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Thread: Tele-Style Guitar Build

  1. #16
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    Julie,if you were here,I'd be happy to let you use my shop. I know you are careful and trustworthy. I don't easily just let anyone use my stuff,either. I'm sure you'd leave everything better organized than I do any more. Getting too old to keep the shop as it should be kept,though I am careful to not abuse the machines and tools.

    I mean it: I really need a more energetic,trustworthy and careful person to use my shop and help take care of it,and keep things organized.
    Last edited by george wilson; 05-06-2014 at 9:33 AM.

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    I'm strictly old school myself. I drew up the plans for my new 30'x40' 2 story shop by hand. It was added onto the original 16' x 22' single car garage. Fortunately,the original garage was set way back from the front of the house. I was able to add on to it without the front edge of the new building getting out ahead of the house,which is against code. The well kept me from making the building any longer than 40'. The building had to be something like 20' from the well. Actually,I was extremely lucky that these perimeters were in the right places to allow me to add the large building on.
    I still have a pile of velum from when I used to draft by hand. I remember it being expensive and so I've kept it but

    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    My biggest problem was keeping the contractors actually USING the drawings that I took weeks to make. Poor supervision on the part of the contractor kept problems popping up. But,in the end,I made them do the job right.
    George, don't you know the master drawing is only used for making copies? I should have been there as the GC. I'd whip those boys into shape!

    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    Julie,if you were here,I'd be happy to let you use my shop. I know you are careful and trustworthy. I don't easily just let anyone use my stuff,either. I'm sure you'd leave everything better organized than I do any more. Getting too old to keep the shop as it should be kept,though I am careful to not abuse the machines and tools.

    I mean it: I really need a more energetic,trustworthy and careful person to use my shop and help take care of it,and keep things organized.
    If we lived closer, I probably would have been hanging out in front of your house until you invited me in. And once that happened, I'd be constantly pestering you trying to tap that encyclopedia in your head.

    On another note - when will I learn to trust my instincts? KB wanted a yellow burst in the center, front and back, of the guitar body. I couldn't see it working but one's tastes are as individual as snowflakes. So I honored the request. After hours of final sanding, prepping it for dye, I dyed it black, sanded it back and applied the yellow dye. I then sprayed blue dye over that once it dried. The yellow stood out like a sore thumb. I tried to remove it with a wet rag but that yellow doesn't want to budge. I'm afraid if I sand it off, I'll lose too much of the body thickness and the hardware won't fit.

    I'm thinking I'll have to start from scratch and use this body for another project, one where I can take the yellow and make it work, maybe by spraying it over the entire body. Follow your instincts!

  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Julie Moriarty;2263869
    I'm thinking I'll have to start from scratch and use this body for another project, one where I can take the yellow and make it work, maybe by spraying it over the entire body. [I
    Follow your instincts![/I]
    Quite a few older Fenders that are sprayed in solid colors will reveal a sunburst of some kind underneath if you strip away the top layer of paint. If someone screwed up a burst, or they detected a bad flaw in the wood, they wouldn't start over or throw it out. They just sprayed over it


    strat63b.jpg
    Last edited by John Coloccia; 05-07-2014 at 11:07 AM.

  4. #19
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    Julie,of course I used the master drawings to make copies from!! I would not give the originals into the hands of those rough shod contractors!! Kinkos made a few dollars off of me!!

    I used Caslon Vidalon for my drawings. It is a good,tough vellum like paper. Maybe you know of it,or used it. I also used it when making the marquetry guitars I made. It was glued to the sheets of veneer before sawing. It's toughness kept the very fragile pieces of vines and foliage from falling apart. It was sanded off later,after the marquetry was assembled and glued to the under strate. There are other brands,and I didn't try them all,but the Caslon Vidalon was my favorite.

    If you,or John ever moved near here,you'd be welcome to use my shop.I know you both are careful and methodical.
    Last edited by george wilson; 05-07-2014 at 12:20 PM.

  5. #20
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    I'd just like to know how you MADE the drawings. It must've taken hours. Where did the dimensions come from, what software, etc.? Forget the build, which is fantastic!! Those drawings are AMAZING. I'm a horrible guitarist so I'd do much less damage with the drawings than the instruments. Jack

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    If you,or John ever moved near here,you'd be welcome to use my shop.I know you both are careful and methodical.
    That actually means a lot to me, George. Truth be told, I'd love to get my hands on the metal working side of your shop! Since leaving my real job, I don't have access to a mill or a metal lathe anymore. I didn't realize just how much I'd miss having that.

    I'd love to build guitars again one day. I've had to take my business in a different direction due to the twins, but I guess that means I can just build guitars for fun again

    I've used Vidalon. It's almost like a plastic. Great stuff. That was back when I actually had to draw everything by hand and it had to be durable. I used to use it to make patterns for models, and things like that.

  7. #22
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    You are welcome John. There are others,I'm sure that I'd be happy to let work here,including David Weaver. But,I don't know enough about everyone to make a decision. I would like to see my shop get used more as my energy level is low. I'm undergoing some therapy that I hope will lend me more energy,but this will take a few months to bear fruit,if any.

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Coloccia View Post
    Quite a few older Fenders that are sprayed in solid colors will reveal a sunburst of some kind underneath if you strip away the top layer of paint. If someone screwed up a burst, or they detected a bad flaw in the wood, they wouldn't start over or throw it out. They just sprayed over it
    My post was more about being upset I didn't follow my instincts that really believing it was the end of the world (but it felt like it. ) I sanded it down just enough to get rid of most of the yellow and then dyed with black again, sanded and now I'm ready to spray the blue. Fingers will be crossed.

    I'm learning it's a lot easier to make a guitar you know you can make and put it up for sale than trying to build a custom guitar. Yesterday I was talking to KB and asked which finish he liked better for the neck - "lacquer over shellac or just plain lacquer?" I had showed him both finishes when we was here. By using a washcoat of super blonde shellac under the lacquer, it made the maple finish lighter. Lacquer alone made it a shade darker. He replied, "How about something in between."

    Quote Originally Posted by george wilson View Post
    Julie,of course I used the master drawings to make copies from!! I would not give the originals into the hands of those rough shod contractors!! Kinkos made a few dollars off of me!!

    If you,or John ever moved near here,you'd be welcome to use my shop.I know you both are careful and methodical.
    Hey, careful there George! I could have been one of those rough shod workers! Actually, I was pretty anal about keeping the prints in order. And thank you for the compliment. If we ever get out your way, I'd love to stop by and visit.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Hogoboom View Post
    I'd just like to know how you MADE the drawings. It must've taken hours. Where did the dimensions come from, what software, etc.? Forget the build, which is fantastic!! Those drawings are AMAZING. I'm a horrible guitarist so I'd do much less damage with the drawings than the instruments. Jack
    The drawings were a compilation of CAD drawings I got off the Internet, translating PDFs into CAD, applying information such as scale length and using what I've learned from construction about making workable drawings. I use AutoCAD. I've been working on the drawings in my spare time for a couple of months now. I've finally got the Tele-style completed enough to publish. I plan to do the same with a Strat-style guitar and along the way make some plans for jigs and things I've built. It's nice to finally be able to give back.

  9. #24
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    Wow. What a generous thing to do. Jigs seem like a pretty essential part of the process. I've only built from kits, but I always have a problem with the head stock. Having access to jigs would be a huge benefit to hacks like me.

    Thanks for sharing!!

    Jack

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Hogoboom View Post
    Jigs seem like a pretty essential part of the process. I've only built from kits, but I always have a problem with the head stock.
    For the Fender type guitar, the headstock is pretty straightforward. I've used Schaller tuning machines for the two I've built so far and for the one in progress. The only thing that's tricky is the 2-step hole for the pegholes and the pin holes on the back of the headstock. StewMac sells a 2-step bit and a drilling jig for the pin holes that makes that part a breeze.

    Some day I'll try the angled head and scarf joint, maybe after I finish the two I have in progress.

    Here's a link to the page where I'm loading the plans. There's 5 in all right now.
    Last edited by Julie Moriarty; 05-08-2014 at 12:22 PM.

  11. #26
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    I decided to get a bit more organized this build and made this for holding the fretwire prior to installing:


    I drilled the holes in line with their location on the fretboard. The job went much faster. The piece of wood I used it flat and square and I've been using it for securing the neck to it for drilling side dots. Now it has a dual purpose. I'm wondering how many more jigs I'll be making as time goes on.

    The figure on the neck is better than anything I've used so far. This is from that "HIWM" piece of maple:

    It has a 1# cut washcoat of super-blonde shellac on it.

    Maybe I'm too much of a perfectionist or just not experienced enough, but yesterday I sanded the body once again. I just didn't like how it was going. That will probably be the last time I can do that before starting with new stock.

    The issue of weight was brought up by KB. Since then I've wondered about hogging out some of the wood under the PG. If I understand things correctly, I'd have to leave an area in the middle untouched, for structural and sustain purposes. Any thoughts about if it's worth it or not to hog out some of the wood?

  12. #27
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    Julie, Nice work. I wished I had built a jig for the last time I fretted. Conicidently, I got the StewMac catalogue yesterday. On the cover was Dan Erlewine's new neck jig. Maybe you should market your own.

    As far as chambering the body to relieve weight, you're right that you don't chamber it down the line of the neck/body. I have a Les Paul with the chambers. Les Pauls are notorious for being heavy. The 70's, 80's, 90's models could weigh in at over 10 lbs. chambering can put them in the 7-8 lb range. You'll notice the difference. My LP is a joy to play even for long sets (normally I switch guitars fairly often to get the right guitar for the right song). If you didn't know it was chambered, you couldn't tell from the sound or playing. I'd say go for it, though you've already cut away a belly on the back side, so it may be a bit of deminimus return.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  13. #28
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    Thanks Shawn! I'm glad you mentioned the belly cut. I could see myself forgetting about that and drilling through. I'll talk to KB and see what he says. He's been posting pics I've sent him on the Gear Page and I guess someone recognized the pics and asked if it was me. KB told me I was famous. I'm still waiting for the fortune.

  14. I recognized your plans in your TDPRI Home Depot post as well. Very generous of you to share them there. It's a great resource already, made better by your plans. It's nice to see plans that have the hardware included, as I don't believe the Terry Downs plans do.

  15. #30
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    Julie, I really should have added another comment. Typically, when chambering a guitar, you're working with a top piece over the main body. This allows for the chambers to be hidden front and back. In the case of a slab body, you're faced with having a panel on the back or resawing the slab, chambering, and then gluing back together. I don't know whether you have the body thickness for this.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

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