Project S907 #3

[RestorationAD]

Neck pocket routed.



The neck pocket is cut at the end of the route. Leaving the heal longer on this build because I plan on blending the heal and neck like a neck

 

[RestorationAD]

Once I trued the neck up it fit the route very nice. Had to push pretty hard to get it all together.



And the fit test passes. The reverse headstock gives the guitar an interesting look. Still needs a headplate.

 

[RestorationAD]

The new 7 string pickup template. No margin for error on this one as the template fits the pickups very tight. I think I will call it a day and watch football.

 

[Beardyman]

Looking awesome man! Was wondering when we would see some more updates from you. I have never been a huge fan of Bloodwood myself, but I really think that top is going to look immense!

 

[RestorationAD]

Looking awesome man! Was wondering when we would see some more updates from you. I have never been a huge fan of Bloodwood myself, but I really think that top is going to look immense!

Updates will be fewer as the holidays are upon us.

This one gets a massive carve. Bloodwood is great for fretboards and neck lams. I am not sure about tops... we will find out. At least it doesn't really need a finish.

I am thinking black hardware for this one...

 

[Beardyman]

I think black hardware would be perfect on this!
As expected, take it easy on the holidays. Get back at it after though

 

[RestorationAD]

Fretting the 7.

I am fretting this neck before I shape it. Leaving it square on the back made the process infinitley easier than normal. I am not gluing the frets on this one. I am not sure it is necessary and I want to see how it holds up without glue. Also allowed me to fill the fret ends without worrying about staining the wood... since it won't be there in a week.

 

[RestorationAD]

Headstock prepared and Headplate thickness sanded



After clamping I used a hardboard scrap to clean the extra glue off. I cut the hardboard to a sharp thin edge on one end... it was flexible but stiff and made it easy to scrape the glue off.

 

[RestorationAD]

Cleaning up the headstock plate and marking the tuner placement.

 

[RestorationAD]

Time to drill the tuners... start with the recess and then drill the holes all the way through.



Back of the headstock before using the peghole reamer.

 

[RestorationAD]

Fits well enough.. I will sand a little more off the back of the headstock before we finish and that will move the tuning peg up a bit.

 

[RestorationAD]

All right lets get a look at were we are.

 

[RestorationAD]

Got to get all the holes drilled for the bridge and the ferrels before we can do fun stuff like carve.

 

[RestorationAD]

Finish up the recess ferrels and the electronics cavity.

 

[RestorationAD]

Bridge holes drilled out and Bridge and Neck humbucker routed.

 

[RestorationAD]

Finally time to carve. Start with a 3/16" roundover on the whole body.

 

[RestorationAD]

One side roughed in... Bloodwood cuts fast for such a hard wood. You really have to feel it because it starts cutting slow then will bite all the sudden and gouge pretty deep. It is horrible to hand sand though so I will get as close as I can with the disk.

 

[Sebastian]

That looks really nice

 

[RestorationAD]

I am always asked for carving tutorials... well I haven't really had an opportunity to document a full carve. When you are in the moment you just forget to take photos. I can show a trick of two. This only works with sharp scrapers. If you are not peeling ribbons of wood it is not sharp enough. Bloodwood loves scrapers (if they are sharp).

Start our with the disk sander. I use a 5" disk in a hand drill. I have tried everything... nothing works as well for me. The 4" grinder cuts to fast... gouges can make a mess if you are not good... and I think the Router method is bunk (I hate routers). If you use the right foam backed disk you can cut with the edge. So you angle the drill until the 5" disk is creating a dish cut. This takes some practice... and you are likely to have high and low spots when you start. Cut to the edge.... not from the edge. I try to stay off router roundover and cut down to it, leaving a lip that I sand of later.

Here is what it looks like after a quick pass with the scraper. The idea is to follow the grain and lay a bit of an angle on the scraper until it is leaving a smooth surface. For a re-curve style carve the most important cut is the relief. The roundover at the top of the S is easy so don't focus on it. What we are trying to do is create a 1/4 of a circle that follows the edge of the body.



As the curve changes you rotate the scraper so the curve matches the carve.



Use the smaller end to clean up the horns.

 

[RestorationAD]

After a little bit you can see the spots were the disk cut a bit too deep. This is more because of the way the bloodwood reacted to the disk as I usually don't get this with maple tops. It all cleaned up pretty easily though.


At this point my back started hurting (getting old) so I built a stand and clamped the body to it so I could stand straight up and use the lamp to see the carve. This brings the work to me and allows finer control of the tools.