1st Build. Great, just what I needed...another project

[PatrickR]

I began with the Catto plans to make a template. I adhered the printed out plans (checking their scale) to a piece of 3/4" MDF using spray adhesive. I then cut out the template and cleaned it up with a drum sander and edge belt sander. Next I screwed the template to my body blank in preparation for shaping . For my first build I'm using African Mahogany(I had two 10' boards, one 7" wide and one 11" wide, of 8/4 lumber sitting in my shop left over from a project). Both boards are rift sawn, so they both have nice straight grain. After machining the rough stock flat and square, I slip matched a length of the 7" wide board to create a body blank. I had to cut off a wedge of one of the blank half pieces to straighten the grain and create a better seam once the blank was glued up. Excuse the first few photos, they are from my phone.


I roughed out the blank on the bandsaw, then cleaned it up with a template router bit.




I then took my original template and made the opening for the control and toggle switch cavity. I used the template to create a jig that will hold the body blank and allow me to route the cavities. The jig avoids having to screw, nail, stick, clamp, park a car on or what ever you normally need to do to keep a regular template from moving on the body blank. The jig is rectangular, simple to make and you don't need to line anything up, just put the body blank in and flip over for routing. The only clamping you might do is to your workbench to stop it from moving while you route it out.




After making the first jig (and a backup template) for the cavities, I then cut out the opening for the cover plates in my original template (this guarantees everything will line up properly). In the photo below, I nailed on a few scraps creating a temporary guide to route the straight sides for the cover plate route. Next I used a drum sander to make the rounded corners.


Once again I made a jig (and a backup template) from my original template to make the cover plate routes in the body blank.




Now to the real wood. First, I routed the wire channel. I simply put the body blank in the jig, flipped it over and routed with a 1/4" down cut spiral bit and a 1/2" guide bushing.






Next, I routed the cavities. I put the body in the jig and used a forstner bit to remove a bulk of the material.








I then routed down half the depth of the cavity using a template bit.




Since my template bit can't plunge down and cut properly for the final depth, I used the spiral bit to clear out a starting spot for the template bit.


I adjusted the template bit depth by registering the tip against the bottom of the starter spot I just created.


Then I routed the final depth leaving a 1/8" of material on the bottom of the cavities.

[PatrickR]

I then set the body in the cover plate jig and route for the covers with the template bit.


I actually had to put a spacer (not shown) between the jig and body blank for the shallow route of the cover plates. I didn't have a shorter template bit handy to do it with out the spacer.


I'll route the radius to the edge later once I have sanded the edges a little to smooth the profile.

[Claymore]

Clever template jigs!

[dickjonesify]

This is so awesome!



I don't want to be "that guy" but I thought of a similar idea (sure ya did!) for several templates to all attach in the same, idiot proof manor kind-of like yours. I was thinking indexing pins or something but that'll do! I'm definitely starting over on all my Les Paul templates.

[fatdaddypreacher]

disgustingly awesome.

[dickjonesify]

revoltingly putrid awesome!

[fatdaddypreacher]

^yeh, that's what i'm trying to say!

[InsertUsernameHere]

This is great. I love the attention to detail, man.

[LesPaulFetish]

Originally Posted by PatrickR

Oh my god... My man, that is excellent work!

[PatrickR]

Thanks for the comments and motivation everyone. I hope to start working on getting the maple cap blank milled and glued up.

I was hoping to get two 9/16" thick caps out of my billet of maple. But after looking at it and seeing how much material I'll end up losing during surfacing and re-sawing, I don't think it will possible.

I was wondering what you guys think.
Should I just make one 5/8" thick cap with an extra piece?
Or.
Should I make two caps that will probably end up at 1/2" thick and shallow out the carve?

[Claymore]

If you make your cap thinner you may have to rethink your neck angle....

[PatrickR]

Originally Posted by Claymore

If you make your cap thinner you may have to rethink your neck angle....

Thanks Claymore

Good point, If I make a shallower carve I would need to make a shallower/flatter neck angle.
If I made the carve as normal as possible, to maintain a 4.4 degree neck angle, I'd risk burning through (especially the re-curve area) the 1/2" thick maple right into the mahogany.
Looks like the safest bet is to go ahead and make the top a full 5/8" thick.
Damn, I really wanted a second matching top from that billet of maple for a second guitar build, I had hoped for twins.

[Cpt_Gonzo]

Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously-awesome!

[Barnaby]

Such clean photos and an amazing build.

As for the second top, why not do a maple-topped Junior later on (like Roman Rist's 'Showhorse)? That way you get twins, but just not identical ones.

[FF_Pedals]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Such clean photos and an amazing build.

As for the second top, why not do a maple-topped Junior later on (like Roman Rist's 'Showhorse)? That way you get twins, but just not identical ones.

+1 Lots of cool stuff you could make!

[PatrickR]

I started the top first by cleaning up one side of my maple blank with a few handplanes before putting it through the thickness planer. Then I run it over the jointer to true up the center glue joint's edge.


Next I re-saw the top halves over sized then run them
through the thickness planer to a hair over final thickness (5/8")


Here is the top after glue up.


I roughed out the profile in the top and did a dry run to get my centers lined up between the mahogany and maple. I screwed the two together (were the pickup routes will go) to use as a means of lining everything backup during glue up.




I like to use a small roller when laminating, it gives me a nice even coat of glue.


Using the screws to line things back up before clamping.


Next, I just put a few clamps on it and let it dry.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by PatrickR

Yeah, baby!

I'll bite - a L-N #3 or 4 and a Stanley Bailey #7 or 8 with a Hock blade and chipbreaker? Am I close?

Looking great - everything is coming along beautifully.

[PatrickR]

Originally Posted by Barnaby

Yeah, baby!

I'll bite - a L-N #3 or 4 and a Stanley Bailey #7 or 8 with a Hock blade and chipbreaker? Am I close?

Looking great - everything is coming along beautifully.

L-N #4 and Stanley Bailey #7 w/ Hock Blade and chip breaker is correct. Barnaby, you're the man!

Oops, I was so excited to get the photos up I forgot to put in text.

['59_Standard]

Wow, you have more Bessey Clamps than Bessey!

[PatrickR]

Barnaby, nice work on the hand plane refurb thread by the way. It's good to see others fixing up good old tools. I see you were experimenting with citric acid for rust removal. You can also try phosphuric acid and electrolysis rust removal, I used the later on the Stanley #7. It was rusted pretty bad and the paint had mostly chipped off. The electrolysis method removes everything from the metal. I then repainted the top and gave everything a good sanding to flatten everything out. With the hock blade it works just as good as the Lie's I have. I also made a new handle with Indian rosewood.

[Macdaddy]

Jesus Crimminy Christ! That is a beautiful Maple cap! And I don't think I have seen such a tight clean inlay job as Yours! Beautiful!
Amazing build so far! Very nice job Man!!

[PatrickR]

After I removed about a 100lbs of clamps (you couldn't tell in the previous photo, but most of those clamps were 4 and 5 footers and they made for a heavy lift when I went to place the top against the white background for photos) I gave a quick run around the top with the router to clean up the overhanging material. Here it is prior to the carve. I'm still working on making my carve templates (thanks Scott) ,so as soon as they're ready I'll get to work.

[fatdaddypreacher]

well patrickr, you do realize you could have bought an original '59 burst for the price of all those bessies! great job. your work makes mine look like i built it with a cold chisel and a pc of railroad track.

[Bruiser74]

I feel like i am looking at a catalogue!
Of course, i mean this as a huge compliment about
your awesome work! The templates are great and lend themselves
to efficient production work if you are so inclined.
Cheers
B

[PatrickR]

Originally Posted by fatdaddypreacher

well patrickr, you do realize you could have bought an original '59 burst for the price of all those bessies! great job. your work makes mine look like i built it with a cold chisel and a pc of railroad track.

You're not kidding about the bessies, they are pricey, but they are great clamps and worth it. Fortunately they have earned their keep many projects ago. Thanks for the comments, it certainly helps motivate me to make a nice product. I've seen your 1st build and the furniture pics (both nice), I think you would do just fine if given only a cold chisel and r.r. tie.

[PatrickR]

Originally Posted by Bruiser74

I feel like i am looking at a catalogue!
Of course, i mean this as a huge compliment about
your awesome work! The templates are great and lend themselves
to efficient production work if you are so inclined.
Cheers
B

Thanks man,
I had hoped to make a nice clean build thread that was easy to follow, so I'm glad you're liking it. And yes, with any luck I do hope to have future builds.

[Barnaby]

Originally Posted by PatrickR

Barnaby, nice work on the hand plane refurb thread by the way. It's good to see others fixing up good old tools. I see you were experimenting with citric acid for rust removal. You can also try phosphuric acid and electrolysis rust removal, I used the later on the Stanley #7. It was rusted pretty bad and the paint had mostly chipped off. The electrolysis method removes everything from the metal. I then repainted the top and gave everything a good sanding to flatten everything out. With the hock blade it works just as good as the Lie's I have. I also made a new handle with Indian rosewood.

I think I will give that a shot sometime. I want to find either a Bedrock #5 (which would make it a 605, I guess...) or a #5 1/2 and completely restore it as my go-to jack plane. The electrolysis method sounds like a go. Then, I just need to find a source for bakeable enamel paint or similar.

You made that handle for the #7? It's extremely clean! You must be one of those annoying people who is good at everything. Me, I have difficulties tying a shoelace, but you just seem to get it all right first time. The guitar is looking wonderful. Major talent!

[PatrickR]

Alright, well I got the carve templates knocked out. I'll have to wait till the kids go down before I can start routing.


I've seen during most builds that the use of double sided tape and screws are used as a means of holding the templates in place during routing. I decided against the double stick tape since it's a pain in the butt to get on and off. Since the two screws are simply not enough to keep the templates from shifting, I added sandpaper to the bottom of my templates. The downward pressure exerted by the two screws along with the grip of the sandpaper will keep the template from sliding out of place.


Now I can just screw the template down, being sure to line up my center marks, and route with a pattern bit. I'll use one of the jigs from earlier , clamped to the workbench, to hold my top in place during routing.

[Pennstate913]

what glue are you going to use to set the neck?

[PatrickR]

Originally Posted by Pennstate913

what glue are you going to use to set the neck?

I'll be using hide glue for the neck. I've used Titebond II so far in the build.