Something I found to play with

[PhilHill]

Started a new personal Tele. A Honduras mahogany body blank that I chambered with a Forstner bit. Then laid on a Walnut drop top that I got online.
Starting the shaping now, I want to stay as close to all hand tools as possible on this one. I do admit to a Dremel router, hand drill, and a drill press with a drum sander.

I tried to keep it wet down for the pic, but it kept drying up on me.

 

[DangerousR6]

Nice top, looks lie a fun project...

 

[PhilHill]

Nice top, looks lie a fun project...

Thanks. I found the top at a place called woodfromthewest.com, they have some nice figured drop tops there. Calling them might yield better results as they are redoing their websight and not everything is listed yet.
The top has one troublesome spot, but it will be covered by the bridge in the end. The body I got for cheap because there were two heavy dings on the back near the horn. I drilled and plugged them, but I may end up doing some kind of inlay over the top of them.

 

[rgand]

Looks like a fine top. That'll make a beautiful guitar. I'll definitely follow your progress along.

 

[BigSteve22]

Looks good from my house.  :headbang:

 

[PhilHill]

Thanks All. I wasn't able to take pics up to this point as my phone was in for repair. But basically the work so far involved joining the halves of the top and trimming it to shape with a coping saw. Then removing a quarter of an inch from the top of the body, the neck pocket had already been routed when I got it, so I just trimmed the top a little proud of the pocket size.
Then I drilled chamber pockets with the forstner and glued the top on. When it was cured I finished the neck pocket with a Dremel router with a sanding drum bit, fitting it to a Fender neck I have. Don't currently have access to a bandsaw or a planer so much of it has to be done with old school methods.
I'm actually finding it kinda fun, exhausting, but fun. When I started out way back when, I apprenticed to an old guy who didn't believe in power tools so this is deja' vu city for me.

 

[rgand]

There's a lot to be said for hand tools. When I was  kid, my father taught me how to use both power tools and hand tools, many that were my grandfather's. You can do a superb job by hand.

 

[PhilHill]

There's a lot to be said for hand tools. When I was  kid, my father taught me how to use both power tools and hand tools, many that were my grandfather's. You can do a superb job by hand.

I enjoy the enhanced feel you get for what your doing, I took the 1/4 in off the body with a nine and a half in. Japanese pull saw, followed by a no. 5-1/2 Bench Plane.
With numerous coffee and rest breaks along the way, I assure you.

 

[rgand]

There's a lot to be said for hand tools. When I was  kid, my father taught me how to use both power tools and hand tools, many that were my grandfather's. You can do a superb job by hand.

I enjoy the enhanced feel you get for what your doing, I took the 1/4 in off the body with a nine and a half in. Japanese pull saw, followed by a no. 5-1/2 Bench Plane.
With numerous coffee and rest breaks along the way, I assure you.

:icon_thumright:

 

[BroccoliRob]

yo that top is killer, like an ancient void is opening to another dankmension (dimension)

 

[PhilHill]

yo that top is killer, like an ancient void is opening to another dankmension (dimension)

Now that you mention it, it does kinda look like an Outer Limits title background.. :laughing7:

 

[PhilHill]

Short Update. Got it shaped mostly and the neck mount holes drilled, one countersink had to go goofy but it'll work. Put some Oxblood colored leather dye on followed by a few coats of True Oil, to act as a sealer. A lot of it will end up being sanded down before the final finish starts.
Going to go with a top load bridge so no through body holes. While I wait for the sealer coats to harden, I'm going to start figuring out what I want to do with the walnut top, thinking so far of going with a natural finish on it. Haven't fully decided yet.  :dontknow:

 

[Rick]

I’m contemplating a natural walnut clear finish so I hope you chose that. It’ll look great. And I m curios how it willl turn out.

 

[rgand]

That's a nice red. Clear will really make it pop. Looking forward to how it comes out.

 

[PhilHill]

I’m contemplating a natural walnut clear finish so I hope you chose that. It’ll look great. And I m curios how it willl turn out.

Yes, I tried some red dye on a piece of cutoff walnut and didn't care for it.
I just hope that I can get a decent picture of it in the end. Either this phone or ImageShack software isn't worth a dogs butt. The background in these pictures is a dark green color and the guitar is like a deep burgundy in reality. Why they came out looking like this I'm not sure, but it's ticking me off. I guess I'll have to get a real camera.  :-\

 

[PhilHill]

That's a nice red. Clear will really make it pop. Looking forward to how it comes out.

Thanks, I'm now trying to figure out how I'll get it actually look like that. See my reply to Rick.

 

[rgand]

Yeah, my iphone camera really torques colors and shades sometimes. A dark burgundy should look even better than the red. Looking forward to seeing it progress.

 

[PhilHill]

Ok, this is somewhat how the top looks with 5 light coats of Tru Oil on it.

 

[rgand]

That's looking really good.  :icon_thumright:

 

[PhilHill]

That's looking really good.  :icon_thumright:

Thanks. I'm liking it so far, it has a nice hologram effect to it. If you tilt it a few degrees one way or the other all the highlights and dark areas swap places.