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Post by nicholas on Jun 21, 2013 17:06:14 GMT -7
Excuse all my typing errors. I don't have a computer, so this is all via cell phone....
Sorry....
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Post by BritInvasion on Jun 21, 2013 18:43:12 GMT -7
I think you're on the money with that last cherry / nitro finish Nick. You're being very smart (and patient!) with all those practice runs. The tenon fit this kit has is excellent judging from your pic with the x-acto blade. Great idea laying out the surrogate nut with string to get the lateral alignment. Can't tell you how many Fenders I've had over the years that I had to side-shim the heels on to straighten out the lay of the E strings. Looking good here!
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Post by nicholas on Jun 21, 2013 19:02:29 GMT -7
Right on Frank. But them fenders you can just give the head stock a solid bitoh slap and get em' right lol.
I'm in no hurry. My goal was to build an excellent guitar. And to enjoy the experience. I'll give it my best effort. When this is all said and done this thread will serve several purposes. My rediculas cautious approach will help others avoid common pitfalls. It wiil be a way for me to retarace my steps for the next build, and show every step, and how much is involved.
She will be a good one. She will be "Lucy". A nod to BB.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 22, 2013 16:57:19 GMT -7
I did some work on the veneer. I started by making a template. I clamped a piece of typing paper to the headstock. Then rubbed an outine with a pencil lead. I'll use this later to remove the veneer from the truss rod cavity and tuner holes. Then I set the uncut nut against the fretboard and placed a straight against the nut. This is where I'll take the veneer too. Then I cut out the veneer a little bigger than the headstock. The only area I am being careful with is the nut line. A coat of glue, the "veneer sandwich" and a bunch of clamps. Taking care to line up the nut cut perfectly before clamping.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 22, 2013 17:53:28 GMT -7
Once the glue dried I took off the clamps and cut the excess veneer close to the headstock. Then sanded flush. Now is where I need that template to locate my holes. So I line it up and clamp it down. Then cut out the holes with a fresh blade. Now its starting to look like something...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2013 19:05:33 GMT -7
Boy you are jumpin on this thing! Lookin' good.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 22, 2013 20:15:00 GMT -7
Thanks Eric. I really feel like this will turn out well. Pretty much everything else to do I either know well how to do, or have practiced so much that I feel confident.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 23, 2013 11:29:59 GMT -7
Today I tackled the neck. First I set it in the body and noted the the top of the neck tenon sat higher than the body from sanding the body. So I took it out and block sanded it. This took several attempts. I put some tape on the fretboard to avoid a sanding slip-a-roo. Here's a good pick of the tight tolerance of this kit's neck joint.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 23, 2013 11:46:05 GMT -7
Then on to sanding the neck. I used the same grits as the body. Before I started I mentally divided the job into tasks. First the steps with the block, then the steps by hand. I used the same order for every grit. First were the block steps. The back of the headstock, the fretboard edges, and the sides of the headstock. Then the hand steps. The curved area of the neck by the headstock, the back of the neck, and the curved area at the heel. Being very careful not to ever hit any of the corners or sharp lines. I want it to look crisp. So as a precaution I taped up these areas before initial neck sanding w/150. Then I set the neck back into the body and marked a line where the neck joint is. Then taped that area up. I don't want to remove any wood here as the neck joint is solid. Then onto sanding following my different tasks in the same order. I never sanded any of the corners. I sanded tword them in each direction and slightly lifted the paper when reaching them. A piece of sandpaper wrapped around my knife worked well to smooth the veneer around the tuner holes. I did similar with the truss rod hole using a screwdriver. After a lot of effort and time it's ready to finish. Nice crisp lines remain. It couldn't have went any better.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 23, 2013 11:51:23 GMT -7
So with the body and neck ready to finish I wiped them down. Put them back in the box. Next weekend it will be a thorough garage cleaning and blowing out all the dust. Then onto finishing.
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Post by BritInvasion on Jun 23, 2013 17:52:58 GMT -7
Really cool Nick , you're doing a first rate job! Love that tight neck joint , and great job on the headstock veneer. That should look really great when it's finished.
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Post by Alan M (aka 'Milky') on Jun 24, 2013 0:56:09 GMT -7
Looking really good Nicholas. An excellent job. Thanks for the reports so far and please keep them coming.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 26, 2013 16:08:22 GMT -7
Sometimes it's good to take a break from a project. After a few days of thinking about it..... I decided that if I didn't round the body edges more I would later wish I did. Looking at some pictures of Junior's online it looks like some of the older ones had a much rounder radius. Almost like a strat. Does anyone know what the larger radius is? I think strats are 1/2". Anybody have an old Jr. With the rounder body edges and compare it to a strat?
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Post by BritInvasion on Jun 26, 2013 18:10:05 GMT -7
Nick , I don't have my old Juniors or Specials anymore , but they definitely had a more rounded body edge radius than my newer Special. But - not nearly as rounded as a Strat. I don't know if that helps. They were just somewhat more rounded than what I can see in the photos of yours as it came from the manufacturer. If you can see a new Custom Historic reissue of a Junior or Special at a dealer , they are pretty much dead-on to a 58-60. My Special is a regular production guitar , which does have a more radiused body edge than your kit body , but still less than my originals.
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Post by Mark and his Maz on Jun 27, 2013 4:51:32 GMT -7
Wow, thanks for sharing this Nicolas.
It looks really good so far an I'm really liking the deep dark red in the last picture.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 27, 2013 16:41:14 GMT -7
I picked up a router today and played around with different bits on scrap wood until I felt comfortable. Went with a 1/4" round over. It came out nice. Tomorrow starts the finish.
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Post by BritInvasion on Jun 27, 2013 17:26:39 GMT -7
^^ Perfect!
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Post by nicholas on Jun 27, 2013 18:13:49 GMT -7
Thanks . I have been playing around with the nitro spray cans on and off. Stewart-MacDonald Color Tone and Guitar ReRanch brand. I bought one of each. They both spray really nice. There is no comparison to hardware store spray cans here. I do have a air brush and thought about using it. And would have if I didn't like these. They flow like an air brush. Thin. IMO Most conventional spray cans are designed to cover quick for the average guy. And actually compete with each other to cover in one coat. That's why they spray so thick. The nitro spray cans are of great quality and the fine misty pattern is perfect. It would be hard to say one is better than the other. But the ReRanch cans come with two different nozzles, and this will be handy. So in goes the order for more. I'm glad I tried these. I only tried them because I would be putting on so many thin coats several times a day. I thought it would be a pain cleaning my airbrush every time.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 27, 2013 19:00:09 GMT -7
All taped up and ready to go. I used this tape called "Frog Tape". It is similar to blue painters tape but it has some streach to it. I like it. And it comes in a plastic container which is handy, keeps the edges clean.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 27, 2013 21:41:38 GMT -7
I stole some trick's from this guy. That method for sanding the waist and bouts works incredible. Check it out...
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Post by zpilot on Jun 28, 2013 4:48:10 GMT -7
I've finished several necks and bodies using the Stu-Mac rattle can lacquer. It always did a good job for me and polished out really well when allowed to dry properly. I don't have any experience with any other brands.
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Post by Christopher on Jun 28, 2013 5:32:43 GMT -7
Can't wait to see the finished progress Nicholas. Your attention to detail and patience are to be commended. That's going to be one Betty of a guitar when it's done. I'd muff it up if I had gotten one being all too eager to hear it completed than taking the time necessary to see it through to an incredible finish. Good luck with the finishing.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 6:12:39 GMT -7
I've got a quick question: Why are you finishing the neck & Body separately, as opposed to gluing in the neck and then finishing the guitar as one piece? Obviously there is more than one way to skin the proverbial cat, but I'm curious.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 29, 2013 12:38:48 GMT -7
^ I just think some of the steps will be easier seperate. My plan is to do all the sanding, grain filling and subsequent sanding, stain, and sealer. Then glue the neck and lacquer.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 29, 2013 12:47:40 GMT -7
Today I did the grain filling. I used Stew-mac Ebony water based grain filler. I followed the directions, brushed it on then removed the excess with a squeegee I also got from them. I did the first coat and sanded w 400 grit. Then dusted it off and did one more coat. This has been my least favorite part. It's messy. But it came out nice. Then after sanding.
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Post by nicholas on Jun 29, 2013 14:58:08 GMT -7
After letting the grain filler dry to suggest time on can, I pulled off all my tape. It was all cruddy with grain filler. Last thing I want is to pick up some of that dust on my brush on the next step. So once the tape is off I lightly sand the ridges left. Then blow it off and reptape. Next step is stain. I used TransTint Bright Red. Finding the right mix to avoid splotching and achieve my desires color was something I spent considerable time on in my practice madness. I mixed 25% dye and 75% distilled water. So in my mixing cup with level lines I put in one ounce dye, and 3 ounces water. Then transfered the solution into a larger cup I can brush out of. My handles have already been screwed into the body and neck. I drilled a hole in each to hang from a screw in the rafters. These handles worked great. I was able to stain the whole body evenly. Then hang er up to dry. After the first coat. From all my practice runs I know I'm doing good so far. A few hours drying then the next coat, and once more for three coats of stain. *edit - never made it to 3 coats. 2 coats was plenty for this step.
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Post by Jefferson on Jun 30, 2013 20:47:27 GMT -7
Beautiful job!
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Jul 2, 2013 12:59:12 GMT -7
Hey Nicholas, I've never seen any of this being done before, but I am fascinated by the whole process, and your pics are GREAT! Keep 'em coming
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Post by nicholas on Jul 2, 2013 18:08:39 GMT -7
Hey Nicholas, I've never seen any of this being done before, Me either Bit of a delay with the new job and the upcoming holiday weekend. And the terrible humid rainy weather. Bad weather to work on wood. So far "Murphy" hasn't shown up. But I'm sure he will make an appearance. Doing my best to avoid him with tons of practice. I've actually intentionally sanded through spots on my practice boards during the sealer step....and tried to fix them..... I can't. The next few steps will be stressful for me. But a good kind of stress. The kind that tells me to practice more. And not to rush.
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Post by nicholas on Jul 3, 2013 16:07:22 GMT -7
Well, still too humid to work on the kit. But still messing around with test squares. Now focusing with the sealer, nitro and sanding /polishing steps. This one will be what I'm shooting for on the guitar. The only difference is this square has brown grain filler, I'm using black for a little more contrast. The hardest part with the sealer is once it's on the wood, the wood is now sealed. So a sand through will take off stain and leave a pinkish spot. Applying more stain, even full concentration won't get the color back because it won't seep into the wood. So I'll have to be careful. I want a real thin finish, so after a little more practice and better weather I should be ready to seal.
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