll be trying to do is to balance the figuring (which is quite something on the sycamore) against the lightness of colour. The standard 'slurry and buff' produces the most glorious feeling smooth, silky, organic result. It also brings out nicely the quilting on the sycamore. It does, however, darken the wood (pretty much to the same extent as if you wet it with a damp cloth). How much that is depends on what you contrast it with. Against dark, it looks pretty light and whitish: But against lighter backgrounds, it looks more tinted: For the sake of a little bit of experimentation, I'm going to try a specialist wood finish - Osmo Polyx Oil Raw (3044). I've got some on order that should be with me on Tuesday. It has the reputation of lessening the 'wetting' effect of wood when you apply the finish and leaving it [i]closer[/i] to the sanded look. Now the reason I need to experiment is when you read how it does that. All finishes 'wet' the wood. Trouble is it wets more - and therefore darkens more - wherever there is end grain. The Osmo has a tiny bit of white in it which fills the more open pores and therefore darkens a bit less in those areas. Sounds good, you think. But of course the figuring is enhanced by the very same phenomenon. So using this [i]might[/i] reduce the figuiring. Only one way of finding out.... I'll let you know Edited July 1, 2017 by Andyjr1515 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 I hope you've kept some offcuts to practice on (Ever sucked an egg? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 1, 2017 Author Share Posted July 1, 2017 [quote name='Norris' timestamp='1498930390' post='3328091'] I hope you've kept some offcuts to practice on (Ever sucked an egg? ) [/quote] Actually, you're talking to someone who time and again has chucked 'stuff getting in the way' only to realise it was offcuts for currect projects In this case, however, I've kept them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 1, 2017 Share Posted July 1, 2017 (edited) Ha ha. Not one of my offcuts has gone on the logburner yet, much to my wife's chagrin. I've got them tucked away all over the place! Edit: I suppose I could dispose of a few now that I'm polishing up my tele build. I'd need to do a major cockup to need them now! Edited July 1, 2017 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted July 3, 2017 Author Share Posted July 3, 2017 Don't get too excited, folks! The specialist finish should be with me by the end of tomorrow, so we shall see how that goes. I've sanded off the tru-oil back to the wood so that it has the best opportunity of working: You can see how much the figuring disappears against this one when the tru-oil was on it - but also the 'wetting' effect of the oil (albeit against the most contrasting background): It's subtle, but I'm hoping the Osmo will be too The hope is that I get a bit more of the figuring with a bit less of the darkening. I'll let you know Wednesday / Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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