Big-A$$ Bass Head Build

[SpondonBassed]

23 minutes ago, JapanAxe said:

I’ve hit a bit of a bump in the road with this build, in the form of a clash of tolerances. The chassis was initially too tall to fit into the slot in the headshell. I have managed to reduce the height of the front and rear panels somewhat, but there appears to be a slight upward bow in the middle of the ‘shelf’ on which the front edge will sit, mainly to the rear. This piece of hardwood is glued into the ‘cheeks’ of the headshell at either end so I need some way of removing material from it in situ. I can’t get a plane to it, a rasp would be too coarse, and a metalwork file too slow. Maybe a spokeshave would do it, or a cabinet scraper, but I possess neither.

 

Hmmm…

 

A properly sharpened chisel and a steady hand.  No mallet.  Just a keen eye and lots of small shaves with repeated test fittings until you have a fit that is not going to close up clearances at full operation temperature?

 

...or summat.

[JapanAxe]

16 hours ago, SpondonBassed said:

 

A properly sharpened chisel and a steady hand.  No mallet.  Just a keen eye and lots of small shaves with repeated test fittings until you have a fit that is not going to close up clearances at full operation temperature?

 

...or summat.

Well that’s something else I don’t have - chisels that are sharp, or that I can make sharp. Might be time for a tool investment!

 

EDIT: Ordered a 20mm Draper chisel

Edited yesterday at 14:46 by JapanAxe

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

Well that’s something else I don’t have - chisels that are sharp, or that I can make sharp. Might be time for a tool investment!

 

EDIT: Ordered a 20mm Draper chisel

 

Good man.

 

Here is some useful info by a BassChat member with extensive cabinet building experience - @Christine.  Christine has not been heard from since Covid but has made great contributions to the Build Thread.  Much missed.

 

 

Mind your delicate bits and let us know how you get on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Owen]

Christine did some work on a Tele body I needed a belly cut on. I drove over there in 30 minutes (unheard of at this end of the world) and marvelled at wood coming off in thin sheets like peeling paper. It made me want to learn to do woodwork. Proper sharpness right there.

[JapanAxe]

1 hour ago, SpondonBassed said:

 

Good man.

 

Here is some useful info by a BassChat member with extensive cabinet building experience - @Christine.  Christine has not been heard from since Covid but has made great contributions to the Build Thread.  Much missed.

 

 

Mind your delicate bits and let us know how you get on.

 

Thanks but I'm never going to achieve that! I do have a little jig to hold your chisel at the right angle while you work it on the sharpening stone though, and that will have to do.

[rwillett]

I read through the thread about sharpening chisels and I have to doff my cap to the lady. I love watching Masters (doesn't seem quite right to say Mistresses) in action. I sit at the feet of greatness. I shake my head and realise I will never achieve that level of Jedi like woodwork.

 

Rob

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, JapanAxe said:

Thanks but I'm never going to achieve that! I do have a little jig to hold your chisel at the right angle while you work it on the sharpening stone though, and that will have to do.

 

It's a good start.

 

You need experience to be able to do the sharpening by hand but to get the experience you have to have a sharp chisel.  It's a very useful hand tool around the house if you do nowt else with it.

[SpondonBassed]

2 hours ago, Owen said:

Christine did some work on a Tele body I needed a belly cut on. I drove over there in 30 minutes (unheard of at this end of the world) and marvelled at wood coming off in thin sheets like peeling paper. It made me want to learn to do woodwork. Proper sharpness right there.

 

Have you any way of finding out if Christine is still with us Owen?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Owen]

5 minutes ago, SpondonBassed said:

Have you any way of finding out if Christine is still with us Owen?

I am afraid not. We only communicated via PM on here, and I honestly could not find her house now.