The Emeraldcaster Project (aka Son of Meloncaster)

[cmatthes]

Originally Posted by Wardpike

Say Steve,

Where did you get this body? Custom built, Warmoth or other? This is kindof body shape I want for both my double-neckers. Thanks!!
Ward

We had them custom built by the same builder. I'll shoot you a quick PM or email when I dig that up...

Here's mine when it first came in...

[Buckocaster51]

Of course, you can just make your own.



Or something like that!

[cmatthes]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Of course, you can just make your own.



Or something like that!

That would be the COOLEST way to do it, by far! I am still knocked out by your work, sir. Very inspiring...

[Buckocaster51]

Well thank you.

But if you could see on the other side of the smoke and mirrors!

Something that I am trying on these bodies is to increase the distance between the spray gun and the body. The idea being that maybe with increased distance the air won't knock the flake down so flat.

Here the gun is way off camera.



Who knows if it will work. Maybe we'll just get some placebo effect!

We do get plenty of over spray.



Better on the tub rather the table saw or Neon.

[Buckocaster51]

And once again we have

my body



one for Texas Slim



and one for the Nevada Flash



Now we'll let that goop dry for a bit and then go finish them off.

[jwells393]

Steve ............. since you created this thread I think you owe it to your readers to create and maintain an ongoing Index of the projects contained within. This could be separate a thread. If someone wanted to read about your double-neck, they could use the search function to find Buckocaster's Behemoth Building Blog. There they could look up the post numbers for the double-neck or other projects. If you spent just a little time each week, I'm sure you could have the index completed by the time 2009 rolls around......... just a thought.

[Spunky99]

Well thank you.

But if you could see on the other side of the smoke and mirrors!

Something that I am trying on these bodies is to increase the distance between the spray gun and the body. The idea being that maybe with increased distance the air won't knock the flake down so flat.

I did mine with the flake allowed to go in every direction and every thickness without thought to the number of coats of lacquer to cover it before sanding, after sanding and coat after coat again ad-infinitum.

The result is.....it takes from 50 to 70 coats of thinned lacquer to cover the flakes properly and then after sanding, another 10 coats to sand and another 10 coats and sand before the body is there.
This is an immense amount of time and patience to get this to completion but>>>>>>>>>>>
Did you look at my youtube video?

The difference between a flattened flake and a wild flake is evident....IMHO....

Good luck to ya Bucko....just be patient my friend should you go this route....
Here is the expectation if ya let the flakes go crazy.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y0t6QLRfmro

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Steve ............. since you created this thread I think you owe it to your readers to create and maintain an ongoing Index of the projects contained within...

Funny you should mention that.

Just today while on a supply mission I was thinking about doing something like that...thanks for the nudge.

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Spunky99

...The difference between a flattened flake and a wild flake is evident...

You are correct sir.

The Emeraldcaster was down with sprinkled on flake and like you said, it goes everywhere and sticks up at all sorts of angles.

The red guitars were sprayed. It works very well, but is different.

As Scott would say, "It's all good!"

Thanks again.

Steve Dikkers
aka Buckocaster51

[Buckocaster51]

With some Champagnecaster drying, we'll see what else we can get done tonight.

How about some decals on the Tractorcaster?



Let's see if it is a good thing that I have plenty of "Tractorcaster" decals to layer.



Yup. It's looking like it will take at least 2 and maybe 3.

But it is all good.

[jwells393]

Great minds Steve ........... well ............ maybe yours.

[martyb1]

When I went to put the logo on the red ash,it didn't show up that well.It never even crossed my mind to stack 2 together,duh............

[BarnesTO]

Why don't you make the "Dikkers" AND the "TRACTORCASTER" logos yellow? I think I would!

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by BarnesTO

Why don't you make the "Dikkers" AND the "TRACTORCASTER" logos yellow? I think I would!

Well...how about because I don't think it would work.



This is a stack of THREE of those decals...and the green is still showing through.

DRAT!

Anyway...I think it is on to Plan B.

Officer Phil...if you are out there, talk to me.

[Deedub]

Buckocaster51, I just want to say that reading this thread inspired me to 1) register here at TDPRI, and 2) try to refinish one of my guitars in a sparkle finish! As to that... if I have a prefinished body (white, in this case), do I need to strip it to bare wood, or just take the clear coat off and use the underlying white as a "base" coat?

Thanks for one of the coolest threads I've seen on the 'net!

[braderrick]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

This is what they look like this morning.



Sunlight has been elusive this morning.

For the record, I have found AT LEAST one emerald green flake and one ruby flake. Go figure. I don't have a CLUE where they came from.

Also a dead bug! That one really has me baffled. But dying in flake-filled lacquer must have put a smile on its face.

I have to go do some life stuff, but when I get back I'll see if I can get the other sides of these masked and shot.

TTFN

Steve Dikkers
aka Buckocaster51

Maybe they fell out of your hair? The flakes I mean, hopefully not the dead bug!

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Deedub

t... if I have a prefinished body (white, in this case), do I need to strip it to bare wood, or just take the clear coat off and use the underlying white as a "base" coat?

Thanks for one of the coolest threads I've seen on the 'net!

First off, thank you. Sharing is what it is all about.

Secondly, keep in mind that I make up most of this as I go along, but I would see no need to remove anything. Assuming no compatibility problems, you could probably rough that body up with 220/320 paper and take it from there. Depending upon the color and type of flake you are using, you might need to put some basecoat down.

Have fun.

Cheers

Steve Dikkers
aka Buckocaster51

[Buckocaster51]

On the concave parts of the top and back, there is something funny going on. When I pulled the tape, the paint on top of the tape didn't come with it. It fell back on the binding, really narrowing down the inside black line.

To clean it up I am going to get out my trusty old violin makers purfling cutter.



Some of you have seen this before. It has a cutter (top arrow) that can be adjusted with two set screws (bottom arrow and other side.) The long brass thingy is a guide that keeps the blade a constant distance from the edge.

It works pretty slick.



I am just cutting down through the flake, trying not to go into the plastic.

Above my hand you can see how the flake has occluded the purfling.

Then we can take the omnipotent utility knife blade and remove the flake from the purfling back to the scored line.



First time I have tried this.

It actually worked better than I imagined that it would!

[Buckocaster51]

Then we'll mask the edges



and cover up the sparkleflaked areas that we did yesterday



Two more bodies to go then we can start putting on the flake.

[martyb1]

Twice I have almost bought one of them purfling cutters.There seems to be certain jobs that would be much easier with one.I'm a thinking it's on the list

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by martyb1

Twice I have almost bought one of them purfling cutters.There seems to be certain jobs that would be much easier with one.I'm a thinking it's on the list

Useful things. I've NEVER used mine to cut purfling channels on a violin.

Go figure.