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Wow - thanks @Deadman.
Took advantage of the rain stopping this afternoon to get the routing template tidied up and the body outline finish-routed.
I attached the MDF template with two sided tape (the extra strong stuff...more anon) and used my hand router with a top bearing trimmer bit to rout out the top inch, then flip it over and used a bottom bearing trimmer bit to do the final 3/4":
The router is a Bosch GKF600. I'd had my eye on one for some time but had always worried it might not be man enough for the job. But then saw that @WezV uses one extensively and, what's good enough for WezV.... Well, as usual, WezV is spot on - it's perfect for most of the jobs on a body. Its lightness makes it easier to hold and control than my big beggar - they're still fierce-some bits of kit and have to be handled with extreme care but I feel safer with this one than my other one .
Getting the template off again was a challenge! I had to prise it off with a decorators' wallpaper stripping knife. The scratches will be either carved or sanded away:
Next jobs are routing the neck and pick-up pockets on the top and the control chamber on the bottom while I've got a nice stable and flat surface to work from. Then the carving starts
Andy
Just a really nice positive tool to use compared.
Regarding the double sided tape. If its stuck too much pouring a bit of white spirit into the join helps a lot... But now I tend to use 2 screws for the large templates.
Instagram
Routed out the neck and pickup pockets this morning, using an MDF template again:
To do the actual job on the walnut, I fitted the plunge router base to the Bosch - forgot to take a picture! - which gave much better (safer) grip when cutting the walnut.
I'm pleased with the accuracy - a nice tight but positive fit:
Next job (hopefully this week) is to route out the control chamber and then I can start the carving...
Thanks for looking
Thanks, @BigMonka !
Decent bit of progress this morning - got the control chamber and battery routing finished so I'm now able to start the carving (my favourite part of any build )
I marked out the inner chamber for an MDF template and ball-bearing edging bit, and then used a stepped ball bearing bit to cut the control chamber cover recess. These are the two router bits (the router body fits into a plunge-base that is out of shot). I used an MDF template also for the battery compartment:
Here's the template with inner rout complete. Note the 'blip' adding thickness for one of the screw positions:
This is the finished rout - I narrowed the inner chamber in a number of places to leave extra material where the screw fixings are - I will tidy the recess for those areas later with a small chisel:
So - carving starts soon!!!!
Andy
p.s. The other good news is that I don't think weight is going to be a problem - I think it will end up lighter than the Cort
Did the main carve for the upper half of the top this morning. Almost all hand carve...there's too many things that can go too wrong too fast with power tools at this stage
Here's the body marked out and the main tools for starters - a block plane and a razor-plane:
Quite early on in the process I also brought in the spokeshave:
Other tools at various times included a 'D' profile rasp file and a cabinet scraper and 2 mins worth of Dremel.
Now here's the thing...I've never done woodwork before I started on the builds and no-one had ever taught me how to sharpen chisels, plane blades, scraper blades or set up a plane, spokeshave, etc.. So I did what we all do - looked up EVERY internet tips and tricks I could lay my hand on and, guess what - it works!!!!
The block plane was a 'special event' present and I think this particular make costs over £300 (yes...quite...). It is a thing of beauty and a joy to use. BUT, with the blade properly sharpened and properly mounted, I was getting as good a quality of shaving with the Record spokeshave which - if I remember correctly - cost about £12.00 in Homebase So - if you do use handtools and, like I was, are not overly familiar with how to set them up, it's well worth spending that bit of time learning and trying it out.
Anyway, enough spouting - here's the progress today:
As always, thanks for looking
Andy