Some advice on refinishing a 66 Tele.

[BAW4742]

Plenty of Klusons here - http://www.wdmusic.com/kluson_tuners_13523_ctg.htm

Jack - Slower with the drum sander but more control and less chance for a mishap with the body.

Gotta run - talk to you guys later.

[PJ]

Hey Bruce....one of the posters put-up some info on this shop "Guitar Mill" who appears to specialize in cutting bodies.
Here's their link - might not be a crazy idea to e-mail these guys some of your pics and explain to them what you;re trying to do.
If nothing else, you might get some ideas.

http://guitarmill.com/

[BAW4742]

I haven’t done much for the last few days but I was finally able to get back to this project.

I checked my body against a tracing of another 66 and found that very little of the wood on the sides is missing, only the edges. Thanks for your help Jack.

I decided to make a test body to figure out how to rout for adding wood back at the edge of the guitar. I also made a template to show how much wood is missing from the body and how much I need to cut out to square the body back up.

I cut a 3/8 x 3/8 rabbet in the test body to see how it would work.



I overlaid this with the missing wood template to check coverage. Looks like I have to take out a bit more for the rabbet



I've given up on the idea of bending the strips for fillers. It looks like they would be too big to bend easily. I'm hoping to use this test body to make a template to use for cutting the filler strip and for routing the body.

Feel free to jump in - I'm open to suggestions.

[BAW4742]

Originally Posted by PJ

Hey Bruce....one of the posters put-up some info on this shop "Guitar Mill"
http://guitarmill.com/

Hey PJ - I've actually been to their site. I found them while looking for a source for wood. I hadn't thought about checking them for ideas. I'll have to go back and check it out.

Thanks.

[PJ]

No harm in sending them a pic or two of your body and asking them what they would do to put it in shape. Sure looks like they have the gear to do it.

[BAW4742]

Well I gave cutting the fillers a shot. I made a template of the 3/8 rabbet and then used that to mark the filler.



I bandsawed close to the mark and cleaned it up with a drum sander in the drill press.




Test fit - not too bad. It looks like after gluing in the fillers I can flush sand them on the top and back. Then I could band saw close to the body and trim with a flush cut bit in the router table.



(A little pressure helps close thing up)


I didn't take a lot of time with this. All of it was done in about an hour. I wasn't really in a hurry I just worked at a steady pace without taking a lot of time on either step. I wanted to see if this idea was going to work

So it wasn't really all that hard. It looks like with some good wood and more time spent fitting the parts this just might work. The fits really aren’t too bad for the little effort.

[BAW4742]

Anybody have any experience with PL FI:X 2-Part Wood Repair Kit? It’s a 2 part polyurethane product for filling or repairing wood.

I was wondering if this would be good to use to fill in some small gaps that the 3/8” rabbet might not take out. Maybe use this instead of cutting out a lot more wood.

It is paintable. There's a better description on their website but it looks ok to me.

http://www.stickwithpl.com/Products....FIX2-PART-WOOD

[reddogbass]

I don't think I'd mess with the two-part stuff. I'd just pour it out of the bottle. There's a bunch of polyurethane glues out the, but the most readily available is "Gorilla Glue." Yeah-yeah, a lot of the purists will call "junk." It's actually good stuff. Joints are unbreakable, and it had good gap filling capabilities. It is paintable too!

Four seasons ago I built an 11ft. pram- plywood on frame. Gorilla Glue being the "only!" fastener. Twice it's been dropped off a roof rack- once at country road speed (don't ask). We've loaded it with gear and flat towed it (on it's bottom) into some remote lakes lakes with a 4 wheeler. That's what it was originally built for. Tight as the day she was new, just new latex house paint on the bottom every year. I fully didn't expect it to last a season. That Gorilla Glue is good crap!

[BAW4742]

Hey redogbass. Thanks for reply.

I am familiar with Gorilla Glue and have used it. No problem with that, good stuff. In fact I'm considering using it to glue these fillers in. The main thing I don't like about Gorilla Glue is how it expands as it dries.

I'm considering the 2 part stuff as a wood filler - not as an adhesive. May use it to fill some small areas that are not cut out by the rabbet for fillers.

[PJ]

BAW4742 ...How's that '66 body retoration job going?

[BAW4742]

Hey PJ. I've had some setbacks. Been searching for a while for right router bits and bearings and trying to gather some wood for the repairs.

I've managed to get everything together over the past few weeks and then yesterday had a problem with my router and table setup. Got that one worked out so I expect things to start moving along in the next few days.

I've been thinking about color. Do you know if there is anywhere that I can find out what the stock colors would have been in 66?

I've been collecting some pictures from here and there and I have a color in mind. I wanted to see if there were any other age appropriate colors that strike my eye.

Thanks for asking. Once I get back to work I'll post some pics and info.

[jwells393]

If you have the Duchossoir Telecaster book, there's a color chart on page 58.

[BAW4742]

Thanks Jack. I don't have that book but I just got a gift card for Barnes and Noble a few days ago. Sounds like a good use for it.

[PJ]

Bruce...I believe they used GM automotive paint. And many of those original colors can be purchased from automotive paint distributors.
I know DuPont makes some of the paints. We can summon Dacious. He was giving the group some information on the original Olympic White color, that aged to give us what we know today as "Vintage White." A kind of butterscotch-y opaque blonde color. But, the reds, blues and whites of the 60s were car paints. And, I don't think they were clearcoated back then. Just lots of coats of paint.

[jwells393]

Didn't realize there were so many standard colors back then.

Blond, Sunburst, Sonic Blue, Olympic White, Black, Foam Green, Fiesta Red, Dakota Red, Candy Apple Red, Blue Ice, Firemist Gold, Charcoal Frost, OceanTurquoise, Teal Green, Firemist Silver.

There must be something there to your liking.

Edit:
The chart is titled "Standard Telecaster Finishes*"

However it has the following footnote.

(*) the above charts recap the (standard and custom) finishes officially listed for the "regular" model ................

[BAW4742]

OK guys - it's been a couple of weeks but I've finally gotten back to making some progress on this project.

I searched for a couple of weeks to find the right router bit setup and then had a major snafu with the router table. The router kept drifting out of adjustment and the cut kept getting progressively deeper as I used it. Luckily I wasn't cutting on the Tele.


I recently bought a used shaper and decided to give that a whirl. I was pleaesantly surprised to find that the bits that came with it included straight cut bits and rub collars.



Terrific - I'm back in business. This setup let me make these cuts.






So I finally have the body routed for the filler strips.

Next step was to cut some templates for cutting the filler strips. Laminate trimmer and a bearing bit got this done.



Now I have a template for the filler.



Just have to repeat for the top.

[jwells393]

Be careful with that shaper. I don't have one but I've heard they may be the most dangerous power tool in a woodshop.

I don't understand how the templates you just made can cut the filler strips. I understand how you could use them to draw the inside edge of the filler strips.

[BAW4742]

Originally Posted by jwells393

I don't understand how the templates you just made can cut the filler strips. I understand how you could use them to draw the inside edge of the filler strips.

That's the plan.

BTW - the shaper is a great tool. Lots more power than the router so I'm just cutting reals slow and easy with it. Work great - real smooth.

[jwells393]

Here's a possible way of making a template that you could use to cut your filler strips.

Use the templates you made to draw the inside curve of the filler strips on 1/4 in. MDF. Cut near the line and sand to the line constantly checking the fit on the guitar body. The 1/4 in. MDF will be easy to sand. When it's perfect you'll have a template to cut the filler strips with a pattern following bit.

[Telepatio]

Really interesting thread. Wish I could contribute but I have nothing to add. Just glad to see something worthwhile on here.

Good Luck!

[BAW4742]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Use the templates you made to draw the inside curve of the filler strips on 1/4 in. MDF. Cut near the line and sand to the line constantly checking the fit on the guitar body. The 1/4 in. MDF will be easy to sand. When it's perfect you'll have a template to cut the filler strips with a pattern following bit.

Good idea Jack. I hadn’t thought about the MDF being easier to sand. But I’ve made the templates and I’m nicely making way now.

I trimmed the cutouts with the drum sander as much as I could.



Then switch to a little hand work.



And wound up with this.



The fits are pretty good. I’m happy. So I think I’ll glue ‘em up.



That’s probably enough for tonight.

[Edutainment]

I would've just refinished it. If you're planning to sell it then I guess this makes sense but if you're keeping her I don't see the harm in the rounded body. It has a story to tell. However, I've never seen someone attempt an un-rounding so this will be interesting.

[PJ]

Hey Bruce....looks like you're on the road, now! Keep us posted on your progress?