Tele Paul build

davros

Made some progress, body cut, neck cut but back and headstock not shaped yet. Neck pocket will be deepened when I receive the bridge and work out what angle is needed on the neck joint.

Decided to bind the neck, just need to make a decision on inlays now.

Next up binding the body and inlays if I'm doing blocks, or radiusing the fretboard if dots.

davros

I decided to go with MOP block inlays. I've ordered some from China, not the super cheap ones but a full set of 10. The cheap ones weren't the correct sizes either, these ones from jnnpearlinlay on ebay are, and a decent thickness. So, neck progress is paused while I wait for them to arrive.

I've bound the body (much easier on a flat top!) and worked up a pickguard shape based on a cross between a LP Special and Special DC.

I also put together a router base for my Dremel ready for inlaying. It's pretty rough but works really well. The key was finding out that the thread on the dremel is 3/4 BSP, so some ebay nuts and epoxy and it's held really firmly. The bit is a carbide spiral downcut milling cutter from Amazon. That seems to work really well too.

Next up will be inlays, then I'll move onto radiusing the fretboard then carving the neck.

SteveRobinson

Very clean work there, it looks immaculate.

I'm planning triangular inlays in a build, I'll cut the holes using a chisel I think. The plan is to print onto labels, stick the label to the fretboard then cut through.

davros

I already have the dremel so makes easy work of making sure the inlays bottoms are flat. I'll use a scalpel and chisels for the edges.

This is my first attempt at an inlay (other than dots), so going for blocks for their nice square corners!

I did at test on some scrap maple and it looks like it turned out pretty well. The fretboard is ebony, so I can fill any boobs with dust and superglue!

My main fear is sanding through when I radius the fretboard, so I think I'm going to rout the cavities, then radius, then glue in the inlays, routing a little bit deeper if needed.

davros

It's not quite immaculate, I used a router to thickness the fretboard and there was quite a bit of chipping. Hoping the Radiusing will remove the worst of it.

davros

@SteveRobinson, do you have any examples of your olive green paint, other than the swatch on your website?

SteveRobinson

I don't sorry but I'm happy to send you a can next week.

davros

It's ok, I'll wait until I get closer to finishing and order all the paint I'll need from you. Thanks!!!

davros

Inlays arrived yesterday from Beijing and are now installed. For my first attempt I'm super happy with how they came out, and really glad I went with MOP rather than celluloid. The pearl is really nice, just the right amount of figure, not too blingy.

Made a couple of minor boobs but ebony dust and superglue have hidden them.

Next up neck carve!

davros

Lots of progress - frets, neck glued, tuners drilled, Pickups routed, bridge fitted.

Next up carving the neck/body joint

WezV

i really like that

davros

Thanks Wez!

axisus

Really liking the look of this!

davros

Few updates this week.

Routed all the cavities and realised that I forgot to drill a hole to connect the pickup cavities before gluing the neck, so a bit of bodging required, but it will all be covered by the pickguard.

Recarved the neck thinner and carved the volute and heel in a similar way to my last build.

Finally applied grain filler - Dartfords thixotropic in brown mahogany. It's messy but really good stuff to use. Smear it on and wipe off with some white spirit. No sanding needed. It has highlighted a few spots that need some more sanding, and it will get anothet coat.

Next to decide on paint colour - drab olive green or black...?

davros

I ordered some drab olive nitro to test, just sprayed on a piece of paper. What does tFB collective think?

Knobs will be black and pickguard will be 5 ply black. it is getting a Freeway 6 position toggle switch to give me tele + strat combinations (and I hate normal tele switches)

WezV

i really like that.  will work well with lightly aged nickel hardware

Roland

Good colour choice. I’m pleased to see that control plate with the selector switch at the back.

davros

Thanks chaps, I think the green with the binding and natural back are a nice combo.

The nickel hardware has all had a light ferric chloriding to dull it down. The plate definitely needs to be that way around as a tele switch can take a bit of accidental strum contact without moving, but a toggle switch can't.

I was very close to putting the switch in the usual les paul position but decided against it.

Trying to find 5ply (ideally 4 ply) black pickguard blanks is proving to be a challenge. I might have to use 3ply until Allparts get it back in stock.

Roland

Unless you play like Gary Moore, and change pickups in the middle of a phrase, I’d tuck the switch out of the way.

SteveRobinson

davros said:

Trying to find 5ply (ideally 4 ply) black pickguard blanks is proving to be a challenge. I might have to use 3ply until Allparts get it back in stock.

Have you tried WD Music? 

If you're struggling I think I have a sheet of 5-ply you can have.