New Build - Double Cutaway Prototype

[Mark Crenshaw]

Well, I managed to get a few days vacation, coupled with a long weekend due to Memorial Day, I have 5 straight days off! So, the first day, yesterday, was a bust. No power since 8pm Wed night when severe storms blew thru. It came back on late in the day Thur, so I didn't get anything done. It was kinda nice just listening to the breeze and sipping a cold beer...no humming, buzzing, ringing, chiming going on. Just silence for the most part. Nice.

Power's back on today, so I got to work. I started by routing the round over on the back.



Made sure to check the bearing at the neck pocket...okay.





Next, it was the control cavity. I used a template set I already had. I turned the cover so I could get the control layout I wanted...sort of upside down from how the cover is normally used. I cut the main cavity...



Then the lip for the cover. I went just a hair deeper than I needed knowing that finish buildup would bring it back flush.



Done.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Next I wanted to get the PU routed. I'm using the HB routes from my Wolfgang template. It's an odd shaped body and finding the center line was a bit tricky. I came up with a way that can be used on pretty much any template...many ship without center lines marked. Still don't understand why.

I started by drawing a straight line down a piece of scrap maple. The line's relationship to the edges isn't important...it just needs to be straight.



Next, I used calipers to check the width of the HB routes. Then, set the caliper to half this amount. I laid the template in place and eyeballed the center of the routes. Then used the caliper to check the distance from each edge until they where centered.









Then I transferred the marks to the edges of the template.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Then using a straight edge, I drew out the center line for the entire template.







Before routing the PUs, I needed to trim down the neck tenon so I could make the proper depth checks with the PU.



Because I wanted a different spacing between the PUs than the Wolfgang has, I had to stick the template down twice...once for each initial pass.



Here it is with the neck set in place, after the first two routing passes.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Pickups are cut to depth.



I did a bit more blocking and planing on the carve, evened out some high spots...I hate to go back to the plane at this point, but sometimes you have to.





The headstock needed a bit of blocking too...it's ready to drill. I need to do that before gluing in the neck.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Another wash coat on the top to seal it up.





More tomorrow.

[Mark Crenshaw]

Not much to report today. I drilled the paths for PU wires, and the bore for the output jack. I'm waiting on the bridge to arrive before I glue in the neck so I can check the angle while it can still be corrected. I hope to see it tomorrow or Wed.

Peace,
Mark

[Mark Crenshaw]

I'm still moving on this one...just trying top catch the other builds up to it.

After checking the center line once more, I glued in the neck. But for a bit of drilling, this one's ready for finish prep. I need to open up the TR access, too.







I have 4 of them ready for prep actually. Lots of sanding in my future.

[Mark Crenshaw]

The heat has been a bear lately and the shop has uninhabitable so I have made any progress on finishing. I've been able to spend a few hours in the mornings working on getting all my builds ready for finish. Here's the state of things. This build and the others are ready for grain filling (as needed) and finish.







More soon.
Mark