Brazilian Restoration Project Part 2 - Page 2

Kitchen Guitars · #16 05-25-2009, 07:51 PM

I got a good day in I will post photo's in a bit.
1st up. That darn Mayes video showed me how to see if my neck is straight or not. It was not.
At the bridge I was 1/4" cockeyed. 2 half hours later I had sanded and chisled a hair at a time.

Bolt it in time went from 4 minutes to 2 with 20-30 practice boltins and the angle improving. By Darn I think I got it! I did manage to indent wording I wrote on the blue tape on my top. Fixable but a grrrr.
I ordered the Trapeze. I think it will look cool. I put the pyramid bridge on a shelf and made a bridge

. The new Bandsaw did in 2 minutes what would have taken 45 on the scroll saw. In addition I made some very accurate cuts.
The bridge started fancy. But, it looked like a dog bone.

So I went very simple, I think it looks great. We'll see when the Tapeze arrives

. I still have to figure out how to dig the saddle trench.
Time to radius the fretboard. The Ebony is dence dark unlined beautiful black.
I measured the radius of the original fretboard;it was 14, I had spent a $125 on a 16 Stewmac raduis sander..... so I went 16.

I found the center line and scribbled pencil all over the surface. I spray glued some 100 grit onto the radius block and sanded away, sribbled more sanded more til all the scribbles sand off in one sweep. Then I switched to 220. It's radiused! I should have done the top dots first! Golden Mother of pearl. Oh well, I'll make it work.

beach bob · #17 05-26-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yamaha Junkie

What do you folks think? Trapeze with a funky bridge or Pyramid bridge?

The trapeze does look cool. Though it might just amount to gilding the lily, so to speak, with all that lovely Brazilian wood... just my 2c... hey, you asked!

Of course seeing things in person is best, so take it for the 2c worth, no more...

Congrats on getting the shop in order to facilitate whatever madness you might dream up

Continued good luck with the rebuild... pics are looking good, and the shop too! Your threads are still my favorite reads here.

Mary · #18 05-26-2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beach bob

Continued good luck with the rebuild... pics are looking good, and the shop too! Your threads are still my favorite reads here.

Wait until he gets to the McJam and he asks a few questions. I wonder what he will do when he discovers we will give him all the wrong answers...

.

I'm jokin'! John. will still love us tomorrow.

Kitchen Guitars · #19 05-28-2009, 08:48 PM

Great day. Last night I finished up the inlay holes for the Brass Bridge Hearts, made a jig to glue the “bent to angle” hearts and glued each in with superglue.

This morning I started sanding with 100 grit wrapped around a magic marker to emulate the pitch of the bridge while leveling. Pencil scribbles are my new best friend, I can really see how level I am holding while sanding.. At sorta done I did a 180 sweep. At that point I found that the bridges side pitch was uneven. I was able to level it with the belt sander.
I mixed some Ebony dust with Superglue and filled any oopsies

Then I moved onto the neck. I cross referenced the centers of 3, 5, 7 9 and 12th frets to put in markers.

I found a thing that ID’s drill bit sizes. I put my Gold MOP markers through the smallest hole they could go through then found the correct drill bit from the drill bit graveyard to sync / sink a hole. I had depth markers that I’d scored at Harbor freight for a buck.

They worked ok. I prefer my tape marks for depth.

I did a few test runs and started drilling away.

The top markers turned out great. I take back the earlier comment that I should have inlayed then radius sanded. The MOP is harder than the ebony so filing that small spot is easier I am sure to sanding 2 hard nesses down together.

Kitchen Guitars · #20 05-29-2009, 04:36 AM

I dropped a side marker and lost it on the floor. Then I drilled 2 too deep and lost them in the glue. Repairable, easy, annoying. I’ll get more markers at the ASIA symposium and finish the side marks.
Onto Fretting!

Kitchen Guitars · #21 05-29-2009, 04:51 AM

My youngest has seen me scribbling and drawing guitar stuff. Her take on the final headstock design

Here is what I do to pencils to increase accuracy

An expencive curved sanding block

The dowel is to help turn the driver

Masao · #22 05-29-2009, 06:22 AM

YJ, very cool. And OMG ... inlays too! Have you finished the case (sorry if i missed it)? Just amazing. Thanks for the pics. Keep it coming!!!!

Ken

Mary · #23 05-29-2009, 06:41 AM

Awwwwwwwwwww... I like the heart.

Such a soft touch!

ship of fools · #24 05-29-2009, 07:42 AM

That heart inlay is particularly sweet looking, but I am wondering why not in the fret board.Ship............you know that is looking like maybe one of the daughters might inherit that little beauty.

Kitchen Guitars · #25 05-29-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ship of fools

That heart inlay is particularly sweet looking, but I am wondering why not in the fret board.Ship............you know that is looking like maybe one of the daughters might inherit that little beauty.

Nah, that would have been heart overkill. I am doing an ebony heel with another Brass heart

beach bob · #26 05-29-2009, 09:52 PM

YES YES

no bling overload needed.... you are correct in going w/ the subtle accents, YJ. That is a bit of genius locating the brass hearts on the bridge like that ... really impressive.

As ever, thanks for posting your pics! GREAT stuff!

Neil K Walk · #27 05-30-2009, 07:13 AM

Kinda OT, but how much thought is usually put into such accents? Is it something that's meant to be "discovered" but otherwise unobtrusive or can it be part of a theme like that cool-looking guitar that Tim did with the bulldog headstock inlay and paw-shaped soundport?

gray · #28 05-30-2009, 07:37 AM

YJ
I was looking at your photograph of the drill press and the neck, when I suddenly saw the artistic composition in the photograph - great lighting!!
Then it occurred to me that one of the many appeals of this thread is the artistic quality of the photographs. I know you are a photographer by profession, and it really comes through in the way you've illustrated this thread. This may sound a little crazy, but I really like the lines and color in the photograph of the - is it a lug wrench? - with a dowel through the handle.

Not to give you another project

but you could turn this thread into a really neat coffee table book.
Thanks again for including us in this journey of yours. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Howard Klepper · #29 05-30-2009, 10:16 AM

Yammie, that bridge is a log relative to what that guitar ought to have; too tall over too much of its length. And how wide is it? Looks like it may be under an inch, which is kind of the minimum for a saddle and pins.

Kitchen Guitars · #30 05-30-2009, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Klepper

Yammie, that bridge is a log relative to what that guitar ought to have; too tall over too much of its length. And how wide is it? Looks like it may be under an inch, which is kind of the minimum for a saddle and pins.

Howard, I am doing a trapeze. I got the height and width from a Martin Pyramid bridge then looked at a bunch of old stella /bruno type guitars. I'll probably understand better what you are saying as I do it.