Next Build all ready to go. African Walnut DC.. FINISHED.. Quick Vid..

Rabs

WezV said:

I agree it's the individual piece you are working that's most important to the individual build.  But species knowledge is pretty important for replicability, choosing what to stock up on, giving customers options at different price points.... as well as specifics of workability and which glues and finishes work best.  I wouldn't write it off completely.

this is technical discussion in the technical area of a discussion forum.  So don't take this as criticism of your build (same with my views on sideways grain).  An alternative wood choice is worthy of discussion.  Pros and cons.


If it is Iroko and you like it then you should be able to find lots more quite easily

Of course it absolutely matters to know the best you can I was only kidding around a bit, its just some people get so caught up in it...  And  I am still learning about this seemingly never ending subject... But as you say the thing is to know how the wood works and with necks if its strong enough for the job which is of course extremely important..  But then you can do that without actually knowing the species, that comes from trying to physically cut a piece and experience...

And I am on here to keep learning and share with others what I have learned so I appreciate all of this talk 

Rabs

Okky doky....

Back to this build again.. Did the inlays, radius and the frets. Which is good..  Im hoping if I get time to glue neck and body together tomorrow but we will see about that.

Just gone for dots..  Didn't have any other inlays and I don't want to wait. Also in my mockups I actually thought dots looked better for this build.

So roughly this now... If you check the mock up at the top of the page you may see what I mean.. The dots are just less in your face. Maybe its the gold hardware?

https://i.imgur.com/5hrS6CA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Hxyx84T.jpg

And side dots

https://i.imgur.com/mc6zHGx.jpg

Believe it or not this is with no sanding.. I have got very good at judging my depths.

https://i.imgur.com/hF7qTIe.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lpSCGCu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/mpK8D7l.jpg

Time for the radiusing... 12" (as always )

https://i.imgur.com/DK7Vo8T.jpg

Using this sanding block. I start off with 80 grit to shape it..  Then once I have the rough shape move to 120, 240, 320 and then 400.

https://i.imgur.com/nBu371W.jpg

Here you can see its sanding from the edge inwards. So you keep going till you hit the middle

https://i.imgur.com/vi9P09N.jpg

The thing is when using a block like this is you have to keep the pressure even as you sand which is REALLY hard so you keep checking to see where its at... Here you can see that the middle is ok but the end not so much, so you just concentrate in that area.

https://i.imgur.com/cVWnyaD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LCnz476.jpg

And a short while later.. All sorted

https://i.imgur.com/7RxpGd0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hC9rsIj.jpg

Then for the fretting.. But I always oil the board at this point as its sanded... And as you can see its needed.

https://i.imgur.com/U5iSwMX.jpg

And all done.

https://i.imgur.com/7cJ6VJv.jpg

So that was cool..  I need to do the tenon area tomorrow then I can hopefully route the body and glue.. That will be good if I can get at least one glued this week.

Sesh

I really like that 12th fret marker. Different and cool. The rest is great too.

Rabs

Sesh said:

I really like that 12th fret marker. Different and cool. The rest is great too.

Cheers..  The fret marker thing actually was an accident originally..  When I did my first guitar I was a bit over excited and drilled the dots without thinking about the 12th fret, I was concentrating so hard on getting them centered that I forgot the second dot at the 12th fret ..  So that was my creative solution.. To put a side dot marker each side.. So now any time I do a dot inlay that's what I do 

To me it kind of looks like planets revolving around a sun....

Actually looking at that pic has given me an idea..  I think it would be cool to put the side dots on the top of the centre dots on the right side of the 12th and then put them under the dot on the left of the 12th marker... That could look cool.

Sesh

Yes, I thought planets too. Then I thought a planet with a ring at the twelfth fret would look great. Might have been done. Roswell rhoads jumped into my head *googles* now there's some fret markers.

Rabs

Sesh said:

Yes, I thought planets too. Then I thought a planet with a ring at the twelfth fret would look great. Might have been done. Roswell rhoads jumped into my head *googles* now there's some fret markers.

Wow.. I just had a look at that...  Cool but a bit ott for me..

Rabs

Just a quickie shot today..  Had an hour or so to do some work so I did the neck tenon holes on the body and got the necks all measured up for the final specs on the tenons.

So tomorrow im pretty sure I will be gluing the necks and bodies together (assuming nothing urgent happens elsewhere)...

https://i.imgur.com/g5mwY33.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/diV7Jh8.jpg

Rabs

And the neck is on this build too   I can really get going now hopefully.

https://i.imgur.com/30t2pwO.jpg

Always triple check it with the bridge to make sure you will get a good action

https://i.imgur.com/tqsjuDJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IzE3WUJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PoM0Ehr.jpg

Rabs

Arrggg..  Yet again not much time today to do much but the necks are set in good...  I did get a lot of the neck carving done and started all of the measurements for the pickups and bridge. So that's something... If I don't get side tracked tomorrow I will hopefully get all the holes drilled in both guitars (they are guitars now ) and finish the neck carving.

https://i.imgur.com/H5uPSkO.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/CstOGiS.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nLXEuZr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pceRrIn.jpg  ;

Rabs

So yet again.. Only one real main job done today.. But each step is one closer.. Its so close its kind of painful now.. This is where I have to remember to be patient.

Pickups holes..  I make my own templates from MDF.. Stick them down with double sided tape.

https://i.imgur.com/tOfix7n.jpg

Make sure its all lined up with the centre lines

https://i.imgur.com/Nw0aCMF.jpg

Then use a template router bit like so

https://i.imgur.com/RfJNtF4.jpg

And hey presto.. Pickup holes

https://i.imgur.com/aqvNvQa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0WW9nSB.jpg

And heres the backs...  As you can see the necks are still in a rough stage but not too far off.

https://i.imgur.com/KhWCD2J.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/oCE3JqE.jpg

There is one extra thing I want to do.. If you look at this pic, the one in the front. The neck wood is a different colour to the body. More red..  So I think I will have to add some stain to that to match it more with the body.  The one on top is a pretty close match I think.

https://i.imgur.com/WqaSjK1.jpg

So there we are.. As I said, one step closer.. Next is the control cavities and finishing the necks.

TTony

That looks like pretty quick progress to me

Rabs

TTony said:

That looks like pretty quick progress to me

Cheers and yes I agree actually this is the quickest ive made two guitars..  I only really started properly at the beginning of the month.  BUT, im doing a show next week from Friday to Sunday.  Since that Korina guitar is sold I really want one of these carve tops to show as they show significant evolution of my building I think.  Which I why im bothered about it.. 

Yet again today I was meant to get more time but my sister is sick with the flu so I had to keep stopping while I was working which was annoying.

Anyhoo.. Theres not a lot I can actually do about it..  I will be working over the weekend.  If I can start oiling by Monday I may just get them done in time but it will be so so tight and I may be fooling myself a bit.

Today I got the neck and head properly shaped and did the control cavity and tuner and control holes.

https://i.imgur.com/bP574qa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Cyd8BZJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/n738YI6.jpg

Rabs

Right so here we are..  Oiling day.  One of my favourite moments of any build where you finally get to see the wood in all its glory and this does not disappoint. (I always get a bit snap happy with the camera at this stage )

All ready to go with the backplate done

https://i.imgur.com/8cGi5H3.jpg

Such a contrast

https://i.imgur.com/wbOy8Mb.jpg

And even if I do say so myself...  Ohhhhhhhhhhhh  that is sweet

https://i.imgur.com/jqefvHN.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/TbNSqPk.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/n90PVcc.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/OSijtyr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wtbzlcM.jpg

And the front

https://i.imgur.com/z96C8tX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MG764rl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/KEROOZV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3E8zVhb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lcGSpzO.jpg

So I am real happy with that...  Im hoping at least this one will be done in time for the show (next Friday )

Teyeplayer

Beautiful! Well done, that is stunning!

Rabs

Thank you sir..  I am indeed very happy with this..  But then I knew the wood was going to look great as I have seen wood from the same batch as this in a finished sate on one of Wez's threads....   It just shows you..  Pick the right bit of wood and it does a lot of the work for you..  All I did was cut the shape out (well and a few other things ).. Theres no stains on it at all, that's all natural     (well maybe a tiny amber tint from the Tru Oil which will just make it darker but its a small amount).

WezV

African walnut always looks awesome oiled.

The word is "chatoyancy", that shimmering between light and dark as you move the wood and it catches the light

Rabs

Yeah, its quite similar to nice Sapele in that way..  Love it 

WezV

More golden with a smoother texture than sapele.


varies between gold and bronzey brown rather than red and browner red.

Rabs

Oiling day 2.

Ive been using the white spirit trick and it really works..  It does two things..  Firstly it comes up more shiny as its thinner and spreads easier. Secondly because of the spirits it dries in like 30-40 mins which means I get more coats done in a day... Which since im in a rush is awesome 

Heres how it looks.

https://i.imgur.com/O6KGkF9.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6BVKbZ2.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2jPmS0f.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/dsnDbCv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/pAoVDUa.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/JrneYOD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DVd2rnA.jpg

If its looking ok I will do the decal..  One more day of oiling then im going to finish 

Rabs

Righty..  Today the decal went on and them more oiling.

Heres how I do it

These are my tools. That small bottle is called Micro Set and is a solution that softens the decal a bit.

https://i.imgur.com/qBssHDp.jpg

So first is to soak the decal in warm water (should not be too hot or cold) for about 40 seconds

https://i.imgur.com/GbXnPAX.jpg

Then I put some of the solution on.. Now because of the oil finish it doesn't spread well but as long as theres some on there for me to slide the decal on to it is fine.

https://i.imgur.com/GX7k4n9.jpg

Then I slide the decal into position and I used a cotton bud to gently roll the air and excess liquid out..  What you need to do here is NOT drag the bud but roll it with gentle pressure.. If you drag it, the decal will move and may rip.

https://i.imgur.com/CGrEDWG.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/348zc2G.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/TJc6pcR.jpg

Then I use a poly spray to go over the top as the oil will disintegrate the decal if you put it on directly.

https://i.imgur.com/zcsC5qV.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sS2z8Wa.jpg?1

Then once that is dry on goes the first layer of oil which you apply gently

Sorted

https://i.imgur.com/W8neEs6.jpg

And the body is pretty much there..  May finish this tomorrow if I get enough time.

https://i.imgur.com/ChJKdA2.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sbKbfCx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gkBjayi.jpg