Rob's "Return of the Dragon" build

[Claymore]

This is the second (of many, I hope...) in the "Dragon" series.
The design goal was to build a double-cutaway, keeping the LP shape intact till the top horn, cutting it back to join at the 19th fret. It will have 22 frets, 12" radius, 650mm scale, ebony FB, mahogany neck and back, and a carved flame maple top cap. The back will be 1 1/8" deep, with a 13" lower bout. The switch has been moved behind the 4 control pots. Hopefully I can muster a a sunburst top for this one. Here are the templates:

Gluing the top plates:

The back has been thicknessed and shaped:

I created profile templates a la ExNihlo and cut out the top:

Here it is after the first pass with the ROS - that is going to be a sweet top.....no way this one will end up black...

[emoney]

Don't even say the words "cover up" when mentioning that top!!!

This is going to be an awesome build. Nothing beats originality.

[Barnaby]

Stunning wood and great craftsmanship. This is just great stuff...

[Claymore]

Originally Posted by emoney

Don't even say the words "cover up" when mentioning that top!!!

This is going to be an awesome build. Nothing beats originality.

The "black" top was a $15 local woodshop special, so I was totally OK with covering it up in the end. This one deserves the limelight!

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Stunning wood and great craftsmanship. This is just great stuff...

Thanks B, I can plow through in a couple of hours what must take an eternity with hand tools - I bow to you my friend! (with a nice Bordeaux in hand)

[dickjonesify]

D U D E !

Here we go again. I love it, man. Can't wait

You're so theme oriented. Are you a Pink Floyd fan?

[Claymore]

Managed to get the scarf joint done and started on the inlay. Cool trick from another thread to use masking tape when tracing around the inlay with the scribing knife. Note the wide neck blank - my local woodmonger had some 4" wide stock so I don't have to bother with "ears" on the headstock.

Spent some time on the top, getting the curves just right, using only sandpaper and an eraser as a backer. Gave the top a shot of shellac.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by Claymore

I'm in love!

When she's done, d'you think she'll run off with me to a tropical island?

[emoney]

Hey, those little cylinder stops you've got on your Workmate bench.....are those something
you made or can a person find those retail? That's a great way to hold the body whilst
sanding/cutting/working on the top! Share please...........

[Claymore]

Originally Posted by emoney

Hey, those little cylinder stops you've got on your Workmate bench.....are those something
you made or can a person find those retail? That's a great way to hold the body whilst
sanding/cutting/working on the top! Share please...........

Those be bench dogs I made from pieces of 3/4" and 1-1/4" wooden dowel, wrapped in cork. Incredibly handy.

[emoney]

Originally Posted by Claymore

Those be bench dogs I made from pieces of 3/4" and 1-1/4" wooden dowel, wrapped in cork. Incredibly handy.

I'll be expecting some detailed photos and a "how-to"...thank you very much!

Those really are cool and I would just be happy as a bug in a rug if you shared
the process.

[Claymore]

Sure!
Here you go - 3/4" holes in the Workmate, 3/4" dowel, capped with a 1-1/4" dowel, wrapped in cork:

[emoney]

So simple, yet so handy. Thank you sir and THAT is why I'm a dutiful member of this
forum. I will be visiting my local HD on the way home.

[RAHAZ]

A build after my own heart. SUBSCRIBED!

Originally Posted by Claymore

[76Custom]

Nice work. Looks killer and I like the increased neck access. Reminds me of this a bit. With a little double cut JR for good measure. Not derivative but a functional improvement on a classic...



Solid design and great work so far. Can't wait to see it progress.

[longan]

Its got a PRS kinda vibe off it, which isn't a bad thing at all

[Claymore]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

I'm in love!

When she's done, d'you think she'll run off with me to a tropical island?

What would your harpsichord-playing supermodel think???

Originally Posted by RAHAZ

A build after my own heart. SUBSCRIBED!

Welcome!

Originally Posted by 76Custom

Nice work. Looks killer and I like the increased neck access. Reminds me of this a bit. With a little double cut JR for good measure. Not derivative but a functional improvement on a classic...
Solid design and great work so far. Can't wait to see it progress.

Thanks! I hope I can nail the color on this one...

Originally Posted by longan

Its got a PRS kinda vibe off it, which isn't a bad thing at all

I was thinking that after I drew it out - it is just a catto plan that I took a french curve to the upper bout and returned it to what looked to be a logical join at 19 at the lower horn. Just had a look at a Custom 22 - the upper horn is quite similar, the lower horn is a bit different. And it joins at the 20th fret. Anyway, the end result seems to look pleasant enough to my eye. I did take the time to draw a full-size blueprint both plan view and side view so I could get the angles right. Ended up very similar to the LP at 1.2 for the pickup plane and 4.2 for the neck plane. Sure looks like a small glue pocket for the tenon compared to the LP though....

[TrioPunk]

How is the project going It looks already fuzzing beautiful

[Claymore]

Originally Posted by TrioPunk

How is the project going It looks already fuzzing beautiful

Thank you for your kind comments! The project is humming along - spent some....extra....quality time with the fingerboard and headstock inlay getting them A+..
Am doing the binding now. Will post up some pix tonight.

[Claymore]

For binding the body I wanted to cover the maple in the cutaways and keep the binding line parallel with the body/top join line (vs. following the top profile) My extra-fancy binding cutter will not accommodate this, so I modified my neck/pickup angle jig to be a binding cutting jig as well. I simply replaced the frame with a lower one - just clearing the top.

I used the extra wide cream binding, and shaved it down to within a 1/16" of the top before installing. For glue, this time I used "goop" - pieces of binding dissolved in acetone. Seemed to work really well.

This fretboard started out flat, which made marking and cutting out the inlay much easier. To mark the inlay, I first masked all of the target frets, then centered and marked the inlay into the masking tape with a scribing knife. This was much more effective than my previous methods, and required very little fill. The FB is bound with flamed maple. I chamfered the fret slots before installing the binding.

And here is the current state of the neck - the dragon inlay into the ebony veneer is complete and the headstock routed to shape. This headstock is going to get some binding.

[Barnaby]

Looking great!

Hmm...maybe my wife wouldn't be too pleased if I ran off with this guitar...

...or, even worse, maybe she'd be relieved!

[emoney]

Nice work, Rob!

[JonMan94]

reminds me of a warmoth body i dont know why.... nicely done however ^^

[Claymore]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Looking great!
Hmm...maybe my wife wouldn't be too pleased if I ran off with this guitar...
...or, even worse, maybe she'd be relieved!

Hmmm, I think not - all that charm, wit, and good looks? Naaaaaa

Originally Posted by emoney

Nice work, Rob!

Thank you Mr. Nolan!

Originally Posted by JonMan94

reminds me of a warmoth body i dont know why.... nicely done however ^^

Thanks JM! I just hit the Warmoth site - didn't see anything similar, no matter, there must be a zillion folks that have wrapped the top horn back on a standard LP plan and left the rest as-is...I've really only done 3 tangible mods - the DC, reduced the back to 1 1/8" and moved the switch....

[Claymore]

Progress has been made! Got the headstock binding installed. I cut a .070" wide ledge (same as body and neck binding) exactly the depth of the headstock veneer so the bottom of the binding would line up with the bottom of the nut. After cutting the binding slightly oversize I glued in with some "goop". I am a believer - this stuff is awesome! Sets up quick, adheres well, cleans up like a breeze, and has that effect of welding the corners for seamless joints. Note the shadow around the dragon will disappear once I begin the finishing.

[Claymore]

A little more progress today.
Got the fretboard glued to the neck, the tenon fit, and the sides squared to the fretboard. Here I have marked the slope from the 1st to the 11th fret with tape. This is the final thickness so it must be perfectly flat and straight.

The centerline has been marked - this must stay visible during the following operations.

The profile at the 1st and 11th frets was created with the profile template (top right), then the material in between was removed

Shaping the headstock transition - a french curve was used to create the profile


The initial shape for the heel was done on the spindle sander


After final sanding and fitting, side dots and tuner holes, the neck is glued in place. It was a good day!

Next up: throw a little grain filler on the hog then see if I can conjure up a burst for this beast. I am going to attempt TransTint with EM6000 per DougK's successful attempts.

[dickjonesify]

Great work Claymore
You're really movin' on this build!!

[Claymore]

Thanks DJ!
It is trucking along nicely - just looked back - started April 16....sheesh!
Hope to get some finish on it by the end of the week, then fretting, wiring, setup and done!

[Claymore]

After locating and drilling the bridge and tailpiece studs, and drilling for the controls, the guitar got one last sanding, going 150-180-220-320-400. I then padded on 3 coats of very light cut ultra-blonde shellac to all surfaces.
Here I have taped everything off in preparation for spraying the top

I am spraying EM6000 with TransTint - to 4oz of finish I added about 20 drops of amber. Here it is after 4 light coats:

To the last of the amber finish (about 1.5oz), I added 5 drops of red and 2 drops of blue. And here it is - this is exactly the look I was after....

[jonny]

Very nice I like, I like....

[Bruiser74]

Great work.