Finished! It's a bass, Jim...

[Andyjr1515]

47 minutes ago, Andre_Passini said:

I love this jig Andy, I use one similar to this that I built.

 

That's nice too.  I also built one myself that I used for a few years but it wasn't nearly as accurate as the bought one. 

That said, I think the one you've made there is probably more accurate again - the extra size makes small lumps and bumps much less exaggerated and there is much better control with those handles of the router movement .  That said, my workspace is so limited, I would never be able to fit anything of this size.  Nice fretboard, that - what's the wood?

[Andre_Passini]

49 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

That's nice too.  I also built one myself that I used for a few years but it wasn't nearly as accurate as the bought one. 

That said, I think the one you've made there is probably more accurate again - the extra size makes small lumps and bumps much less exaggerated and there is much better control with those handles of the router movement .  That said, my workspace is so limited, I would never be able to fit anything of this size.  Nice fretboard, that - what's the wood?

Thanks Andy!

The fretboard is a wood called "Brauna"

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, Andre_Passini said:

Thanks Andy!

The fretboard is a wood called "Brauna"

 

 

Lovely

[Andyjr1515]

Everything was a bit delayed by - well, it is the UK - the weather 

Hand marking a board (especially an ebony board) to within 0.1mm needs a decent amount of daylight.  And over the day there was an hour where there was just enough.

So accurate steel rule double-sided-taped to the board, Stewmac fret calculator printout and a very sharp steel punch to puncture the board with a series of dots along the rule :

I've found that the best way to ensure that this is accurate is:

- the standard engineering method of always taking measurements from a single datum (so ignoring the fret-to-fret info) to minimise any cumulative errors

- once all done, check by reading off the dots and writing down their values and only then comparing with the scale printout (if you check that, say, the 25.65 slot is correct, your mind can convince you that's what you are seeing.  If you simply measure cold, then you really do see the actual variances)

Then onto the same mitre jig.  While I use a template plate - to get a consistent slot depth - this time the little index pin has been removed so the plate can slide freely.

I use the radius block as a caul to clamp the board once properly positioned.  I use a pull saw, and so orientate the board so that the saw pulls it into the mitre-block side.  However, the return stroke can push the board, even when it is clamped, so I use a small piece of scrap to help hold it firmly against correct side :

And then it's a case of positioning the dot to the point that the saw kerf hides both sides when clamped:

16 done, 5 to go

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

And all the frets are slotted.  Don't panic, I haven't mis-measured - the 22nd fret isn't a 22nd fret.  It's where the fretboard will end to fit the Superquad beauties in the remaining space

The swifts were cut when I was doing @Fishman 's .  They are not fitted yet - something I'll squeeze in over the day.

 

[Andyjr1515]

So the Christmas preparations have moved from working to get everything ready and Covid secure to "how are we going to get the presents to folks who were supposed to be coming here and what are we going to do with the food and drink?"

What I have found is that solving that last problem has made solving the other two seem much more straightforward.  Cheersch! 

And it gave me a bit of time to sneak down the cellar for a 'few minutes' :

The red on the bench isn't the result of my blood, sweat and tears...it's spilt dye from a previous project.

 

 

  

[Kiwi]

Do you guys know a place where I could get perspex templates made off a scaled CAD drawing?

[Andyjr1515]

7 minutes ago, Kiwi said:

Do you guys know a place where I could get perspex templates made off a scaled CAD drawing?

Not something I use, to be honest.  You would be best posting a specific thread either in this section or in 'Repairs and Technical' - more folks would see it than just the ones following this thread.

[SpondonBassed]

There is a way you might be able to do it.  See below...

 

[Kiwi]

25 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Not something I use, to be honest.  You would be best posting a specific thread either in this section or in 'Repairs and Technical' - more folks would see it than just the ones following this thread.

Thank you so much!

[TheGreek]

PM @bertbass

[BassTool]

6 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Do you guys know a place where I could get perspex templates made off a scaled CAD drawing?

That has got to be the most random thread interruption I've seen in a while on here, I actually laughed out loud 😆

[Si600]

7 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Do you guys know a place where I could get perspex templates made off a scaled CAD drawing?

Not as such, but if you have the drawing then ask your local engineering firms, the smaller ones probably, if they will run some off on the CNC mill.

You never know, one may say yes.

Or they'll do you a laser cut one out of 5mm guage plate. For a colossal price 😉

[Kiwi]

4 hours ago, Si600 said:

Not as such, but if you have the drawing then ask your local engineering firms, the smaller ones probably, if they will run some off on the CNC mill.

Oh where to begin...engineering firms in China generally don't do small and none of them are local in the sense they're within reasonable driving distance - they locate outside main cities to keep costs down.  The best I could hope for would be a friendly guitar manufacturer with CNC capability but most of them aren't that friendly unless I'm going to order hundreds of instruments from them.

Apologies @Andyjr1515 for what I now realise is a thread hijack.  I'll retreat back into my cave.

[Geek99]

No bats there I hope ....

[Kiwi]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

No bats there I hope ....

Not now we ate them all.

[Andyjr1515]

5 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Apologies @Andyjr1515 for what I now realise is a thread hijack.  I'll retreat back into my cave

No probs at all.  But do kick off a thread - I'm sure someone will spot it who can suggest someone they know of.

[TheGreek]

Again...

[Andyjr1515]

On 21/12/2020 at 15:57, TheGreek said:

PM @bertbass

Hi @Kiwi

I'd missed TheGreek's earlier post above.  Yes indeed - pm @bertbass   Mick got him to make me that great AJR Guitarmods display posted above!

[Andyjr1515]

And we're back on this one too

I'm doing some of the stuff for this project and @Fishman 's Wal save at the same time because they are using similar tools and set-ups.

So next steps on this is about preparing stuff for the fretboard to be glued.  But on this there are a few things to be done first.

The swifts have been tidied up and the fretboard is now ready to be tapered and cut to final width and size:

We are going for an 18mm string spacing at the bridge and for that I received a set of the individual bases for the Nova bridge from @Andre_Passini just before Christmas.  The reason I needed these are that the 4-element base is 19mm spacing.  I really like how the same tuner/saddle assemblies can be used on either types of base - very cool!

So my next job this afternoon is drawing the string runs full size so that I can determine the fretboard taper.  I will then pencil that onto the ebony and, in the morning, bandsaw/plane the board to finished size and taper.

Then the next job after that will be to sort the best arrangement for the trussrod - because it is a LOT easier to rout a trussrod groove before you taper the neck!

And once I've done that, I will be gluing the top onto the neck! (Remember, folks.  While I'm always happy to share how and why I do stuff...never assume that it is the way it should be done   )

[Andyjr1515]

This morning was about tapering the fretboard and starting to think of options with the trussrod and headstock.

Using last night's calculations, I marked the cutting line on the fretboard in pencil (best thing to use on ebony - it shines, giving a decent contrast...and it rubs off if you mark it in the wrong place  ) then onto the bandsaw and finishing it off to the line with a sharp plane:

 

I'm sticking with the string spacing of the Nova headclamp and so should not need a 'nut' behind the zero fret.  Instead, once it has been fretted, I will chamfer the fretboard overhang and cut some relief grooves down to the clamp holes.  As such, the clamp unit will butt right up to the fretboard end.  The fretboard thickness also gives me a decent break angle over the zero fret without the need to step the neck at the head:

The pencil line beyond the clamp block is the closest I will go at the top to allow any string ends to be still protected by the head, hopefully leading to less mysterious holes in @Jus Lukin 's , his band-mates or their audience members' jumpers 

I will give some thought to end detailing/shape and bounce them off @Jus Lukin

One thing that will be there is the truss-rod access hole that will be drilled just below and under the clamp block.  Albeit 10-12mm lower and in the centre of the neck, orientation and lengthways position-wise the rod will go here with the slot, running up to the zero fret, meeting up (hopefully) with the hole drilled under the block that the adjuster will sit in:

 

So this afternoon's tasks are:

- rout the trussrod slot

- drill the rod access hole

- finalise the profile shape under the zero fret

- rough taper the neck a couple of mm oversize to the fretboard (which is already at finished dimensions)

 

 

 

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

Some important progress.

First I drilled the trussrod access hole.  This end has some excess wood to the length and sides for @Jus Lukin and me to sort some degree of carve, chamfer or rounding:

 

Then the trussrod channel routed, happily successfully breaking into the access drill hole at the head (phew!) and the taper cut oversize, leaving also the head oversize on the basis that you can always take wood off but it's more challenging to put it back on!

 

Long way to go yet, but it's looking closer like a bass at each step

 

Next will be sorting the head carve and achieving the final 'spine' depth of the neck while the blank is easy to handle - leaving the rectangular cross-section of the neck until quite a bit later - before then gluing the top to the neck.

 

 

[Andyjr1515]

The fretting process is very similar to @Fishman 's Wal save, only difference being the fretwire (Evo Gold coiled as opposed to Nickel Silver straight) and that it is being done before attaching to the neck.

A light run along the slot with a triangular needle file to take the brittle corners off:

 

Fretwire cut to length and de-tanged at the sides:

 

Small bead of Titebond along the tang, then mallet one side, then the other side then the middle.  The squeeze-out confirms that the fret has seated:

 

Then wipe off the squeeze-out and clamp a radius block to hold the fret to shape while the titebond hardens:

 

And it really is starting to look like a bass now

 

 

 

Edited January 3, 2021 by Andyjr1515

[Andyjr1515]

Top glued and frets trimmed:

 

Other than the cut at the rear to give finger room access to the tuner knobs, the next major task is working on the back wings - working out the weight relief chambers, the cable runs, the control chamber before routing them before they are glued into place - so a few days on the drawing board rather than cutting or gluing wood.  The adage of 'check 3 14 times before you cut or glue anything' springs to mind 

 

 

 

[BassTool]

Are you planning on a particular finish on the fretboard @Andyjr1515  maybe wax or teak oil etc?

🤔