Barnaby's LP Scratch Build - Hand Tools Only

[GammyBird]

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[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by GammyBird

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Hmm...minimalistic and cryptic. Is it a dot of approval, or one of censure? I'll be wondering about it all night.

[Barnaby]

My university was rude enough to require me to spend time dealing with students today. Yes, you heard me, I was paid to comfort doe-eyed Japanese girls for hours on end.



My life is a living hell, but I struggle onwards somehow.

In any case, between that, some cleanup and hunting for luxuries such as toilet paper and milk, I had little time for lutherie. I did, however, try finishing off one of the bobbins when I finally got home. This meant drilling it out for polepiece screws, adding holes for the baseplate screws and wires, finishing the edges, and sanding the top and bottom plates to thickness.



This is my test bobbin. I’ll spend a bit more time getting the others to match up nicely and finish them properly (this one is obviously pretty rough). I’m currently thinking of doing them black and plain to get a zebra effect, even though they will be under covers.

Good idea, or too cheesy?

[joshhohensee]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

In any case, between that, some cleanup and hunting for luxuries such as toilet paper and milk, I had little time for lutherie. I did, however, try finishing off one of the bobbins when I finally got home. This meant drilling it out for polepiece screws, adding holes for the baseplate screws and wires, finishing the edges, and sanding the top and bottom plates to thickness.



This is my test bobbin. I’ll spend a bit more time getting the others to match up nicely and finish them properly (this one is obviously pretty rough). I’m currently thinking of doing them black and plain to get a zebra effect, even though they will be under covers.

Good idea, or too cheesy?

I like your resourcefulness. I think it's a good idea.

Um, are you going to try and make your own magnets? Because that would be sweet.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by joshhohensee

I like your resourcefulness. I think it's a good idea.

Um, are you going to try and make your own magnets? Because that would be sweet.

Not for this build...

...but maybe in the future, yeah. Sand-casting doesn't sound too difficult.

I have a way to go before I get to someone like Preeb's level of detail and build involvement, however. That guy is amazing!

[emoney]

"Not for this build..."

Once again, disappointment reaches me in this thread. Becoming quite the habit, I'd say.
Oh well, if you're not making your own magnets, what's the point anyway????

JK, of course. If you need relief from all your hard 'counseling work', I feel it my obligation
to pitch in, so just call me. <assuming the phone still works when it's covered in drool>

I think you should completely finish the bobbins, in the event you change your mind and
leave them without cover. No sense and doing things twice, because you never know.

Hope you get the necessities as I'm sure the needs grow daily. Prayers still being sent,
for the record.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by emoney

"Not for this build..."

Once again, disappointment reaches me in this thread. Becoming quite the habit, I'd say.
Oh well, if you're not making your own magnets, what's the point anyway????

JK, of course. If you need relief from all your hard 'counseling work', I feel it my obligation
to pitch in, so just call me. <assuming the phone still works when it's covered in drool>

I think you should completely finish the bobbins, in the event you change your mind and
leave them without cover. No sense and doing things twice, because you never know.

Hope you get the necessities as I'm sure the needs grow daily. Prayers still being sent,
for the record.

Thank you for the prayers, advice - and barely disguised envy. Many of my students really do look like supermodels. It's disturbing!

I take a lot of cold showers.

Actually, I've just been looking more into what is required to sand cast magnets. It's probably beyond me, alas. The problem is that I would need a furnace that could get to 6000 degrees, as it is apparently not so much the melting, but the subsequent heat treatment that gives the alnico its special properties. I think, for the moment, I will have to wimp out on that one. My ordinarily very patient wife (who also looks like a supermodel) might have words to say if I set the apartment on fire...or simply turn the floor into a huge molten mess.

I will finish the bobbins as you suggest. Not sure exactly when I can do so, but there should be an update of sorts tomorrow on the build progress in any case...

I haven't started the neck yet, however, as I'm waiting for a special delivery.

[Sleator]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

That has to be the post of the thread!

I think the pic of the completed guitar will be the real star

[nickypcouk]

you should send some of those supermodel students my way. i'll look after them.

[ptate]

Need a hand?????????

[w666]

Fook Mi, and Fook Yu, as I recall.....

Originally Posted by Barnaby

My university was rude enough to require me to spend time dealing with students today. Yes, you heard me, I was paid to comfort doe-eyed Japanese girls for hours on end.



My life is a living hell, but I struggle onwards somehow.

[joshhohensee]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Thank you for the prayers, advice - and barely disguised envy. Many of my students really do look like supermodels. It's disturbing!

I take a lot of cold showers.

Actually, I've just been looking more into what is required to sand cast magnets. It's probably beyond me, alas. The problem is that I would need a furnace that could get to 6000 degrees, as it is apparently not so much the melting, but the subsequent heat treatment that gives the alnico its special properties. I think, for the moment, I will have to wimp out on that one. My ordinarily very patient wife (who also looks like a supermodel) might have words to say if I set the apartment on fire...or simply turn the floor into a huge molten mess.

I will finish the bobbins as you suggest. Not sure exactly when I can do so, but there should be an update of sorts tomorrow on the build progress in any case...

I haven't started the neck yet, however, as I'm waiting for a special delivery.

Luckily for you I know a guy, who knows a guy, who's second cousin owns a VW, whose neighbor is on VWVortex.com. Here is an EXCELENT DIY write up on sand casting, smelting and building stuff...

VWVortex.com - The complete guide on casting parts

[LPJones]

I would suggest calling this the R 8.9 replica.. If you get my meaning.

Awesome build and thread!!

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by 21stCenturyNimrod

I think the pic of the completed guitar will be the real star

Yeah...I have no choice but to finish now, right?

I'm going to print out the poster and put it up, however. It's brilliant!

Originally Posted by LPJones

I would suggest calling this the R 8.9 replica.. If you get my meaning.

Awesome build and thread!!

That's a great idea.

The R8.9 it is.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by joshhohensee

Luckily for you I know a guy, who knows a guy, who's second cousin owns a VW, whose neighbor is on VWVortex.com. Here is an EXCELENT DIY write up on sand casting, smelting and building stuff...

VWVortex.com - The complete guide on casting parts

That's awesome! Of course, I'd need to fit an angle grinder, a welder, a bunch of scrap metal, a cement mixer and other stuff on my kitchen table along with the guitar tools...but it is pretty cool.

You know, the way things are here, I could probably just do the alnico casting in a volcano.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by nickypcouk

you should send some of those supermodel students my way. i'll look after them.

Originally Posted by ptate

Need a hand?????????

Originally Posted by w666

Fook Mi, and Fook Yu, as I recall.....

Thank you all for your concern and offers of assistance with this. I am doing my best to comfort as many of these girls as possible. I may be only one man, but am doing as much as I can to help during this time.

[SasquatchPlatypus]

Yes, good luck keeping your throngs of hot Japanese women calm. While you're producing your own pickups, (presumably you've figured out a way to enamel copper that you've mined and drawn through a hand made die to make magnet wire =) ), have you thought of other hard-core DIY methods you could also use involving tooling and materials only available to the Tokyo apartment dweller? I'm referring of course, to resawing and bookmatching Bonsai trees by hand to give your top wood a unique local flavor. You really need to get cranking on your fretboard, because as before, I want some pics showing your fret layout method and inlay method. I cheated on the former and made a jig on the Bridgeport at work. Happy carving!!

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by SasquatchPlatypus

Yes, good luck keeping your throngs of hot Japanese women calm. While you're producing your own pickups, (presumably you've figured out a way to enamel copper that you've mined and drawn through a hand made die to make magnet wire =) ), have you thought of other hard-core DIY methods you could also use involving tooling and materials only available to the Tokyo apartment dweller? I'm referring of course, to resawing and bookmatching Bonsai trees by hand to give your top wood a unique local flavor. You really need to get cranking on your fretboard, because as before, I want some pics showing your fret layout method and inlay method. I cheated on the former and made a jig on the Bridgeport at work. Happy carving!!

Funny you should mention resawn bonsai trees...

A local guy has been trying to source recycled Japanese timbers for me in the right dimensions for building some guitars in the future. Sakura (Japanese cherry) for the body and neck and Kaede (one variety of Japanese maple) for the top. Then, I'd probably use a stable piece of something...not sure what, but maybe more kaede...for the fingerboard, and finish with urushi lacquer and an inlay based on Japanese iconography. I really like the idea of a true 'Made In Japan' guitar using woods, traditional techniques and everything else. It would also be easy to get the parts - Gotoh would be ideal for the bridge, tailpiece and tuners, and I would do the pickups myself again. Just a thought for the future when my building skills get there.

Here's some urushi applied to a surface...it's a very hard, durable finish and would, I think, be awesome for fingerboards:



Urushi has been found preserving objects up to 9000 years old. Sweet, huh? Could make nice pickup covers and rings too...

Anyway, just for you, the fretboard will be next on my 'to do' list after today's task (which I'll show off tonight once I finish). It's the ideal time for a job like that, I think.

[Barnaby]

Right then...today's work, despite aftershocks and radiation scares.


Today, a project that anyone following this build could try who wants something fun, quick, easy and potentially impressive to do by hand…

I decided to take a bit more of a break from the guitar itself. This meant making some wooden pickup rings – a project that had daunted me somewhat in the past (for reasons that escape me now).

After cutting my top, I have a lot of flame maple scraps, and I rather like the idea of a pair of rings which will be made from the same wood as the top of the guitar. I bought some maple ones for my last build, but they were flat and way too short, so they’re in the parts box now.

Usually, I plan carefully, but, this time, I just sort of did things on the fly. The key was getting my M-69 replica rings from Preeb not long ago. I noticed that he taped them together in such a way that they formed a solid rectangular box shape, and I thought “Oh yeah – if I cut out a piece of flamed maple, I can do one angled cut and get two rings!” Duh – don’t know why I didn’t realize before!



Anyway, I started by marking my blank and carefully drilling ten holes in it. Four for the corner screws, two for the pickup height screws and four big ones in the corners of the large hole inside…plus countersunk holes on each of the corners.



Then, I put my coping saw through one of the big holes and connected the dots. A gratifyingly large chunk of maple came out after this. I attached a thinner plastic pickup ring turned upside down and marked around it on both sides of my blank, then filed and sanded away all of the pencil until I had a nice, smooth cavity.





Once that was done, I cut the blank free of the rest of the maple. Then– slowly and carefully – cut my angle with a fine saw. All went well, however, and I wound up with two rings, albeit slightly thicker than needed. From here, all I did was sand down and shape a bit. A bit more sanding and the rings can be put aside. I may also need to cut or drill an extra pair of holes in the back of them to accommodate the humbucker springs…or just cut the springs down. We’ll see.





Here they are on the raw maple top (which is not finished yet, as I still have to do the maple edges, do a whole bunch of sanding and bind the sucker, then cut my pickup cavities and the neck mortise)…



Mysterious and cryptic markings emerged from the wood as I sanded the back of the rings…



Now, I have to decide what to do with them on the guitar itself. I can leave them ‘natural’, stain them to match the top or stain them a contrasting colour like black. I will make the final decision once the top is carved and has some colour, although I am leaning towards the middle option right now. They could look amazing with some double staining and a highly polished nitrocellulose finish.



One intriguing thought for the future was that I did consider cutting the rings from the jointed section of the scrap, so that they would be bookmatched in line with the top itself. It’s my first hide glue joint, however, so I suspect that expecting it to hold up in the middle of a fragile pair of rings might be tempting fate just a bit…one humid day and they could open like clams!

[GammyBird]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Hmm...minimalistic and cryptic. Is it a dot of approval, or one of censure? I'll be wondering about it all night.

lol..Approval. I usually type something but the cat was sitting on the keyboard. As long as I can keep track of the thread

Fantastic work you're doing.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by GammyBird

lol..Approval. I usually type something but the cat was sitting on the keyboard. As long as I can keep track of the thread

Fantastic work you're doing.

I hope you don't let your cat go to any of those naughty Internet sites!

Thanks for the kind words - I'm having a ball making this guitar. It's just what I need right now. Feedback on here has also been amazing.

[GammyBird]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

...You know, the way things are here, I could probably just do the alnico casting in a volcano.

I'm starting to think that this just might happen

I can picture the news feeds from a helicopter as it tracks this guy up the side of a volcano with something in his hands!!! lol...

[emoney]

Or, option four would be to wait until you decided what color the knobs & poker chip are
going to be and stain the rings to match...........Unless, of course, you choose one of the
dumber choices of 1-3. It's entirely up to you........I just won't like it. Which, potentially,
could lead to quite a riff in our budding relationship. So, go ahead, and choose for yourself.
Don't mind me. I'm just sitting here............minding my own business........

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by emoney

Or, option four would be to wait until you decided what color the knobs & poker chip are
going to be and stain the rings to match...........Unless, of course, you choose one of the
dumber choices of 1-3. It's entirely up to you........I just won't like it. Which, potentially,
could lead to quite a riff in our budding relationship. So, go ahead, and choose for yourself.
Don't mind me. I'm just sitting here............minding my own business........

Right then...I understand your concerns and they are duly noted.

I will be sure to consult you when the time comes. I just don't promise not to consider other options.

I'm also not sure whether or not I will make the knobs myself. I can fairly easily, I think, but must admit that I am not convinced that they would really add much overall. There probably won't be a poker chip, although I will almost certainly do the switch tip out of wood (like my last build).

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by GammyBird

I'm starting to think that this just might happen

I can picture the news feeds from a helicopter as it tracks this guy up the side of a volcano with something in his hands!!! lol...

The thing is that I can get the alnico mix into the volcano with no problems, but getting it out again could be a bit of a trick. Some sort of bungee apparatus?

['59_Standard]

I lost interest in the guitar when the babes' pic went up. Two wooden pick-up rings pale in comparison, B, you know that.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by '59_Standard

I lost interest in the guitar when the babes' pic went up. Two wooden pick-up rings pale in comparison, B, you know that.

How about I try to get a hot Japanese babe to pose with the guitar once it's done? Would that rekindle your interest?

[joshhohensee]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

How about I try to get a hot Japanese babe to pose with the guitar once it's done? Would that rekindle your interest?

I can't speak for '59_standard, but yeah, that would rekindle MY interest....

[Asdain]

and certainly mine ; )

thats your chance to show us your supermodel wife, btw! ^^

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by joshhohensee

I can't speak for '59_standard, but yeah, that would rekindle MY interest....

Originally Posted by Asdain

and certainly mine ; )

thats your chance to show us your supermodel wife, btw! ^^

She'd kill me!

How about the woman next door?