wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2006 (edited) I bought a router bit with a bearing template guitar which was definitely a good investment. Routing the final body shape went pretty well but the left body piece had a two inch long chunk of wood ripped away on the back side. I'm not too worried because I was going to plane down the body to approximately 1.4" in thickness, the sides on the front and back will have chamfers, and the back side will be shaped/carved to play more comfortably when standing up rather than just a flat back. You can see some of the residue from the double sided tape I used to keep the template on. Here is the neck being laminated together. The outside pieces are maple and the middle is mahogany. I am using Titebond to put them together, and you can see all of the clamps I bought. I found a discount surplus hardward store and got a really good price on them ($4 each for the vise clamps, and $2.80 each for the 3" C-clamps). I probably should have a few more clamps on there, but this should be fine. When it was resting on the cardboard some glued dried to it so it looks ugly, but that will all be sanded and planed off. Edited November 28, 2006 by wwwdotcomdotnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 got the headstock wings glued on today. i plan on planing the body down on friday. i wish i could do more but i am so busy with school that i have no free time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyManAndy Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 (edited) got the headstock wings glued on today. i plan on planing the body down on friday. i wish i could do more but i am so busy with school that i have no free time I know how you feel. Oh well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. It'll give you plenty of time to ponder your design and plan Anyway, it looks great so far (I love the grain on that mahogany). Here is some inspiration to hold you over: http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.ph...st&p=261996 CMA Edited November 29, 2006 by CrazyManAndy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 yeah i saw that thread and i can only hope mine comes out half as nice as that one did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 just planed and sanded the body sides down to 1.5", although the tolerance is +/-0.05" in a few spots but i can deal with it and plane it down to the final thickness once i glue them to the neck. id post a picture but its not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have a question - do you have access to a laser cutter then? Is that through a firm or do you work with them? Would you be at all interested in cutting me some custom templates? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 I have a question - do you have access to a laser cutter then? Is that through a firm or do you work with them? Would you be at all interested in cutting me some custom templates? i do have access to one, but it is through my school. its hard to find times when people arent using it so that might be tough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I was able to get to the wood shop and plane the body to 1.5" which is still thicker than the final design, but I want some room for error once I glue the body to the neck and then sand and plane those together. This is a close up of the chamfers and tapers on the sides and back of the guitar. I was able to turn the tearout on the back of the guitar into a nice ergonomic shape for playing while standing up, so that worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macimalac Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I have noticed that you have made the headstock ears. Please do not glue them to the neck before bandsawing the neck side profile, because it is hard to do proper sawing that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I have noticed that you have made the headstock ears. Please do not glue them to the neck before bandsawing the neck side profile, because it is hard to do proper sawing that way. What are you talking about??? The ears would have very very very little effect on how hard/easy it is to make those cuts on a bandsaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prauny Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 A headstock angle would make it a little more hard to bandsaw the neck, but the headstock is uncut now is it not? So he should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 too late, the ears are glued, but i am doing the scarf joint first some time next week, then i will cut the neck profile. it shouldnt be too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
another doug Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I have noticed that you have made the headstock ears. Please do not glue them to the neck before bandsawing the neck side profile, because it is hard to do proper sawing that way. I'm pretty sure Macimalac just meant that it would be easier to cut the profile if you had a flat surface to run through a bandsaw. I happen to agree with him, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. By the way, this project is looking good. I've been thinking about doing an sg myself, so I'm looking forward to seeing more progress. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted November 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 I have noticed that you have made the headstock ears. Please do not glue them to the neck before bandsawing the neck side profile, because it is hard to do proper sawing that way. I'm pretty sure Macimalac just meant that it would be easier to cut the profile if you had a flat surface to run through a bandsaw. I happen to agree with him, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. By the way, this project is looking good. I've been thinking about doing an sg myself, so I'm looking forward to seeing more progress. Good luck! i have extra pieces of wood from the neck that i can double stick tape on the other end of the neck to make it a flat surface when i bandsaw it so it should work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macimalac Posted November 30, 2006 Report Share Posted November 30, 2006 Yes, I just wanted to note that it is easier to work with a straight blank piece . Probably it is much easier to have a straight piece when you route the truss rod slot also. My next project might be an SG, so please keep us informed on the process. I am particularly interested in where you plan to start the neck angle (at the fretboard end or at the body end). Regards, Macimalac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 I was able to get the inlay done with some free time today. To cut out the holes in the fingerboard I used a 1/4" router bit in a drill chuck in a vertical miller at 2500 RPM (I had to improvise, but it worked perfectly). Once the glue drys I will grind down and polish the abilone. I wasn't able to do the side dots on the fingerboard since I don't have the right diameter Dremel bit, but later this week I will do it in the machine shop at RPI. The pictures are blury because the lighting in my dorm room is terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 I got the fingerboard inlays flattened down and sanded the fingerboard and it looks sweeeeeet. Also I planed down the neck and the simplicity of it makes it look even better. Not worth pictures though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Here is the neck dimensioned and rough cut. The scarf joint for the 13.5 degree headstock was cut also, and you can see the jig I made to do it. Most of the work was done using a table saw, and some of it on a bandsaw. I still have to glue the joint, route a truss rod cavity, and cut the neck taper before I glue the body sides to it, but I will do that once I get back to New York after winter break. Also, I had to cut the headstock wings/sides off in order to cut the scarf joint, but I can glue them back on later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbaFret Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 (edited) got the headstock wings glued on today. i plan on planing the body down on friday. i wish i could do more but i am so busy with school that i have no free time i know what you mean about time,,i have a 1970 Cuda in the garage ive been working on since the 12th grade,,im 30 now lol guitar looks great tho Edited January 23, 2007 by BobbaFret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted January 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 its been a while, but i have the headstock glued, i did some binding on the fingerboard, and sanded a ton. i had to cut off 3 frets from the fingerboard because i didnt plane the headstock to .6 inches before gluing it (rookie mistake ) so i had to take it of the top side which moved the nut placement down and thus caused me to lose a few frets. i have 19 now, but i would have really liked 21 Its ok though, because i can move to body down to make everything else stay balanced, just 19 frets is all that will really be effected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 as you can see i only have 19 frets due to the issue above, but thats ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) since i made a noobie mistake with the headstock, my fingerboard is a little shorter (19 frets), and i need some advice. below you can see the left setup has the fingerboard in a normal placement and to the right it is moved toward the body, thus moving the bridge down a bit. which one should i go with when i glue it all up? i like the look of the placement of the fingerboard on the right, but like the bridge placement on the left. also, if i were to go with the left setup it looks a bit awkward without the fingerboard covering the red boxed area. any suggestions as to what i could do there? maybe make a small engraved plate or something? help! Edited January 25, 2007 by wwwdotcomdotnet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 I'm just catching up with your thread. A few minor observations and some major ones... Minor - Those cheap kwik-grip clamps are ok, but don't squeeze them too hard. I busted one up good one day! CRUNCH! Major - 1.Shortening the FB should not be an option. There must have been some other way to set things up without having to do that. I KNOW there would have been a solution, shoulda come here first. 2. Regarding your setup options there are rules to follow. Rule no. 1 : When placing your bridge and fretboard you have NO options regarding the distance between the two. The scale length of your fretboard dictates how far away the bridge must be. The distance from the headstock end of the fb (actually will be the leading edge of the nut) to the crown of the 12th fret = 12th fret to the 1st string bridge saddle. You can slide them around as a unit between the body wings to get the best fit. Rule no. 2 depends on what sort of bridge you will be using and this deals with string height off the body and how it conforms with the frets / fretboard. If you are using a TOM (tune-o-matic) style bridge (can't see its height in the photo) with a straight neck then you have to do something to get the strings near level to the fb face. TOM bridges tend to be a little on the high side and something has to be done so your guitar doesn't end up playing like a violin. I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but I didn't see the words "neck angle" in your postings. Sorry if I missed it, been a long day jobhunting, yes, I have too much time on my hands. Another option is to recess the bridge into the body. Regarding your fb length I might have a solution, but need more specific info. I will PM you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
another doug Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Correct me if I'm missing something important, but I don't get why you had to shorten the fingerboard at all. If it's possible to put it together like the picture on the left, then there's room for the frets you removed. If you put it together like the picture on the right, it will work as long as the bridge is moved to insure the proper scale length. I'm assuming you haven't drilled the holes yet? It would look better this way with the fretboard you have, but IMO you should get a new fretboard and assemble the guitar like the picture on the left, with the "extra" frets covering the red boxed area. Also, I would think that you would want the fingerboard to cover the neck/body "joint" for the added stiffness (seems like having no fretboard there would make an already weak part of the guitar even weaker, but probably not as big a deal with the laminated neck). That's just based on my gut feeling though, no science to back it up. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwwdotcomdotnet Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 thanks for the advice. i know that i can slide the bridge, fingerboard, and nut as a unit southpa. if you look in the picture you can see that i moved the fingerboard as well as the bridge so that would also move the nut placement a bit as well. Southpa actually PM'ed me some details, but here is my response to him for all of those who are confused about my reasoning: Ok, so the reason why I had to cut the fingerboard down was because when measuring the proper height of the fingerboard in relation to the bridge and nut I ended up cutting the neck to that spec. You can see it in this picture here: http://www.rpi.edu/~jammaj/Guitar/Images/neckcutandjig.JPG If I left the fingerboard the original length then it would have run over the ledge that I cut. I do have the option of buying a new fingerboard and starting that portion over and then gluing a piece under it to make it so it doesnt hang over the ledge, but $38 for an ebony board and $5 for binding and another $5-10 for inlays from stew mac just isnt something I can afford after spending over $450 already on everything (I'mm in college haha). Like I said in my thread I glued the headstock joint before realizing I needed to plane it down to the 0.6" thickness, so it had to be done after, and I took it off of the top of the headstock, not the underside, thus moving where the nut placement would have been toward the body. I have the string height all worked out, and that is why I had to cut the neck the way it is in the picture for when I glue the body. I hope I am explaining all of this clearly, let me know if you follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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