honza992 Posted October 24, 2017 Share Posted October 24, 2017 [quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1508775843' post='3394337'] Not terribly sure I'd get a banana either For what it's worth, I use a fine flat needlenose and also a triangular one where I've ground one of the apexes smooth. With the flat blade I round it from the fret through 90 deg to the fretboard edge and then with the triangular one, with the smooth edge in the corner between the fret-end and the fretboard wood first take off the sharp edge on one side and then round to the fret apex, then the same on the other side. If any of that makes any sense! [/quote] I've bookmarked this technique to come back to in the future. Very swish, as we would have said in the 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 Well...being so [s]smug[/s] pleased with the spherical fret ends you were all waiting for the '...and then I had to take them all out again' As you know, I was a bit bothered by the narrowness of the neck. I did a mix and match of a gold tuner set and a black tuner set to match with the fancy bridge: Which let me string it up. I concluded that the strings are just too close to the edge of the fretboard giving the annoying possibility of the top E 'falling off the side' - a bit of an issue with some stratocasters. At the same time, having dutifully de-tanged the sides, I was already thinking, 'Blast! I should have gone for a bound fretboard'. As well as covering the fret slots, this would widen the top of the fretboard allowing a more comfortable width of fret to be used. So that's what I'm going to do! Luckily, the sides of the neck are still more square than the finished profile will be so I can retrospectively add some bindings and then scrape them to blend into the final curve of the neck profile. So those frets have had to come out The sort-of good news was that the frets were very nicely seated (you really don't know unless you try to pull them out) The very good news is that, using slodering iron heat and a specialist ground-ended pair of fret pulling pliers, there was very little chipping. The binding strips are on the way and, in the meantime, I can turn my attention to finishing off the headstock and control chamber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted October 27, 2017 Share Posted October 27, 2017 I like the black on gold thing at both ends. Makes for a sophisticated look with the burl. Sorry to hear about needing a fret rework but the binding you described is something to look forward to. Your efforts to get it to premium standard are admirable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted October 27, 2017 Author Share Posted October 27, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1509108922' post='3396689'] Sorry to hear about needing a fret rework but the binding you described is something to look forward to. Your efforts to get it to premium standard are admirable. [/quote] More like "my efforts to hide a rookie cock up" Anyway, if in doubt - throw in a few swifts : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 (edited) [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1508776778' post='3394351'] There ought to be a Dremel cutter with a tiny cupped tip to get the shape close to spherical before finishing. Never saw one though. [/quote] I watched a YouTube video a while back where a guy used just that, but he had to make his own dremel attachment using a standard abrasive wheel which he wore away into a cup shape. It was for a fanned fret guitar with cnc milled fret slots. He pre-cut and rounded all his frets before fitting them. Looked amazing whenever he was finished. Can't for the life of me remember who it was... Edit: easier found than expected! https://youtu.be/moxUw3Ke2Q0 Edited October 28, 2017 by Bigwan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 [quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1509177298' post='3397114'] I watched a YouTube video a while back where a guy used just that, but he had to make his own dremel attachment using a standard abrasive wheel which he wore away into a cup shape. It was for a fanned fret guitar with cnc milled fret slots. He pre-cut and rounded all his frets before fitting them. Looked amazing whenever he was finished. Can't for the life of me remember who it was... Edit: easier found than expected! [url="https://youtu.be/moxUw3Ke2Q0"]https://youtu.be/moxUw3Ke2Q0[/url] [/quote] Many thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted October 28, 2017 Author Share Posted October 28, 2017 [quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1509177298' post='3397114'] I watched a YouTube video a while back where a guy used just that, but he had to make his own dremel attachment using a standard abrasive wheel which he wore away into a cup shape. It was for a fanned fret guitar with cnc milled fret slots. He pre-cut and rounded all his frets before fitting them. Looked amazing whenever he was finished. Can't for the life of me remember who it was... Edit: easier found than expected! [url="https://youtu.be/moxUw3Ke2Q0"]https://youtu.be/moxUw3Ke2Q0[/url] [/quote] Clever stuff - I might try that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted October 30, 2017 Author Share Posted October 30, 2017 And one wenge-bound board You can see the figuring in the ebony quite clearly here - which is probably one reason why the wood is so brittle. Having said that - this is a close-up shot - all of the fret tang chips will be hidden under the new frets The finished job will be better for having a bound board so it's probably just as well I made the cock up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 1, 2017 Author Share Posted November 1, 2017 14 frets done, 8 to go! It's a slow, slow job. With the ebony being so brittle, I need to avoid having to re-do any of these so I'm clamping a fret at a time until the glue pretty much sets. So far so good You can see the binding in this shot - adds a touch of class...should have done this in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roman_sub Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 agreed the binding does add an even classier look :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 Too dark to take a photo, but all the frets are in I'm MUCH happier with the resulting width. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 That binding looks the dog's whatsits! I can imagine you bringing this in regularly for other builds now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1509642944' post='3400567'] That binding looks the dog's whatsits! I can imagine you bringing this in regularly for other builds now [/quote] Yes - probably...but preferably applied BEFORE the fretboard's been glued to the thru-neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrumpymike Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 What's that comment about hindsight being the only 20/20 vision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 2, 2017 Author Share Posted November 2, 2017 [quote name='scrumpymike' timestamp='1509645857' post='3400595'] What's that comment about hindsight being the only 20/20 vision? [/quote] Indeed, Mike For more than a few reasons, I could now do with getting this one to the finishing stage (during which there is little time taken actually applying the finish but lots of spare time waiting for stuff to dry )! I'll string this up tomorrow to make absolutely sure, but this feels SO much better: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Quick mock up to make sure it all fits. I've fitted the slightly wider nut to test 'worst case' - and it's fine The frets haven't been levelled, crowned and polished yet so there is a bit of tidying up to do at the fret-ends but the binding blends in nicely: The fret ends have been de-nibbed so the binding is fretslot-less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 3, 2017 Author Share Posted November 3, 2017 Onto last build jobs. One of them is slimming down the internal control chamber top so that all of the controls poke through as they should. Because it is routing down to 4 or 5mm thickness, I always drill at least one hole first to give me the comfort that I'm not going to break through the top! To do that, I need to know at least where one of the holes is going to be. Someone asked me why the control chamber was so big...well, and this doesn't include yet the 3-way switch or the battery clip or the general connecting wires or a bit of P90 sitting in the chamber...: It's going to be quite busy! Also, the pre-wired cables can be a real, real problem with small chambers. By the way - while this was on and everything else temporarily fixed, I popped the stacked P90's on top and found some scales that I'm-sure-aren't-from-the-kitchen-despite-the-flour So, take away the control chamber extra rout, add back the cover, the strap buttons and finish (negligible weight) should leave us comfortably below 6 1/2 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 Final build task before starting the finishing is tidying up the neck profile. I will do one last tweak once the guitar is finished and all strung up but to get it pretty close, I go by feel and then, holding the guitar a bit like a back to front cello, I use a scraper - drawing up the neck length very lightly - to take away any lumps or bumps along the length or facets around the profile curve. And that's it! Basic build is complete and finishing has now started I use a variation of the tru-oil slurry-and-buff method as a combined sanding lubricant, grain filler and sealer. The body will actually be gloss varnished eventually, but I have found this method to be just as good as a gloss prep method as a finished method in its own right The only difference (if at all) is that I probably use coarser abrasive cloth at first - typically 120 grit but sometimes even 80 grit. This is the first application following the normal 'final sand': Five minutes later, I have this: And then fifteen minutes later I have this on the back and neck too: The slurry from the sapele, wenge and purpleheart will, if not wiped off, discolour the maple, so I always wipe off the wet tru-oil from the maple even before I start the actual slurry and buffing. When dry - this will look a bit naff - as the oil soaks in differentially. I will probably repeat with a coarse grit once more, once it has fully set, before starting the proper slurry and buffing Sunday/Monday-ish In the meantime, to MrsAndyjr1515's delight, there are a couple of small guitar and bass jobs that have been waiting a while that I'll be getting on with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 It's great to see you're on this phase of he build. When you wet sand with the tru oil, do you wipe off the slurry often and freshen the tru oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share Posted November 4, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1509802360' post='3401752'] It's great to see you're on this phase of he build. When you wet sand with the tru oil, do you wipe off the slurry often and freshen the tru oil? [/quote] Yes - light wipe off of the slurry after each initial application. Later, that will become wipe off and vigorously buff each time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 The finishing is actually going remarkably quickly and well so far If I'd been going for satin, the finish would already be there! But glossing the body and headstock plate is going to make SUCH a difference to the figuring. It needs to sit for a few days for the tru-oil to fully harden before I do that. Can't wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Seeing the cross section in the pick-up cavities is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 [quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1509900651' post='3402452'] Seeing the cross section in the pick-up cavities is nice. [/quote] Hopefully, unless I've got the pickup measurements wrong, they won't be visible when it's finished! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjr1515 Posted November 7, 2017 Author Share Posted November 7, 2017 And here it is with its first coat of varnish: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsun Posted November 7, 2017 Share Posted November 7, 2017 Blimey, that's an attractive lump of wood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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