Wilkinson Les Paul Build

[IceGator8]

I can't believe that tearout came out so well. Nice work!

[ExNihilo]

Thanks Ice. Too bad my horn didn't.

[IceGator8]

Was the horn a binding problem?

[ExNihilo]

The Stewart Mac Dremel attachment was.

[ExNihilo]

Sorry to make this a long post, but I really think this will be helpful for those of you thinking about doing your own build or are about to do your carve.

Tom Bartlett suggested that I spray bomb my carve to find out where my body had very slight mounds and valleys. It is a good idea and it is the best way to turn your "good" carve into a "great" carve!

So here is what I did. Again, sorry for so many pics, but I think it will be helpful for some to see what is happening....

When you have finished your carve and are satisfied with it (not before this point), mask off everything but the top. Don't mask the top of the binding (but do mask the side of the binding). Also, mask off your neck angle area (where the fret board attaches to the body.... in fact, give yourself about an 1/8th of an inch wider than the fingerboard; you do not want to be doing any sanding on that area -you have that area perfect right now)

Then, VERY lightly spray bomb the top with black spray paint (I suggest flat not glossy). Hold the can far away (2 feetish). You don't by any means want a wet coat that soaks into the wood. You are only "dusting" the top. You don't have to make it totally black either; just enough that you can see your carve more clearly.

When it is dry (which should be immediately if you sprayed it correctly) take off the mask and check out your carve holding up to the light and stuff.

Here is what mine looked like:





You can see why it is a good idea to do this extra step. It is very hard to make out the details of your carve when you are looking at bare wood. Wood grain can be very deceiving. In fact, a certain grain pattern might fool you into thinking you have a bump in a place where you don't and you might end up sanding a pit. You also might think you have your carve totally smooth when in fact you don't. And that will show up when you get your lacquer on.

On mine I could really tell that there was too much of a valley all around the bottom of the body (the wide part). There were also some mounds and pits. Also, there were some "trenches" rather than smooth and slight bell curves at the waste. All of these imperfections are revealed AND ARE REMOVED when you sand off the paint (as long as you use the right kind of sanding block!)

Do NOT use a totally hard sanding block (like wood). Do NOT use your fingers (you will only make your carve worse). Do NOT use something too soft for a sanding block (like a sanding sponge; it will have the same effect as your fingers).

You need the perfect size, shape, and hardness at this point..... An extremely high tech sanding block. And I have discovered the PERFECT one: A good eraser!




Get one of these kinds of erasers (are they for drafting?). Don't fool around with anything else.

Now, using 220 grit sandpaper, start sanding off the paint. Very soon you will discover your problem areas. Can you see in the picture below how my bottom had too much valley to it? And can you see some of the pits? These were hidden before I took this step.



To fix a valley like this, I sanded about 3 to 4 inches up the slope and back down to the binding (in a circular motion). IMPORTANT: DO NOT SAND YOUR BINDING WHEN YOU ARE DOING THIS. Carefully sand to your binding (only occasionally letting the block to gently glide over it).

I will now let the pictures speak for themselves. You can see how all of the imperfections are slowly taken out. In the end your are left with a perfect 1959 carve!








And here are the last little areas that needed to be corrected:



And the finished 59!




Again, sorry that this is so long, but I really think it is a helpful step.


BTW, thank you all for your kind words of encouragement. I really appreciate it!

Sincerely, xn

[pedro]

Thanks! That was a very good tip and I would never have thought off it.

[rockappalla]

Next time I'll do this step for sure! THANK YOU!

[IceGator8]

Here's a question. What did you use to do the recurve area? I know when you do the initial rough carve that area is just flat. How do you get the bow that is lower than the binding?

[Fletch]

That's a great idea... I'm going to do mine exactly like that when the weather breaks. I'm in just about the same spot as you with my carve.

[ExNihilo]

Ice, look at the pics on page two with the electric sander. That is how you get the recurve. However, the curve can get uneven and that is why I did this step. To smooth the recurve and make it look perfect, just do the same motion with the eraser block (plus some circular motion) with 220 grit sandpaper. You will figure it out as you do it.

Fletch, I got a couple of cheap (dollar store type) plastic drop clothes and sprayed in my downstairs bathroom. Just tape from floor to ceiling like you are in a one man shower, hold your breath, spray for 10 seconds and you are done. You don't have to wait from the weather.

[IceGator8]

what did you use for the paint? Is it just matte black rattle can stuff from the hardward store?

I'm thinking of testing my spray gun on this step.

[IceGator8]

Hah! now I have to go buy a palm sander.

I remember reading how you did that now.

[ExNihilo]

I would use the rattle can rather than your gun. If you want to use your gun to see what it is like, then you would have to use a very thinned out paint, and that will soak into your top and you will be sunk. The standard rattle can is thick and if you just dust it, it lays on the top. In short, don't use your gun.

[IceGator8]

Was it nitro or just some crappy Krylon from Home Depot?

[ExNihilo]

The cheapo stuff. Flat black primer.

[IceGator8]

Very good. I'll pick some up today while I'm buying a palm sander like yours.

[ExNihilo]

Yesterday I worked on the neck.

First of all, I got a new block of quartersawn South American Mahogany. I felt the project was turning out well enough that I would go for the upgrade.

Having the profiled of the neck, I made some ears for the headstock, glued them, and block planed the headstock down flat.



Then, I routed the truss rod channel. I am using a two way truss rod.



I also trimmed my fingerboard to size and made a thin maple headstock vaneer. So, this is where I am so far:

[IceGator8]

Awesome! I think the maple veneer will look cool. How thick is it? I found some holly the other day so I'm going to give it a whirl.

[ExNihilo]

It is 1/16" thick. I just put my table saw blade up all the way and shaved a sliver off. Since it is going to be black, I didn't stress out on the holly.

[ExNihilo]

I am going to have to take some time off on this project as I have severely cut my thumb at the second knuckle all the way to the bone. Classic mistake using the razor sharp blade out of my Jack plane. (Cutting toward my hand.... it slipped and you know the rest.... very dramatic). Anyway, I am typing with one hand.

On the other hand, (pun intended) I do have some progress pictures.

Everything is fitting together really well.

















Now I must wait and heal....

[MesaBoogie]

Ow...I flinch thinking of it...

[69GTLP]

Looks great so far. I feel your pain too.
Last sept I was carrying my amp in to a gig and tripped and dislocated my shoulder right before we played. Then Thanksgiving night I was installing Pergo floors in my Mom's house and sliced my finger down to the bone and got a nice trip to the ER.
Can't wait to see the finished product.

[JoelmBenge]

Originally Posted by MesaBoogie

Ow...I flinch thinking of it...

Me too. I groaned and the guy in the cubicle next to me looked over to see if I was okay.

Ex-N, take it easy, man. Hope it heals up quickly. The build looks like it's really coming along nicely.

I really dig how you did the radius on the inlay. I'm going to file that little technique away for later.

[IceGator8]

Awesome work. That's a nice looking board. Where did you get the inlays?

[ExNihilo]

I got the board and inlays from Stew Mac. The board is really nice. It has some really cool red in it. I chose the gold MOP inlays to match the binding etc.

About my cut. I didn't feel it when it happened. In fact, as I think about it, my mind seems to have erased the event. It just felt like I got rapped with a hammer. I went to the kitchen and called my wife for assistance. My voice must of had that automatic urgent tone to it, because she knew something was wrong. We both loked down at it and she nearly passed out.

We went to the sink and ran it under the water. It was at this point that it began to hurt. I noticed to sensations: First, the pain in the bone. That blade went right into it and I worried that it actually chipped some off. The second sensation was the water that suddenly lifted the huge flap of skin off the bone. It was at this instant that I said, "Get me a bucket, I am going to vomit!" I was completely and instantly overcome with nausea. I broke out in a cold sweat and started to black out.

My wife urged me to go to ER to get stitches, but in Canada we have public health care and I was not about to spend 9 hours in a waiting room to get a few stitches. Plus, When I thought about the wounds many of the boys are getting in Afghanistan, my cut just didn't warrant that kind of attention. So, we got out the neosporin and band aids...

Hey, I just discovered something cool. I spelled neosporin wrong, and when I highlighted it, I got a list of alternative spellings. I didn't know that feature was available.

[ExNihilo]

Anybody want to see a picture of my hand after 5 hours of healing?

[The Thruth]

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

Anybody want to see a picture of my hand after 5 hours of healing?

noooo

feeling bad for you buddy

[madams17]

Originally Posted by ex-nihilo

I am going to have to take some time off on this project as I have severely cut my thumb at the second knuckle all the way to the bone. Classic mistake using the razor sharp blade out of my Jack plane. (Cutting toward my hand.... it slipped and you know the rest.... very dramatic). Anyway, I am typing with one hand.

Sorry to hear about your hand. That's no fun at all!!

[MesaBoogie]

Is your muscle not damaged???Why oh why didn't you go for stitches man... (sitting here being grossed out)

[IceGator8]

I want to see!