Whodatpat's 2012 Build Challenge Thread -- COMPLETED

[jkingma]

Originally Posted by whodatpat

I turned an old TV stand into a router table. Of course I braced it with what I use to brace everything in my shop. Failed and practice necks.

Thats very ingenious.

Nice build... and its fun working with the kids, ain't it?

[whodatpat]

I went through the bin of 3/4 maple at Home Depot and found a nice piece of birds-eye. I will save the other one for a one piece neck.



The band saw made it through this stuff OK, but that thing has to go!



After making two new neck shaped braces and ruining my template on the "router table." I decided to go back to the hand held router for the neck. 3rd time was a charm.



Peyton drilled the cavities and even chiseled them as clean as she could. This is by far her favorite part since she can use these tools. As opposed to watching dad use the dangerous router and yell expletives when he does something stupid.



I glued the fretboard to the neck and clamped it. Then I routed the cavities smooth. (ish) Here it will sit till we get back home Monday. I had hoped I could at least bring the neck to whittle over the weekend, but I guess not.

[whodatpat]

After a long weekend in New Jersey with in-law family, I finally got some much needed rest and relaxation in the workshop this afternoon.

Before I trimmed the fret board to size, I used it as a straight edge on the table saw to nibble away headstock to the right thickness.



I trimmed the fret board close with the band saw.
This thing is lethargic! I NEED a new one.


I dont trust myself with the router today, so I pulled out the scraper cards for this part.
It only took a little longer, but I was never in risk of destroying the neck or cutting off a finger.


Next I routed for the truss rod. I cant believe how fast this all goes once you have all the jigs built!
I use the micrometer to make sure I rout deep enough, but not too deep.


I need a jig for lining up these holes. Until then I measure it out each time. I mark the bottom of the rout so I can gauge where the drill needs to enter the rout.
Whenever I can I give Peyton the honors of doing the work.



The LMI fretting jig with my modification to make it work on 1 pice necks is so easy a 10 year old can do it. And she did.


I made the truss rod. It seems like the heavy math goes into the butt end to make sure just enough thread hangs out the hole in the heel.


Truss rod installed, I scraped the skunk stripe to size using some scrap Purpleheart.
Tomorrow I can start turning that square stock into a Purpleheart Dowel using the drill press as a lathe.

[whodatpat]

Tonight I made the Dowel for the truss rod plug. I roughed an end enough to fit n the drill press.


Next I used a finish nail to steady the wood as I work it. I also set the drill up for the highest RPM.


I used my Dragon rasp to get the work started. I screwed the board in place to use as a straight edge with the cutting tools.


The rough side and then slightly less rough side of the ferriers rasp removed the bulk of the wood.


At about 4/10 inch thick, I started paying closer attention to the size with the micrometer. I started using 80 grit till I got it to a shade over side and then sanded it smooth.


It really looks great. Now I can slap glue on it shove I in a hole and gut it off so no one will ever see it again.


Tomorrow I can start shaping this thing.

[anyone]

Very clever dowel making!
Very cool thread as well!

[Sharp5]

Nice work.

[RogerC]

Don't you love it. You spend all that time making something the most will never appreciate lol. But if you're anything like most of us, you enjoyed tackling it and took great pride in how well it turned out.

[whodatpat]

Originally Posted by anyone

Very clever dowel making!
Very cool thread as well!

Thank you. I learned it from Scatter Lee in last year's build thread.

Originally Posted by Sharp5

Nice work.

I appreciate it. If you dont have one of the hot conversational threads it is tough to tell if anyone likes what yer doing.

Originally Posted by RogerC

Don't you love it. You spend all that time making something the most will never appreciate lol. But if you're anything like most of us, you enjoyed tackling it and took great pride in how well it turned out.

Thats exactly why I took that last picture. To save the moment when something in this project looked perfect. This wood sure does polish smooth.

[whodatpat]

I am not sure what to use for Dots. I LOATH spending $.42 each plus shipping on plastic from StewMac. I have a nice 1/4" Plug cutter I use to cut on the end grain. Here are examples in Maple, Ebony, and Durham;s Putty with one coat of TruOil.


I bought myself a late 40th Birthday Present. I am now a member of the ROSS owners club!
It took 5 minutes to do what used to take me a day to do and still not have straight edges. I am a fan!

[RogerC]

I like the Durhams the best. And congrats on the new tool! I hope to have one some day too.

[whodatpat]

Originally Posted by RogerC

I like the Durhams the best. And congrats on the new tool! I hope to have one some day too.

You have a 40th birthday coming up sometime too!

[anyone]

Dangit! I'm two years overdue, and still no ROSS!

(I like the Durham's too, depending on the overall color scheme.)

[whodatpat]

Spent the day shaping the neck. I have braced a saw horse to use for manhandling necks with a ferrier's rasp (thanks Colt for that knowledge). After I remove the bulk of the wood I clean up the gouges with a hand cut rasp.



I wish I had time laps to show but this is after about 5 minutes on the ROSS. I LOVE this tool. It easily shaved an hour or two off my work.



I cleaned it up with 120 and 220 grit. I still have some work to do, but this is pretty good for now. I have never made a neck this thin. I like baseball bats, but this is for my daughters hands.



Since I am going to set it aside for a while, this is a good time to fill the dots.



I spent the rest of the afternoon sanding. Oh the joy! After I got it really flat, I routed the round overs. It took a little feathering to finish up sanding.



I set up the "paint booth" and when the laundry is done I can spray some sealer. One thing I have seen but never saw explained is this mounting system. It is a PVC plumbing T. I screwed in a piece to the bottom and cut flat edges in it on an angle so when I clamp it in the vice it is on a steep enough angle that the work will stay put do matter how I spin it.

[RogerC]

Originally Posted by whodatpat

I set up the "paint booth" and when the laundry is done I can spray some sealer.

The joys of being a hobby builder, right?

The neck looks like it turned out really sweet, pat.

[Barncaster]

Hey Pat,

Your Dremel suggestion for frets did wonders on the stainless jumbos I just installed. I may have to lift your PVC paint jig as well. Thanks for the excellent low budget work saving solutions to two problems. :-)

Barncaster

[whodatpat]

Originally Posted by RogerC

The joys of being a hobby builder, right?

The neck looks like it turned out really sweet, pat.

Thank you. I am really happy with it so far. Hopefully the dots stay clean untill I get them protected with some CA. I also hope I don't find any air bubble craters in the putty when I sand it down.

Originally Posted by Barncaster

Hey Pat,
Your Dremel suggestion for frets did wonders on the stainless jumbos I just installed. I may have to lift your PVC paint jig as well. Thanks for the excellent low budget work saving solutions to two problems. :-)
Barncaster

COOL! I am glad I was able to pass on even a shread of usefull engenuity to the forum. I wish I could remember a fraction of the great ides I read in these threads. I have subscribed to dozens of builds only to forget what I was even tryign to remember in the specific thread and not jogging my memory after rereading the whole thing.

I am goign to try to do the frets like Scatter Lee did them in this years build where there is no tang showing on the edge. Of course I will use the trusty Dremel for that as well.

[volowv]

looking good pat. congrats on the ROSS. you'll never regret spending the money on that thing.

i hate spending the 42 cents on dots too. i tried white marine epoxy a few builds ago. air bubbles. i guess i should get on the durhams bandwagon.

[whodatpat]

I can't believe how freaking hard this Purpleheart is to radius. Even with 50 grit this is taking FOREVER!
At least the color difference between the freshly sanded and unsanded wood shows me where I still have to sand and also ensures that I am staying on a level plane with the radius.


There are a few bubbles in the putty so i will have to dig some out and refill. Luckily it bonds to itself well.

[adirondak5]

Looking good Pat , yea , that purple heart is hard , I made paddles for turkey calls a few years ago with some .

[nosmo]

That purpleheart is really good looking. The ROSS is the best tool in my shop.