First Completed Build

[risingsun189]

took me a while but i finally finished this thing and i'm working on another one despite my lack of tools since summers coming and my school's woodshop is closing down for the end of the year.

thats the back obviously

and the front and if you notice those little ripples its because I used automotive lacquer and my dad got freaked and thought if I tried to buff it i'd mess it up


Unfinished Warmoth neck
Swamp ash body
Lindy Fralin neck
Hot for Tele bridge
no strap buttons

I really like the unfinished neck, it resonates in my hand like none of my other guitars do. I also got this weird dark streak in the body my dad who's been painting for years was baffled and so was I it looks like the paint didnt mix properly or something but it only appeared after we put the clear coat on, really weird. All in all a good first build probably my new favorite guitar. :)

and then there is my new project, a tele using only sandpaper, a drill and a buck knife that was my father's and grandfather's before him until i can get some hand tools to work with.

contour is done.

[glen smith]

Beautiful!

[risingsun189]

Much appreciated, thanks. :)

[dutchgoff]

nice job

[Doc Rorick]

Nice work!

Like the minimalist project; that's good shapin' with a buck

[risingsun189]

Thanks, i figured i can still get some work done on it even if i dont have any tools.

[risingsun189]

good pieces of knowledge learned today: always have a top and bottom bearing router bit these are invaluable when trying to rout a neck pocket. If you dont have a tool that you know can't be made or you dont have the ability to make...stop, dont try to improvise when you know it wont come out like you want it. Lastly, always make sure your template is good and everything is straight.

Now for the things I need to learn. How to make and find the centerline of a neck and body, how to make sure a neck is straight and how to make a template from an existing guitar. I'm thinking for the last one a bottom bearing flush cut router and some thin MDF? any suggestions?

[Matt Haskins]

Good work! You and especially your dad need to read this. http://www.reranch.com/101a.htm. There's no need to settle for a great guitar with a "rippled" finish. Follow the instructions given in the link and your finish will look great. You won't mess it up.

PS--I'm glad to hear some schools still have woodshops. Not many left around here.

[risingsun189]

thanks Matt, I'll show him that next time i go over his house.

I've been fighting to keep the woodshop open for the past 2 years, as long as i'm there i'm trying to keep it open and get as many people to take the class as I can. IMO, it should be a required class, after 2 years of woodshop i'm now so much better at fractions, trigonometry, applied math skills and geometry. It truly is an important class and I don't understand why they aren't funding it.

[Matt Haskins]

Originally Posted by risingsun189

I've been fighting to keep the woodshop open for the past 2 years, as long as i'm there i'm trying to keep it open and get as many people to take the class as I can. IMO, it should be a required class, after 2 years of woodshop i'm now so much better at fractions, trigonometry, applied math skills and geometry. It truly is an important class and I don't understand why they aren't funding it.

Well said! You're not only learning about wood working and applied math but at least as important, you're learning that you can make a difference in this world. You keep fighting kid!

[Doc Rorick]

Originally Posted by Matt Haskins

Well said! You're not only learning about wood working and applied math but at least as important, you're learning that you can make a difference in this world. You keep fighting kid!

+1 to all of the above.