Lap Steel Build Thread

[aznrambo481]

back again! haven't progressed at all on the build though... I just got back from Canada (beautiful jasper/banff national parks) this morning at midnight. I also have a bunch of other stuff going on, including the SAT subject test in Japanse in 3 months (a standardized test for all you who aren't familiar), the SAT reasoning test (covering reading/math, 4 hours) in 2 months, and the ACT (another standardized test) in a month. oh an another one somewhere. I'm swamped preparing for those, that's what I spent a lot of today doing.

excuses excuses... about the big string tree: those are often seen on floyd rose guitars, and guitarfetish has them pretty cheap. I will buy it if need be.

Originally Posted by RomanS

About the necessity of a string tree, and the string break angle:
This also depends on how high the nut is on your lap steel - I wouldn't make it higher than about 10mm (3/8") - otherwise you might have problems with parallax when playing.

Roman, you keep mentionin the 1cm measurement. Can I assume that this 1 cm over the fretboard? the wood for the fretboard is 3/16" (appx. 5mm).
therefore, the actual height of the nut could be 9/16" (15mm) or thereabouts, correct?

the aluminum angle I purchased for the nut is an L-shape. the 2 edges are 3/4" and 1/2" wide (1.9cm and 1.27cm, respectively). since the 1.5cm mark falls right between the two, I would probably shave the 1.9cm down to 1.5 (might need to use my dremel for this one). I would like to get maximum string break over the nut without compromising playability.

Originally Posted by sandman72202

I've developed an itch to start one of these too.
My next door neighbor has a stockpile of exotic wood scraps...some of them long enough that are dry enough to use for soomething like this.


where can you get a template for length and scale and so forth ?

They're great builds. Fun, and you can mess up then get away with it. my scale length is 22.5". This seems like a very common scale length, the majority of the Musician's Friend lap steels (not to mention the "bluestem" ones shared here by Roman) are 22.5". I fed this number into the crazy awesome fret placement generator. Since they give the result in decimal notation, I realized that it would be a lot easier if I fed the number in after converting it to mm (571.5). This makes it easier to lay out the frets, as it is not fun converting decimals into fractions (as inches generally are displayed in increments of 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, etc).

The body shape is a general, simple shape I came up with after a google image search. I think I might have almost directly copied the body shape of a Carvin I found, however it will look much different from any other as the tuners are in-line and on an awesome tele-style headstock.

I forsee progress being very slow from now. Cross-country practice starts tomorrow, and I may be helping out at a lab at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (if the professor decides to reply to my emails!). List of things to do:

-carve out the rest of the body, rout holes using forestner bit. drill holes, etc.
-round the edges (by hand, of course)
-try full finish on scrap mahogany
-inlay veneer into fretboard, cut out to final shape, glue.
-finish.
-tuners, electronics, nut, bridge, ferrule installation, setup, etc.

"The last 20% always takes 80% of the time". I hope I will finish this by the day after labor day (when school starts) so I can show it off, brag, etc.

[RomanS]

Originally Posted by aznrambo481

Roman, you keep mentionin the 1cm measurement. Can I assume that this 1 cm over the fretboard? the wood for the fretboard is 3/16" (appx. 5mm).
therefore, the actual height of the nut could be 9/16" (15mm) or thereabouts, correct?

the aluminum angle I purchased for the nut is an L-shape. the 2 edges are 3/4" and 1/2" wide (1.9cm and 1.27cm, respectively). since the 1.5cm mark falls right between the two, I would probably shave the 1.9cm down to 1.5 (might need to use my dremel for this one). I would like to get maximum string break over the nut without compromising playability.

Yep, 1 cm above the fretboard is exactly how I meant it! Since you are using a seperate fretboard, that will give you a bit of ectra height, so you might get away without a string-tree (and if not, you can still add it later).

Oh, and I made the nut for my lap steel the same way - aluminium angle, and I also ground it down from a larger/wider piece (since that was the only stuff I could find with an appropriate thickness).

Here's a close-up of the nut on the second lap-steel I built (8-string, no fretboard, angled headstock):





And here is the bridge (constructed the same way as the nut):

[aznrambo481]

yeah, I hope I won't need the string tree... just because I don't want to finish it and realize there's buzzing. If I remember correctly, you slotted the nut but not the bridge, correct?

[RomanS]

Originally Posted by aznrambo481

If I remember correctly, you slotted the nut but not the bridge, correct?

Right - because the string go straight over the bridge (and with quite a bit more pressure), but they go over the nut at an angle...

[aznrambo481]

So it's been 11 days since my last build day. Here's where we left off last time:



outline mostly done, sides just off slightly. Here's a shot of the back, just to see how off it is (the top itself is in the right shape, however the sides aren't straight so the back is slightly off).



I fixed those with the rasp. I ended up at a point where I thought that I couldn't do much better. Thes sides were more or less straight, there were a few irregularities but heck, it's a lap steel, that kind of stuff really doesn't matter . I decided the next bit should be to make the body thinner at the headstock (necessary for the tuners to fit). I drew a line 5/8 from the top around the headstock, and proceeded to use the coping saw to work my way into the headstock.



Until here things have gone swimmingly! looks perfect, doesn't it? aside from the small bumps, that's as flat as I could ever hope to get it.

[aznrambo481]

This is where i started to get overconfident. I did the rest of the headstock in one cut. The blade bent inwards towards the middle, creating a concave back.



uugh! I hope it's thick enough to withstand the string tension, I hope it's enough... it probably will be. Luckily, the tuner holes will be in one of the thicker parts of the headstock. Here's what I ended up with:



I'm going to make it a smooth headstock-body transition tomorrow, I hope...

[aznrambo481]

oh, 2 things:

1.--12 hours and 15 minutes!

2. I cheated on rounding the edges. I was sick and tired of the rasp, so I used the small 30 dollar sander.



It gives a nice edge throughout. It could also be done with a sanding block or a roundover router bit.

[JohnnyCrash]

I got one of them sanders.

I don't think anything you do is "cheating," this is instructive, interesting, and very cool. As long as it gets finished and plays/sounds great!!

Can't wait for the next update!

[BadHorsie]

It probably would have bee a little easier to cut the head stock thicker and then sand to the spec you wanted. You are very courageous guy. My hats off to you . I will keep an eye on this.

[aznrambo481]

Originally Posted by aznrambo481

This build will not use routers or electrical cutting machines of any kind. I am cutting, sanding, and shaving with hand saws, rasps, and sanding blocks.

I will definitely need to break this rule just one more time (drill). The sander, however, gave me a lot of control over the edging, and cost $30 or so. It just feels like I'm cutting corners, but I guess it's fine.

Today I started with the contour that will be the transition between the headstock and the body. I just drew a pencil line on one side, and followed that. Since I was going across the grain, it was taking a while with a rasp. I tried hacking away bits and pieces with the coping saw, but it was worse, so I went back to the rasp.


After about 40 minutes, I got roughly the contour I was looking for.


sorry about the blur, I was having a very bad photography day today. The one main problem is that I messed up (badly) on the headstock part. This led to a large depression in the middle of the headstock that extended to the contour. There is a clear border between the shaped part and the headstock that I plan to fix with a dremel. However, that particular tool is nowhere to be found at the moment, so I need to interrogate the members of my household who may have hid it away somewhere.

I also need the dremel in order to take out some large gashes that were left from the hacksaw. I tried to sand these out (for some reason I only had 220 and 600 in my house) with no change at all. I will probably take the small sanding drum attachment, and work my way carefully over the back, taking out as many of these as possible. Here's a shot of the contour and the gashes:



There's a lot to be fixed at the time being. I couldn't do much on the body itself until I got ahold of the dremel, so I stopped there today (Oh, I went over the body with 220 too). Tomorrow, I will probably start by cutting down the jatoba I got for the fretboard, then (if I have time) inlaying the maple (which I don't really know how I'm going to do yet)

OH and 1 mahogany question: there are marks in my wood. I haven't tried to sand them out yet, but they look like small circles, maybe 3-4 mm in diameter.



Know what these are? I haven't tried sanding them away yet, but they caught my eye and now they are bothering me.


I decided to put together a list of general advice for builds (had tools and otherwise). here are some for now:

-Most of my pictures have at least some scotch tape in them. Scotch tape is your best friend. I use it to tape down the template, to mark off where to cut to, etc. Furthermore, it comes off easily. Use it well.
-Cut outside of the lines. Remember coloring books? You would fill in the middle with big sweeps of your crayon, then work carefully around the sides to get a nice border. This is what you want to do with your builds. draw a line. stay away from it with the big saws. For proof, look at the back of my headstock.
-Clamps and a sturdy nonmoving work table. I have the former, but not the latter. I have (so far) used only 2 clamps on this whole build. The other 2 clamps (c clamps) will be used in combination with the big clamps when the fretboard is glued down. You don't need that many for these smaller jobs, but they are essential tools for any build. A stable workbench/table is also highly recommended. The table I am working on does not stay still when I cut or rasp, it moves a heck of a lot. I either need to sit on it, plant a leg on it, or (if I want to sit on the ground and work at face-level) wrap my legs around a table leg so it won't wobble as much. You will save yourself a lot of swearing if you get a sturdy table.
-Goggles and perhaps some kind of mask. Goggles for sure. Some tools (even rasps) can have stuff flying straight at your face. Even if it isn't lethal, wood in your eyes can hurt or bother you. I always wear a mask too, because when my brain shuts off my mouth opens. I have these NIOSH approved particulate respirators that do the job well. Maybe it's overkill, but I like feeling safe, in a paranoia sort of way.


When I'm done, I'm going to make a list of the tools that would have made my life easier, and their prices. This way if you have money for new tools and want to know what to buy, I may be able to help you out.

Just remember everything above is my own 2 cents, and should not be regarded as the words of a genius. I am not a genius, and came upon these through my own stupidity. I just don't want anybody else to make the same kind of mistakes I did.

[aznrambo481]

Originally Posted by BadHorsie

It probably would have bee a little easier to cut the head stock thicker and then sand to the spec you wanted. You are very courageous guy. My hats off to you . I will keep an eye on this.

haha! Not courageous, just a bit lacking when it comes to common sense It definitely would've been more accurate. It crossed my mind, however I started to feel really, really lazy, and tried to cut corners in my build. Just remember to "cut outside the lines first" when you make your own stuff, or you'll end up with a concave headstock just like mine!

OH, and... 13 hours and 45 minutes so far.

Quick question for all of you out there:

what bit sizes do I need. I need to drill tuner holes, jack hole and rout the cavities (the ferrule holes I already know the size of). I believe the tuner holes were 13/32? the jack hole 7/8"? Which bit would be best for routing out the cavities (a forestner bit to get most of the wood out of the way, then use a chiesel to clean it up)?

[BadHorsie]

Forstners will work, but are not cheap. For the cavities I would use a spade bit on a hand drill. Spades are cheaper. Stay parallel and work slow. Use a bit that is smaller so you stay within the lines. Clean up to the lines with the chisel.

[Tim Bowen]

I love what my bandmate has settled on for live work with his 8 string Framus lap steel. He kept forgetting to bring a stool to jobs, and hated sitting down to play anyway. He bought a $40.00 strat knockoff, gutted it, mounted the Framus to it with metal bookends and Velcro, and has lived happily thereafter ever since. He can't find a case to fit it, imagine that. We like to toss the "strat" base around and beat daylights out of it now and then for grins and giggles.

[aznrambo481]

Originally Posted by BadHorsie

Forstners will work, but are not cheap. For the cavities I would use a spade bit on a hand drill. Spades are cheaper. Stay parallel and work slow. Use a bit that is smaller so you stay within the lines. Clean up to the lines with the chisel.

Thanks a lot! I actually saw these at the hardware store, but I guess I never considered them... I'll have to find the shape of the cavities and find out what size I would need. This is when those tdownes blueprints are going to come in handy!

[stringbender]

Glad to see a thread about this. Here’s my two recent home brewed lap steels that I just finished up. Each with some different alternative finishes . The blue one was inspired from my old Magnatone body..(except for the gumby headstock) The body is covered in blue naugahyde on the top and bottom.. the sides and headstock are covered in black Tolex the same stuff for amp cabs.. The parts are all various guitar parts that I’ve had lying around for years…
Fretboard is maple from stew-mac stained in blue.
Pickup old Harmony bucker.
Strat knobs vol/tone
Schaller tuners.
Bridge from fender.
Homemade aluminium nut.
Homemade Pickguard from cutup strat.

The grayish one started out as a flying V wedge shape but ended up with this. Finish started out primer then bright red as base coat then finished in Rust-Oleum Stone.. kinda -like a powder coat but alittle rougher.. then cleared top coat. Fretboard is homemade from a solid piece of cedar. Again various guitar parts…
Pickups 60’s Danelectro lipstick tube and 80’s Dimarzio super distortion bucker
3way toggle switch
Tele knobs vol/tone
Stop tailpiece
Steel nut
Aftermarket tuners

Results .Sound wise.. they both play great and stay in tune very well. I can get just about any sound I want.. Sweet and Clean or Greezzy and Nasty!… .. I wanted the two to look very different from each other which I think I’ve accomplished. Building is a great way to use up some extra parts ya have laying around.. plus you learn in the process. aznrambo481 Keep up the good work!!

[aznrambo481]

Well, I forgot to charge the camera the past 2 days, but here's what I've done:

-Made the headtock-body contour better with a dremel
-cut the fingerboard to size using coping saw and rasp
-Drilled the tuning holes
-marked fret positions.

I tried a bit of "fretting" on scrap jatoba (wood I'm using). the stew-mac purfling wood I bought is way too large for the saws I have, so I have to individually sand th pieces down to fit them in. What a pain. I also tried some wood filler (on the scrap piece). I just got a look at it sanded. It has a dull color, nothing like the wood. So I'm going for wood frets for sure. It's going to take me a heck of a lot of time

School starts in 2 weeks; I won't be able to finish it by then and my progress will be hindered by this torture that teachers like to call homework. I hope that I can maybe spray 1 coat every 1 or 2 days or so during that time...

Sorry about the lack of pics, I'll take photos of all of these when le camera is le charged.

[aznrambo481]

alright, here's the contour, finished:


... it's the back. nobody's gonna see it

I tried two different methods for marking the frets. One is a wood filler and the other is wood. You can see in this photo that the filler is an off-white, and the wood looks awesome.



nothing like the real thing.

So here's the jatoba (fretboard) against the mahogany body. Notice the jatoba's a couple shades darker. Looks nice, eh?



You'll notice the piece of white wood in the fretboard... those are the "frets". turns out that the wood I got is way thicker than I desired, so I take a dremel and shave every piece down by hand. The fretboard took 3 hours to mark.

[aznrambo481]

I fit all of the thinned pieces of wood in the slot cut by my trusty coping saw...



Then sand it down till the CA don't show no more.



Looks a lot better than I thought it would. 1 of the frets is a bit off (17th fret is bigger than the 16th or something), but hey, that's the beauty of building a lapsteel! it doesn't really matter!

Here's the finished fretboard and body under horrible yellow light.



So I'm getting pretty dang far on this... Things I need to do now:

-holes for ferrules
-holes for bridge/nut
-rout out control cavity, pup cavity. jack hole.
-finish.

is that it?

[aznrambo481]

My first progress in 2 weeks... school has started so I can only work on weekends (after cross-country practice and homework, it's too late to take out the power tools). Here's a picture of where I started today. I did a bit between these two posts..



I routed out the control cavity and most of the bucker rout. used the 7/8" bit (same as jack) and took out the big chunks. Then I got out the dremel and connected them all.

Here's the bucker and control plate in place: