next build - DC Special-ish

PeteC

Thanks Bill.   I still have the stock dewalt blade at the mo but planning to put a fine cut Freud in there soon.  Fret slotting blade is on the shopping list before that though 

PeteC

Bit of carving and shaping progress on the first of 4 bodies this weekend.   

Gouges and scrapers used to work towards a shape taken from my 94 McCarty -  albiet a shortened DC version.  

Very much the prototype as its the first carve and wanted to take it slow and steady before doing the rest of the bodies 

greggreg66

Looking exceptionally good Pete 

Doug

Absolutely stunning craft!, do you build Flat top DC Junior/Special types for sale?

PeteC

Doug said:

Absolutely stunning craft!, do you build Flat top DC Junior/Special types for sale?

Thanks @Doug much appreciated. ;

yes - I'm planning to. I am packing up my main workshop and tools at the moment as I'm moving house in February to a new place with a decent workshop. So I'll probably be starting some builds "to order" in Spring next year, and finishing the current carved top DC builds in and amongst the move.

I've done a few 59 style DC juniors which have turned out very nicely, and definitely plan to do more next year, as well as some Teles and carved top double cuts. 
At the moment I don't have any spraying facilities, but will have in the new place.  In the meantime I have to send raw finished guitars out to be sprayed.  

PeteC

Getting there on the first body with top carve finished, and control rout done with templates ready for the rest of the builds. 
Control plate routed from a spare pickguard offcut 

managed to get time to get a 3 piece body thicknessed too.  Productive afternoon 

Some pics of progress , very pleased with recent these pieces of Idigbo 

SteveRobinson

That's looking lovely Pete

Corvus

Very nice Pete!

PeteC

Thanks chaps.    Apologies for the photo overkill, but trying to share each stage as I go in case it helps any other early stage builders 

GluedtoMusic

Looks great, and you can never have too many build photos!

PeteC

Had a couple of hours spare and built a cheap and cheerful neck shaping jig after seeing it in Benedetto’s excellent arch top book 

This will make neck carving a lot easier and was definitely worth the effort and the £2 contribution to the builders merchants Xmas kitty for the 8x2 offcut. 

since the pic was taken I’ve drilled some nice large clamping holes in it to make it a bit more versatile 

Kalimna

I have that book too, and started carving top and rear plates. Unfortunately I didnt really know what i was doing and abandoned them - now long gone firewood. However, it is definitely a project for next year.
One minor adaptation of the neck holding jig that ive seen is to include a hinged segment to support headstocks of a differing angle.
Lovely craftsmanship on this build.

PeteC

Thanks - much appreciated @Kalimna    Yep the variable headstock angle is something I will do - at the moment it’s a 15 degree and I want to do some 7 to 10 degree back angles on future builds.  The simplest way will be to make some interchangeable wedges on the bandsaw I think. 

It’s definitely better with a few clamping holes through the body too - just for holding the neck for other tasks on specific areas like the heel or headstock. 

WezV

I've been meaning to make one of those for about 15 years  

PeteC

WezV said:

I've been meaning to make one of those for about 15 years  

Ha ! You seem to have managed pretty well without one !    
 tbh it was quite a quick and dirty version using an 8x2" offcut. Took about an hour cutting and shaping on the bandsaw and gluing up.
I was frustrated by having to clamp the headstock to the bench last time I shaped a neck - so this is a better solution, the neck is rock solid once its clamped at both ends and its easily accessible all the way round for shaping. 

davros

I have been clamping a 4x2 offcut to my workbench, sticking out so I can get all around it, and clamping my neck to that at the heel and on the volute. Works ok but having the headstock section would allow me to clamp there and access the volute without having to move clamps. I like it!!!

WezV

PeteC said:

WezV said:

I've been meaning to make one of those for about 15 years  

Ha ! You seem to have managed pretty well without one !    
 tbh it was quite a quick and dirty version using an 8x2" offcut. Took about an hour cutting and shaping on the bandsaw and gluing up.
I was frustrated by having to clamp the headstock to the bench last time I shaped a neck - so this is a better solution, the neck is rock solid once its clamped at both ends and its easily accessible all the way round for shaping. 

i normally end up with one end clamped to the bench or in a vice, and the other end supported by my growing gut 

Kalimna

WezV said:

PeteC said:

WezV said:

I've been meaning to make one of those for about 15 years  

Ha ! You seem to have managed pretty well without one !    
 tbh it was quite a quick and dirty version using an 8x2" offcut. Took about an hour cutting and shaping on the bandsaw and gluing up.
I was frustrated by having to clamp the headstock to the bench last time I shaped a neck - so this is a better solution, the neck is rock solid once its clamped at both ends and its easily accessible all the way round for shaping. 

i normally end up with one end clamped to the bench or in a vice, and the other end supported by my growing gut 

That's how I do it to, and there's a fair amount of support!

PeteC

that's funny...

I had to smile though...after reading the Benedetto book and being amazed how much of his process was hand tools and jigs I was looking online for his video and came across a workshop tour he was doing ....with Jimmy Bruno asking lots of questions about the build process.....time after time his CNC is mentioned. Seems the neck shaping is largely CNC now and the finishing is by hand.  I guess if you're producing significant numbers professionally then you need to move to CNC at some stage.  I like my amateur jigs though. 

PeteC

Quick saturday morning job - making a tool to do PRS style pot recesses - cheap spade but now filed to shape and polished razor sharp !