The Difficult Second Build - Finished with video

TimberG

After doing 3 parts caster type tele builds I decided to graduate to scratch building mainly for my own enjoyment however I have however since set up my own website just in case it goes anywhere.

 The first build was a TC style solid body with a mahogany body, 3 piece laminated neck (blanks bought from @TTony some time ago) zebrano finger board with twin SD humbuckers. Although have pictures I decided not to do a build diary. was going to sell it and posted it on FB then couldn't get rid as i got too attached   
http://i.imgur.com/sER0kOw.jpg


Onto the difficult second build! 

Double cut Tele style with ash body and purple heart Top, pair of Bare Knuckle blue note P90 pickups, Schaller 3D bridge and Schaller Devinci tuners, all hardware will be black.

So The wood

Purple Heart 
http://i.imgur.com/7JfcuqS.jpg

I have had to re-saw this and have book matched it as best as possible. Problems it bowed after cutting and thicknessing. thanks to @octatonic for running through his drum sander. it now looks like this
http://i.imgur.com/ZwF2p6q.jpg

The ash - European ash sourced locally to me at GoodTimber 

This was cut and then thicknessed using my home made sled (dont Laugh but it worked) 
http://i.imgur.com/aNvQw7U.jpg

And now looks like this

http://i.imgur.com/ttSdwyK.jpg

Body glued together and top glued together, and then glued together using my homemade guitar press, Scissor jack on the drill press and lots of clamps (no photos though), i have drawn the out line on there just to see what it looked like

And now looks like this
http://i.imgur.com/TJ61M8a.jpg

Next I band sawed and routed out the body shape and am quite please with the look, doing some research Fender actually did a DC telecaster in 2014 but then stopped so its not a unique shape but i am quite happy with it.

http://i.imgur.com/JKso6Z7.jpg

Thats it for now, apologies for my spelling I have got a little further but will update in another post in a day or so. Quite image heavy. 

I will also post pictures of the hardware however Bare knuckle are currently building the pick ups.

Jalapeno

Looking good !

TTony

That looks like a nice piece of purpleheart .

And top ingenuity marks for the thicknessing jig!

BigMonka

That's looking great. Purple heart is such a cool looking wood.
What are you plans for the finish? Just oil?

TimberG

Thank guys for the positive response. Purple Heart is very hard to machine and the peice I have is alive and moved a lot however it could have been down to storage 

as for finish I am torn between Crimson finishing oil and Nitro lacquer as I really want a glass finish to compliment the Purple Heart @BigMonka ;

Andyjr1515

That's looking very promising 

Roland

I like that router sledge

TimberG

Thanks @Roland it worked really and is a handy peice of kit to have 

update on this build later today 

usedtobe

Excellent!

AustrianJohn

You're making it look very easy so far. Nice wood!

octatonic

Very nice.

TimberG

update 

Pickup routes have been done, plus the neck pocket 
http://i.imgur.com/YZDtL7p.jpg

Pickups arrived from Bare Knuckle and look really nice against the top
http://i.imgur.com/18Qw3YL.jpg

I have now also got photos of the hardware as well so first up is the Schaller Davinci machine heads
http://i.imgur.com/MXDaX5Y.jpg

and the Schaller 3D Bridge I have had to remove a couple of the saddles in order to mark the hole positions
http://i.imgur.com/UTHV0lJ.jpg

Next update will be the belly carve and body round overs so stay tuned 

Thanks again for all the positive comments  

TimberG

Back cavity has also been routed out now as well 
https://i.imgur.com/H5GfIOJ.jpg

back plate plate has also been made although the fit is not as good as I hoped due to the router bit being to big for the template and so had a little wander on the back plate recess
https://i.imgur.com/u1IwRnP.jpg

Roland

That's a very small "wander". By the time you've sanded the sides of the recess and cover to allow for the thickness of varnish/paint you might find that it's disappeared.

TimberG

Thanks for that @Roland your right there will be a little wiggle room there. 

TimberG

Belly carve also completed, hand carved using Japanese saw rasp, i think its turned out ok
http://i.imgur.com/ySWzQ9q.jpg

Round over also complete on the top 
http://i.imgur.com/9f0BDDW.jpg

Also as seen in the pictures the neck counter sinks have also been machined as well
http://i.imgur.com/JnK2koZ.jpg

Now comes the finishing 

Oil ?

Or Nitro Lacquer 

Roland

Oil is a lot easier. In my view an oiled guitar looks like an instrument, rather than an ornament.

WezV

i would test on some scrap.   it will go a bit browner whichever finish you choose, but my gut feeling is oil  will do that almost instantly.   If you bought the purpleheart for the colour, you may want to do all you can to preserve it

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/

TimberG

Thanks @WezV for the video I think I am going down the Nitro route as I really want to preserve the finish and colour 

I have grain filled the ash and also Purple Heart and was going to put some sanding sealer once I have sanded back 

I do like oil finishes and have been using Crimson guitar finishing oil for the first build however found it not to gloss up as much as I hoped (maybe not enough coats albeit it did have 15 on there )

thanks again for the tips and comments

Rabs

Cool build..  I recently found this vid about how to make tru oil a bit thinner and will give you a much glossier finish

TimberG

Thanks @Rabs i use the Crimson guitar finishing oil which is thinner than the tru oil so it may be the same formula ish. 

After a evening in the workshop (ahem Garage!) I have decided to go with a Nitro finish, this is only as I want to preserve the colour of the wood and if i am honest want to have a go at a Nitro finish at home (please dont laugh i am a sucker for punishment  )

Anyway i have grain filled the whole guitar and have now sanded back to 320 and then a light brush over with 600 grit paper (god that was messy!), oh i forgot to mention i mixed a little black dye in with the grain fill to enhance the grain on the ash I quite like the result considering I am going with black hardware. 
http://i.imgur.com/mtdFSEF.jpg
Next I applied one coat of cellulose sanding sealer and am quite surprised how its turned out
http://i.imgur.com/WHayxUS.jpg

The back looks really nice 
http://i.imgur.com/oQdG2kX.jpg

I wont have much of an update for a few days now as its finish and then onto 

THE NECK.....GULP!