The Emeraldcaster Project (aka Son of Meloncaster)

[BarnesTO]

So the DoubleRubyCaster is RubyCaster to the second power? :-)

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by BarnesTO

So the DoubleRubyCaster is RubyCaster to the second power? :-)

It was the onliest way I could get the name to fit.

Doublerubycaster was just too long!

[TelecasterBlooz]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Decal time again tonight...



Look at this...I now have gold AND silver!

Plus a whole gaggle of serial numbers



hmmm...I wonder why I make two (2) of all of them? What could have happened to prompt me to do that?

These are drying tonight...waiting for a shot of lacquer later.



I know some of you are just DYING to find out how I move bodies from my place to Bob the Painter's place.



fine gray custom gigbags...aka sweatshirts...seem to work pretty good.

How's that for frugality?

Ah but it keeps well within the $100 rule does it not? Keep up the good work Steve!

[Buckocaster51]

I seem to be doing the same thing Ron is doing...

trying to sand and level a finish.



this is the Rubycaster after three thick coats of Bob the Painter's miracle automotive goop. Bob is pretty confident that we have enough clear on to prevent sandthroughs. I don't know about that...but I do know there is a LOT of goop there!




I am so afraid I am going to have a sand through...I'm taking this about as slowly as I can go.

With 320 grit paper on a sanding block I took it down to what you see here. Now I am going to massage out the remaining divots pretty much by hand with 400. They aren't very deep at all...but I don't want them in the final finish.

[JohnnyAtomic]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Decal time again tonight...



Look at this...I now have gold AND silver!

How are you doing the gold and silver parts of the decals??????

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by JohnnyAtomic

How are you doing the gold and silver parts of the decals??????

I don't know!

Really.

I had member geocha print a lifetime supply up for me. Don't know what he used.

They work a whole lot better than silver and gold sharpies...even though silver and gold sharpies do work fine.

[JasonRobert]

hey buck, how many coats of clear do you put on the headstock, and how many coats do you put on the actual neck?

cheers, Jason.

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by JasonRobert

hey buck, how many coats of clear do you put on the headstock, and how many coats do you put on the actual neck?

Details?

You expect me to remember details?

I'll probably put 4 coats on over the decal. I should be able to sand things flat then.

The rest of the neck I will try to do with no more than three total...sanding most of it off before I polish it.

Or something like that.

[Buckocaster51]

Slowly but surely the thing is starting to polish up...



320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500 grit paper

Dupont No 7

3M Hand Glaze

and a lot of time...

I can say with certainty though, I have not spent more than $100 on any polishing tool...

[Buckocaster51]

Golly!

There's a lot of surface on this bad boy to sand!



It took me the first half and half-time of the Packer-Seattle game to do the back and this much of the front...

and that's only with 220 (yes you read that right) paper. I'll still have to go over it with 320 400 600 and at least 1000 before I even begin to think about polishing it.

Oh...and there's the sides too...and this one has two neck pockets and cutaways.

Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

It's actually very soothing.

Probably should mention that the part that has been sanded is the part that isn't sparkly! To make it smooth and sparkly, first you have to make it flat and dull.

As odd as it sounds...that's the way it is.

Have to play tonight, so I guess this is about it for the day.

[Nick JD]

Marvelous! I must say the ruby is the finest sparkle in this chap's humble opinion.

For those huge flat areas, have you thought about one of those teeny little cordless hand-held sanders that look like a mini clothes iron? Under $99 surely!?

I've used one before (you can even attach a lambswool polishing pad) to do a guitar and it was fantastic. You wouldn't be able to watch TV at the same time, but if you use the next grade up than you would by hand - it's pretty safe. On a really low setting with virtually no pressure and 400 grit those shiny spots just magically disappear...

Edges and sides by hand still though.

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Nick JD

For those huge flat areas, have you thought about one of those teeny little cordless hand-held sanders that look like a mini clothes iron? Under $99 surely!?

Thank you.

One of those little critters might make sense. I'm spending way too much time on these things.

If you know what I mean.

[Buckocaster51]

I only have a couple of rules...one is the $100/tool rule...the other is that I try to work at least a little bit each day.

Only got to spend a couple of hours on this today. The top and back are sanded to 400 and looking okay.



Still a bit of work to do on the sides.

Gosh it takes a long time.

I may have to make a trip to "the city" to pick up one of those detail sander things.

Or maybe not.

By the way...I took the Emeraldcaster along on a job last night. Played it a set. It sounds like a Telecaster! What a surprise.

When I put it together I put a recycle nut on it. It isn't quite right. Think I'll try to scrounge up a chunk of brass at school tomorrow and make a brass nut for it.

Or maybe not.

[hwestman]

I picked up a big pack of DiMarzio brass nuts for close to nothing some years ago. I would be thrilled to know that one of em ended up on the Emeraldcaster. Send me a message with your adress and I'll post it to you.

In addition I'm sure the two-way trip across the atlantic will imbue it with serious mojo ...

Harald

[Arlo]

Steve I am speechless again my man! That Rubycaster is going to fool some alien life form a million light years away into thinking a new star was born over on our side of the galaxy! You might start seeing visitors in the sky if your not careful.

hwestman,

I have a question for you concerning those brass nuts. I just bought a baritone Warmoth neck on Ebay with a brass nut. Are they good for sustain? This one looks a little sharp on the edges like it hasn't been used yet. I was thinking about 86-ing it but I don't have a lot of experience with them maybe it will be fine.

[hwestman]

Arlo,

Haven't used them myself. I don't think they will make a huge difference apart from the visual impact and if there is a difference in tone or envelope it will only affect open strings.

Harald

[Buckocaster51]

Thank you Arlo...they are sort of falling together.

Originally Posted by Arlo

... with a brass nut. Are they good for sustain?

I have one brass nut on a Telecaster. You know...it sounds like a Telecaster!

It has to have SOME effect on the sound/tone, but I would be hardpressed to quantify it.

I would think, and thinking sometimes gets me in trouble, that a properly set up brass nut would make an open string sound more like it is a fretted string

That particular guitar sounds fine, it really snaps, but I would hesitate to say it is the nut.

Now I should really go wet sand.

[Arlo]

Hmm well I think I will leave it on and string it up see what gives.

Thanks guys!

[Buckocaster51]

Almost seems like i am going backwards on these...

These two and nice and smooth...probably ready to polish and buff



but

when I look at them closely there is a problem.

The clear that I just sanded down was very orange-peelish. As I sanded down through the top layer of clear, in the high spots I sanded through into the layer below. On close inpection the entire surface looks like a contour map. A smooth contour map, but a contour map...or maybe the layers of an onion. Those modern finishes are neat, but unlike lacquer, one layer does not melt into another.

I'm thinking the best option right now is to run up to Bob the Painter's place and put another couple of coats of clear on them. That should be on incredibly flat and will probably require very little sanding.

And that is my report for the day.

[TelecasterBlooz]

probably the best Steve...give ya another week to get ready for the Giants vs. Pack game....

Go you Packers Go Go...

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by TelecasterBlooz

probably the best Steve...give ya another week to get ready for the Giants vs. Pack game....

Go you Packers Go Go...

For the best for sure.

Letting things dry longer seems to always be better than not.

10-4 on the Go Packers!