GregP Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Coming along nicely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 I've got frets! Today I installed the frets. I haven't trimmed them yet but they look great. It couldn't have gone better for my first fret install. See the "Slotting The Fretboard" page for a bunch of pics. Thanks for looking! http://www.downinfrontht.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Where did you get that hammer? I've been trying to find a fretting hammer locally, but haven't had much luck at menard's or home depot. Great job on this guitar by the way. It's coming out very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Thanks javacody. That's a Stanley I got at a local hardware store for $15.99. It worked great. I didn't use anything else to fret the neck but the hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Your work is so so clean, Cud. Im jelous. I cant wait to see that neck once its been dressed and such - its gonna be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Thanks! You're gonna make me get a swelled head! The neck's almost done. Hope to bevel it tomorrow with the beveler I made today. Updated the "Slotting The Fretboard" page again. http://www.downinfrontht.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregP Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 <peeks at strategically placed pedalboard and wonders what's on there> Good work on the neck so far. Hope it levels nicely for you and doesn't pose any problems! (not anticipating any, just wishing you luck. ) Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Yesterday, I block sanded the body to 150 (after having raised the grain the night before). In fact, I had to iron out 2 or 3 dings I created by handling the body 100,000 times since I started it. Then, gave it two wet coats of water-based black dye as a wash. Naturally, I wiped it on. Today it looks kind of blotchy and gray. Tonight, I'll sand it back to 220 and inspect the body for any imperfections before applying the color dye. Should I sand to 320 or is 220 ok? Thanks. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott from _actual time_ Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 http://www.downinfrontht.com ← looks very nice -- well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Cud, your website really should be in the tutorial section. It explains the process sooo well and the work is soo clean. There is a lot to learn there. Great job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 (edited) can you post some close ups of the side of the fingerboard so we can see the ends of the frets? I would like too see that area as thats where I had trouble on my last guitar. I couldn't get the ends to look factory perfect. Also I would have sanded more than 400 grit on the fingerboard. I sand up too 1500. It makes the board shiny, almost gloss like. I have a peice of ebony that I sanded up too 4000 and it's like a high gloss finish. I like your headstock design. It kinda reminds me of a turtle. Don't know why but it just does I like your fret end file. I made two diffrent blocks too hold the file so when I did the 35 degree angle there would be more of the block over the fingerboard so it was more secure. Edited April 18, 2005 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 jay, well I'd have no problem with that if it was moved there. I was thinking that when the guitar is done, I should probably re-arrange the photos into more cohesive groups. Godin, I was planning on sanding the board to a higher grit but when I did the 400 it started to shine and got so smooth I didn't think it was necessary. It's super, super hard too and was a challenge to sand or cut. I'll show you guys some pics of the beveled frets tonight. I'm waiting on a file to dress the ends but the bevel is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 I sand the grain to 400, several times (dampen, dry, sand grain) before even applying the black stain, Here is a linkto the method that I used, it is close to the one Myka posted, but for blue color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Thanks Maiden. I was planning on sanding back to at least 320 today and then putting on another wash coat. I got very, very little raised grain with the first coat of black. I'm using water based dye for the black wash and so that would count as the second attempt to raise the grain. I just want to get as much black in there as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted April 18, 2005 Report Share Posted April 18, 2005 Remember that the more figure the guitar has (like Quilt) the more grain you will have reised, the flamed depending on the figure will be less. And that the black will be absorbed into the open grain pores, if when you sanded back there wasn't that much grain, I will suggest you do a more strong black, then rub it realy hard into the grain, then let is dry. After about 3-4 hrs, it should be dry, then sand back. On the top you have the grain is subtle, and I'm going by the experience on my guitar, with out pics of what yours look with the black wash on, is really hard to give you a definite advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Here's some pics of the my frets after beveling with the fret bevel I made. I sanded them to 400 as well. They're in the "Slotting the Fretboard" page. I also added a "Finish Stage" page with some pics of the very beginning of my finishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewman Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Looks killer, man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 (edited) When you use the waterbased dyes like that, Can you cover up what you didn't use and save it? Or is it a just mix up what you need kind of situation? P.S. Cudbucket, your guitar is looking sweet. Edited April 19, 2005 by jer7440 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 When you use the waterbased dyes like that, Can you cover up what you didn't use and save it? Or is it a just mix up what you need kind of situation? P.S. Cudbucket, your guitar is looking sweet. ← I'm using pint Mason jars to keep my extra diluted dyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 How long will they keep for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 When you use the waterbased dyes like that, Can you cover up what you didn't use and save it? Or is it a just mix up what you need kind of situation? P.S. Cudbucket, your guitar is looking sweet. ← Thanks everyone. I don't know how long it'll keep. I imagine it'll stay for a while. I mean it's just water and the crystals are all disolved. Maybe over time it would evaporate but I think it should be usable for a while. BTW, what a bitch it is to sand the cut aways and the edge of the lower bout, or in other words, where you can't sand in a "neck to bridge" direction and still be going with the grain. I left that for tonight. I hate having to sand from "top to back" across the thickness of the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 looking good. I don't really like the fingerboard being real think but thats just me I would have chosen a diffrent color for the top but I really like the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maiden69 Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Looks good, but I would never use clothes dye, I rather spend a bit more and get the Stew Mac ones, I know some of them work fine, but Stews did such a great job on my guitra, from the get go, that I'm sold on them. When you sand back, make sure that you use a stiff block so that you won't dig into the grain, and take black from were you don't want. Another trick that I got from Myka, is that once your black has dried you can get the color you will be using and put it on strong and let it dry. then sand back, this will get some color into the grain, believe me it makes a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted April 19, 2005 Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 Looks good, but I would never use clothes dye, I rather spend a bit more and get the Stew Mac ones, I know some of them work fine, but Stews did such a great job on my guitra, from the get go, that I'm sold on them.← Yeah, I'm using TransTint. Easy to use, and a little goes a long way. It was $16.99 for a 2 ounce bottle, but that's gonna be enough to do a boatload of guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 19, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2005 I'm only using the RIT for the wash. I'm using Homestead Transfast Turquoise blue for the color. Although, RIT is fine for wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.