Tuba Foe Guittah!

Errr, uh... Two by four guitar....

This is a pine two by four I bought for under $3.00 at the Home Depot. I cut it into 2' long sections, and I ran the edges along my jointer until I had clean enough edges to join the sections side by side...
http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/1f2ff8cec48811e1a8761231381b4856_7.jpg

Today I trimmed the blank so it was just wide enough for the body, then passed it through my 13" Ryobi planer until I had flat surfaces on each side. The end result was 1 3/8" thick, which I believe to be JUST thick enough to use for a guitar.
http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/4d147534ca0611e19c6622000a1e89ba_7.jpg

Next traced the template onto the blank, and I trimmed to within 1/8" of the outside line, using a band saw.
http://distilleryimage3.s3.amazonaws.com/5de25e6cca0611e1be6a12313820455d_7.jpg

Then I hogged out the cavities using a Forstner bit in my drill press...
http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/714b9e1eca0611e19ab222000a1e8819_7.jpg

The template was affixed using short drywall screws in areas that will end up hidden on the completed guitar. I use a very large router bit to trim the body in two separate passes; one with the template up (as shown here) cutting only "downhill" so the bit pulls out the grain, instead of pushing into the grain...
http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/8574c942ca0611e1a94522000a1e8aaf_7.jpg

Then the body and template are flipped over, and a bearing on the opposite end of the bit is used to follow the template to cut the curves that were "uphill" before the body was flipped. Because this bit has a 2" cutting length, I try to set it as low as I can get away with, so that less of the bit hangs over the top of the body, in case I bump it (that would be the end of my guitar playing and making career, and probably the end of my hair cutting career). Today the router vibrated itself right out of the settings I had made, and the bottom bearing shifted below the template. I could feel it take a giant bite out of the upper horn. I care less about the body, but I was pissed to ruin my template, which was made out of the good plywood, which can be expensive...
http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/9be49c34ca0611e19e4a12313813ffc0_7.jpg

It probably couldn't have biffed in a better spot. I was able to smooth this out to still look Stratty...
http://distilleryimage10.s3.amazonaws.com/d1409e32ca0611e1bf341231380f8a12_7.jpg

I used two different round over bits on this, to further contrast the Strat and Tele halves of this guitar...
http://distilleryimage2.s3.amazonaws.com/f47b06deca0711e1b9f1123138140926_7.jpg

I usually use the band saw to do the gut cut, but today I went old school and used a spokeshave. I also used a jack plane on the arm contour.
http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/63496588ca0811e1be6a12313820455d_7.jpg

I cut a guard from one ply black material...
http://distilleryimage0.s3.amazonaws.com/8f8e1eb8ca0811e1985822000a1d011d_7.jpg

And I drilled some 5/16" ferrule holes...
http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/b86ce27eca0811e1b10e123138105d6b_7.jpg

Then I gave it a quick once over with 80 and 150 grit
http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af58/andrewlovesgrunge/IMG_1011.jpg

before shooting it with nitro clear. No grain filler, no sealer, no tint. Just raw, and straight forward. I sprayed the end grain extra wet, where the wood tends to be most porous.
http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/49add044ca0a11e181bd12313817987b_7.jpg
http://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/a0894f7eca0a11e1b2fe1231380205bf_7.jpg
http://i993.photobucket.com/albums/af58/andrewlovesgrunge/IMG_1031.jpg


It's a fun one.

I like "Tuba Foe". In NZ we say it "4x2". My old Dad used to call it "Forbee Too".

:smile:

We say fourbee two as well.

Everything seems to be coming along well with the build. :cool:

I like your approach to finishing.

Nice...glad to see someone else is using 2X4's. Here's my 2X4 guitar...

134234

Nothing like building the guitar out of something that cheap. I did a neck through 2x4 guitar where the fretboard and neck are also from the same 2x4 as the body. People always asked what it would sound like when finished, and when it was done, surprisingly enough, it sounded like a guitar (hooda thunk?)

I like "Tuba Foe". In NZ we say it "4x2". My old Dad used to call it "Forbee Too".

:smile:

Four by twos aren't, anymore. More like a 3.6 by 1.8 or something.

Yep, I think that might even be the case in the USA too, by the sounds of things.

Round here 2x4's are 1.5x3.5"

Saw this over on the offset forum. Looks good Andrew.

Round here 2x4's are 1.5x3.5"

They're only 2 x 4s before they plane them, I think.