View Poll Results: 1st Build Floater Suggestions
- Voters
- 25. You may not vote on this poll
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KA Handwound 12-pole PAF humbucker
15 60.00% -
Zoller AZ-48
5 20.00% -
Biltoft Dual Blade Humbucker
5 20.00%
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Similarly, once I got past the heel and over the next extension, I needed to support that area. Here's my setup mod for this area:
Because the frets were narrower than the tape, I did the tape/wax stick one at a time.
Here's after we emptied the fret holder:
Couple of pix of the post-hammering:
Then, I used the StewMac fret cutters to nip the fret off at the fretboard edge:
Overall, I think it went okay. Certainly not the most perfect installation, but there were no panic attacks or tragedies.
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01-27-2020 11:43 PM
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Here are some random photos of the current stage (minus tuners).
Snagged the StewMac NoJak end pin, so I can string it up before electrifying:
I brought the KA 12-pole over to get an idea of where I'll need to inset the pickup shape into the pickguard, and made a general mark in the area of where I think the pickguard will end up. Can see the white chalk pencil marks:
Starting to look like a real life guitar!:
And starting to look like a dad??:
If no baby by Wednesday, I'll hit the shop as the 7mm drill bit should arrive that day and I'll get the holes drilled in the bridge base and use the bridge fitting jig to get it sanded to the contour of the top plate. Additionally, I'll try to get the tuners fully installed and screw holes drilled on the back side of the tuner, and glue on either 1 or 2 shims to the dovetail tenon.Last edited by sbeishline; 01-28-2020 at 07:30 PM.
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I went to the shop after work yesterday with the metric bits in hand. I wanted to start by knocking out the fret beveling file jig.
To do this I just found the biggest semi-square piece of wood I could find in the scrap box, and milled it on all 4 sides:
I then set the table saw blade to 30deg and ran 2 passes totaling 3/32" along the rip fence. I knew the width, because I ran a few passes on a test piece for the spacing testing it with the thickness of the file itself. I did the same thing with the blade at 35deg.
I also made the slots just thick enough so that it could also squeeze in a piece of thin sandpaper to polish up the fret beveled edges (Tom Bills technique):
Standard is to bevel at 35deg, but if they still feel annoying I'll go to 30deg. Don't want to go too low of an angle, so that the E strings don't slip off of the edge.
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After making the beveling jig, I set to work on drilling the bridge base holes.
I started by marking the midpoint centerlines on both the T-O-M bridge:
And also on the ebony base. I also used the white chalk pencil to highlight the centerline so I could align it through the T-O-M holes:
I used an awl to get the locations marked:
Post-marking:
Then measured to check how deep to make the holes. I first measured the entire insert, but then remeasured it from the bottom flange as the rest of the thumbwheel thickness won't matter. Final depth was 5/16":
Then I used setup blocks to set the marking gauge to 5/16" and scribed a line so I could set the depth stop on the drill press:
Here's the setup before drilling hole #1:
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Here's after hole #1:
And hole #2:
Finally having holes, I could now place the inserts in to use the bridge fitting jig:
The bridge inserts fit very tight in the drilled holes, so I just put the in enough to use the jig.
I taped on some 100grit sandpaper:
And marked the centerlines:
And started contouring:
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This process took quite a while longer that I expected. Here's after about 2 hours:
I probably changed sandpaper about 6 or 7 times to keep the process going as quickly as possible. Looks close in these pics, but I still had another 45mins to go:
Finally, I got it completely flush:
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I was ready to set the T-O-M in place and wanted to try and get a little more room in the holes.
I tried using the 7mm bit by hand to rasp out a bit of space, but I didn't have much luck. I didn't want to go up a bit because I knew the closest I had would end up being too big. I also tried working it in very slowly twisting the insert, etc. and going a bit further each time but there wasn't much room. Because the holes are only 5/16" deep, I couldn't use the reamer. So I decided to tap them gently with a mallet.
Unfortunately, having already shaped the bridge and being pretty thin, the holes were just too tight to accommodate the inserts and the bridge split:
Having googled "how to widen drill holes" after the fact brought up the rasp idea- I guess I could've tried that. However, the shit had already hit the fan. Racing the clock, I was pretty deflated.
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After that disaster, I just glued 1 piece of shim onto the dovetail tenon with HHG:
There was no great clamp for this because of the dovetail angle, so I just held it by hand for a few minutes:
I had decided yesterday to take today off of work today to try and dive towards the finish line with limited time left pre-fatherhood, but this bridge may put us behind the 8ball.
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Originally Posted by sbeishline
p.s. first babies are often late, so you still have a margin
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Sorry about the bridge. I use these:
Archtop bridge nickel knurled thumb screws and posts
But they wouldn’t match your hardware color. Perhaps if let soak in CLR or some other acid. I assume you could glue the crack and it would be both strong and invisible and still use what you got.
Also, cut the tang off the file. There will be one side near the headstock where it will get in your way and you may mar the neck. It happened to a friend of mine....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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Originally Posted by Zina
No sign of baby yet, so the docu-drama continues!
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Originally Posted by rlrhett
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Took today off last minute to take advantage of any time that may be left before the baby arrives. Here was my starting point:
I started out cutting out the last appropriate sizes piece from my ebony stash:
I used the previous blank and measurements to mill it to size:
Next was making the midpoints and centerline markings:
Transferred centerline to sides:
I milled this piece a bit higher - marked thumbscrew depth:
Highlighted centerline for T-O-M marking:
And used awl to mark the T-O-M holes:
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Then marked the top plate contour:
Now, I was ready to drill the holes. I was hesitant to drill the entire length with the additional bridge height (instead of just deep enough for inserts), but decided to forge ahead. Here’s ready for hole #1:
Post-drilling:
Then drilled hole #2 (No pic).
Next, I decided to try and widen the holes with a 1/4” drill bit wrapped with sandpaper, but it didn’t really do much:
I kept at it a bit and eventually tapped them in.
Next, I traced the end shape lines:
Then I was ready to cut the shape/contour lines on the bandsaw:
Then to the spindle sander to refine the top and get closer to line on bottom (contour side)- no pic.
As I had suspected, the base was too high for my liking, so I decided to bandsaw again through the thumb screw holes:
Having already posted last night’s bridge fitting, I didn’t take pics again.
Here’s post cutting and fitting to top plate with holes too long:
Last edited by sbeishline; 01-31-2020 at 07:47 AM.
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I then used the Dremel with metal cutting disc to cut the protruding screw amount off:
Here’s the final fit:
With T-O-M attached:
Using a straight edge with neck angle (neck in place not glued), it lands just about on top of the saddles:
Took me about 3.25hr from milling to having it fit to the top and back to speed.
I forgot to hand plane the long edge contour on top, but will hope to do that tomorrow night.
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After seeing pics of my neck with frets installed, I didn’t like how long the end of the fretboard was past the last fret (was so much longer than the 22nd fret distance).
So, I used the same template as I did previously:
And traced the new lines and recut it on the bandsaw:
Then went to spindle sander to refine:
End result:
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Used the bevel jig with the file as documented this morning.
Rhett, having just read your messages, I didn’t get rid of the tang. Plus, it’s Steve’s file, so I wouldn’t want to mess with it. Haha Fortunately, no gashes.
Here’s beveling in progress:
Post-beveling with file:
Next, I used the Tom Bills technique of sneaking in some 400grit sandpaper in the file slot on the file to smooth the filed fret ends:
Here’s post beveling file and sanding:
What appreciation for guitar repair techs and luthiers. I never figured I’d do this!
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After beveling, I was ready to level the frets, and I had purchased the StewMac leveling bar.
First, I used the truss rod to remove some back bow and level the neck:
Next, I used a Sharpie and marked along the top of the frets:
And used 220grit sandpaper to use the leveler just enough to remove all marks along top of frets.
Here’s partway through:
At completion:
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After frets were leveled, I was ready to crown. This is fairly straight forward concept to get as a player, but it’s really wild having the task in front of you to create a good-playing fretboard.
Being I don’t do this regularly and I won’t get tons of practice for using a triangular file, I decided to drop the dough on the Stewie Original Z-File. e
As I said previously- even though the idea of it is fairly straightforward, it took me some uglier frets first to get the hang of it and feel like I understood the feel, angles, etc.
Here’s post crowning:
I did use the Stewie Fret Rocker and there was only one 3-fret span that there was minimal rock. I’m sure it’ll be buzz city, but certainly curious to see how it comes out!
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After crowning, I cut up some of the 3M polishing papers I got from Stewie (400,600,1200,4000, 6000,8000grits).
I used the Bills method and went down the line to polish up the frets.
Here’s papers ready to roll
Pile of dirty papers after polishing!:
All finished with the fret process!!
By feel, the neck and frets feel purdy good - nothing sharp as far as I appreciate.
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After finishing the fretwork, it was close to dinner time and I needed to get home. My goal was to get the tuners aligned and backside screws placed.
I had gotten the tuner hole jig from Stewie and a #38 depth stop drill bit. Not sure why I thought that was the right bit, but it wasn’t. The screws for the Schaller M6 tuners were 2.20mm and I needed to drill a 2mm pilot hole. Thank goodness I had the 2mm drill bit from the side position markers, because I needed it for this.
Ended up not using the drill guide or #38 bit, and just drilled in by hand.
Final tuner positioning:
PS - The vintage copper tuners are heavy as hell, so I got some ebony replacements from Stewie to save weight and it’s noticeably lighter. I think it looks better, too.
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Current status:
Goal is to final fit and glue neck tomorrow night, and Saturday AM shape and fit the nut and string this bad boy up before fatherhood!!!
Will deal with final sanding, finishing, and pickguard/pickup/wiring/end jack post-baby.
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Originally Posted by sbeishline
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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Originally Posted by rlrhett
Good progress so far, my man!
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Shame about the bridge, but sh*t happens. The main thing is you got there. Keep it up, I’m really enjoying your posts, and at the same time learning how much time, effort, patience, creativity and skill go into making a guitar.
Charlie Garnett - Franken Tele
Yesterday, 08:52 PM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos