050310

Friday 5th March 2010

The twins are ready for tops.. soon..

It seems that Igor the apprentices last job last week involved taking off too much binding while cleaning it up..

Not the best start to a monday ever.. but… The small router table is bolted to the bench for stability..

Luckily only the back binding needs replacing, this’ll only set spraying back till tomorrow.. Grrr

Everything is prepared for the re-binding process..

Had to stop mid-way, listening to GnR Chinese Democracy and couldn’t see through the tears of laughter!!!

A small thumb plane is used to remove excess binding..

Excess glue is scraped away from the sides of the 45rpm..

Igor is being punished, he sets out to re organise and clean up the engineering department..

It has been a while since I’ve fine sanded a guitar.. Still, it has to be done, Igor’s still busy being punished!

The binding has to all be scraped clean with a sharp scalpel..

Finally all the binding is finished and polished by hand..

Engineering is looking very nice, more space due to moving the wiring.. Make some hardware tomorrow

Finally the top is touched up a little and she is ready for lacquering tomorrow morning.. Good night all!

Just back from prenatal scans.. Halfway there and baby’s going great! Back to work on the 45rpm..

The fretboard is masked off and we move into the spray booth…

Finally I’m in the booth and kitted up.. The last thing I need to to get stoned on the lacquer!

Halfway through, Nick’s 45rpm and Fred’s RF are shiny!

And we end up at the moonshine etc.. That pearwood’s coming out really nicely..

Though it is really the exotic multi-laminate neck that looks best so far! Pretty purpleheart!

For starters this paf needs a set up.. Admin-numbed brain should be able to cope..

Saddle height and truss rod adjusted

Intonation set using my lovely Peterson tuner.. Can’t get better!

I do like the raised tear-drop truss rod cover on this beastie..

Back to the twins, the deep set neck joint has left some excess..

The bulk of the excess wood is routed away with the pin router, basically using it as a thicknesser..

Pheasant for dinner? ..nah.. Too pretty!

The last half millimetre or so is taken down by hand with a plane..

The control cavities need routing.. And a bit of cleverness will be added to the mix this time as well..

The cavities are predrilled on the big pillar drill..

The pin router is set up with a bearing cutter and the routing begins.. This is a really hard hardwood!

And padouk, while very pretty is particularly noxious!

Finally both guitars are routed and I’m just a little dusty.. The real fun starts tomorrow! Good night all!

Back to starting each day or so in the spray booth.. I love seeing the woods come to life in here!

Now, this is a very tedious job but without a lazer cutter I’m forced to work by hand.. Slowly..

Finally the first small backplate is cut directly from the body.. How’s this for redefining custom?

I love it, though it will look better with a more highly figured wood!..oh Igor’s still off sick poor bastard..

Finally the backplates are cut from the padouk bodied twin..

Without an Igor in the area it falls to me to get on with the headless moonshine’s primer..

Now, plans have changed and this beauty requires a tremolo.. Seems a pity to cut into her again but needs must..

We’re going to have to recess her but we’ll use one of our ball bearing trems..

A new template needs to be made.. We start with some thin mdf..

The first template is cut from the mdf by hand..

The template is fine shaped with files..

the second take at the template is a prettier, a more curvacious version..

Now, the first template is used to make a better, thicker one..

Finally the first stage of things is begun and the trem recessed..

And the trem is recessed, and slowly this sexy beast comes into her own! Good night all..

Happy to be back?? Or has the doc given him too many drugs?

Seven guitars and various other bits all lacquered up and starting to look really shiny.. And the suns out!

With Igor back he takes over on the headless moonshine, the last bits of filler need smoothing out..

A template is clamped in place with a non slip matt protecting the finish..

The cavity for the trem block is routed.. I love making dust, it is my calling..

Since she wasn’t designed for a trem the pickup cavities were routed a bit to deep..

A walnut veneer is cut..

The walnut veneer is glued in place and she’s now ready for hardware..

Now, one last bit of routing, I want to recess the pickup surrounds on the green and thus require a new template..

A perfect fit..

And routed.. I like the idea of recessed pickup surrounds, just makes everything feel more handmade..

The surround cavities are routed out now and the guitar really is ready for hardware and strings and good vibrations!

All my best!
Ben

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