Tele-a-thon
- Thread starter mgaut051
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Nando Vallart
Epic Member
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Where shall be the bridge? I wouldn't take wood under it.... but I would joint the two chambers at the bottom....
EDIT: I think something like this would be good... a little away from bridge and pickups to avoid weak points and let it resonate
EDIT: I think something like this would be good... a little away from bridge and pickups to avoid weak points and let it resonate
Oops - too late man.
It's going to be a TOM-STP, so there's plenty of room at the bottom of the guitar for the bridge.
So pre all this, 6lbs 10z without the aluminum plates (which add about a pound each).
Tight corners with 3/8" bit.
1.5" forstners are a wonderful thing. 4lbs 11oz at this point.
I think I went too deep... Never fear! the back is covered! 4lbs 4oz here - and pickups / neck left to do, and may even relieve the back of the middle part some. So all in all a 2lb 6oz diet - not trivial.
Didn't fuss too much with the inside part looking good - I wasn't about to make a template for this...
Next: pickup routs, transfer to aluminum, make tailpiece and wait for the cash to roll in to buy parts and a neck. :glasses9:
It's going to be a TOM-STP, so there's plenty of room at the bottom of the guitar for the bridge.
So pre all this, 6lbs 10z without the aluminum plates (which add about a pound each).
Tight corners with 3/8" bit.
1.5" forstners are a wonderful thing. 4lbs 11oz at this point.
I think I went too deep... Never fear! the back is covered! 4lbs 4oz here - and pickups / neck left to do, and may even relieve the back of the middle part some. So all in all a 2lb 6oz diet - not trivial.
Didn't fuss too much with the inside part looking good - I wasn't about to make a template for this...
Next: pickup routs, transfer to aluminum, make tailpiece and wait for the cash to roll in to buy parts and a neck. :glasses9:
Cagey
Mythical Status
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That's a pretty ambitious piece of work!
I'm surprised you used a Forstner to clear the majority of it. They're pretty easy to burn up, or at least lose the temper on. They're kinda pricey to waste that way. A good carbide-edged mortise bit chucked into a router will chew on that sort of thing all day and just smile at the sky. I understand the desire for expediency, but I wouldn't sacrifice tools for it. They'd likely come in handy later.
But, you can't argue with success. You're getting where you need to go. That's going to be a great body.
I'm surprised you used a Forstner to clear the majority of it. They're pretty easy to burn up, or at least lose the temper on. They're kinda pricey to waste that way. A good carbide-edged mortise bit chucked into a router will chew on that sort of thing all day and just smile at the sky. I understand the desire for expediency, but I wouldn't sacrifice tools for it. They'd likely come in handy later.
But, you can't argue with success. You're getting where you need to go. That's going to be a great body.
The 3/8" forstner didn't enjoy it's job, but the 1.5" loved it. Barely got warm. Chewed into the wood like butter. It went really quick, and was a safer way ofgetting lots of material off quickly. Plus, no template required. (I wouldn't ever freehand with a router when that much thickness is involved.
Wow - I'm getting much more work in than I thought (or should) - my wife is probably thinking the same thing...
pups routed.
I couldn't think of a better way to transfer to the pickguard. Tell me this wasn't stupid dangerous?
Used a pilot bit to trim the "pickguard", after drilling through.
Started the tailpiece, using 2x1x4" aluminum bar stock, rounded off on the router table with a 3/8" roundover, holding the piece with the handscrew - keeping my fingers safely away from the bit (reccomended for smaller pieces).
Starting to look like something. Unfortunately, until I have some cashflow this is about as far as I can go.
pups routed.
I couldn't think of a better way to transfer to the pickguard. Tell me this wasn't stupid dangerous?
Used a pilot bit to trim the "pickguard", after drilling through.
Started the tailpiece, using 2x1x4" aluminum bar stock, rounded off on the router table with a 3/8" roundover, holding the piece with the handscrew - keeping my fingers safely away from the bit (reccomended for smaller pieces).
Starting to look like something. Unfortunately, until I have some cashflow this is about as far as I can go.
Nando Vallart
Epic Member
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- 8,256
Very cool! Love the look of Zemaitis!
thebutcher85
Senior Member
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- 427
so awesome! :headbang:
ccasion14:Latest acquisition. My dad is in town from Ottawa and we went to the lumber store. Easy to guess but happy with the light curl and the spalt. Not sure what it'll be yet. And sorry I've been inactive, I've been on a couple of rough rotations at work. Still reading though.
It's crazy because I have absolutely no time to work on this - but I'm already obsessing over it. I've got so many other projects on the go: the Zemaitis copy, my brother's order (walnut soloist at the blank stage), a couple pallet casters (blanks), a brent mason ish copy (cherry blank), a 3p90 wenge tele (blank), a couple of cocobolo plates for making carved tops, a nice one piece walnut blank... Lots of blanks, very little time and even less progress.
So anyways - to the matter at hand - the Koa is planed to 1.75", is quartersawn, and has nice sap with some spalt in it. It's 3' long and 6.75" wide. So I can easily make a slipmatched 2p tele, strat, SG, LP or whatever. *OR* I could resaw the lumber and make at least 2 bookmatched carved tops or a number of 0.25" plates to make lam tops. I like the solid body option most - I'm not super keen on multiple laminations, although Line6man seems to be pulling it off great.
Tele seems to square and not organic enough to show off the wood, but it's lots of surface area (especially with a single pickup!). My dad likes the idea of a thinline, but I would need to resaw at least a top off, and re-glue it with a contrasting stripe... I dunno, given that I can't even make a single guitar I won't set myself up to fail.
I'm thinking 2p slipmatched body, flat top LP, LP Jr pickguard (black) cream minihum in the bridge... +/- arctop style bridge and tailpiece. Still working on the design.
So anyways - to the matter at hand - the Koa is planed to 1.75", is quartersawn, and has nice sap with some spalt in it. It's 3' long and 6.75" wide. So I can easily make a slipmatched 2p tele, strat, SG, LP or whatever. *OR* I could resaw the lumber and make at least 2 bookmatched carved tops or a number of 0.25" plates to make lam tops. I like the solid body option most - I'm not super keen on multiple laminations, although Line6man seems to be pulling it off great.
Tele seems to square and not organic enough to show off the wood, but it's lots of surface area (especially with a single pickup!). My dad likes the idea of a thinline, but I would need to resaw at least a top off, and re-glue it with a contrasting stripe... I dunno, given that I can't even make a single guitar I won't set myself up to fail.
I'm thinking 2p slipmatched body, flat top LP, LP Jr pickguard (black) cream minihum in the bridge... +/- arctop style bridge and tailpiece. Still working on the design.
