2021 Winter Build Off - Thunderbird 5

[jclegg]

I quit

I agree.

 

[2groggy]

Prepping materials for internal frame and bracing...

 

[2groggy]

I have the top placed face-down on a work table and have started building up the sides. These shots are looking at the block into which the neck will be set. I won't sand anything smooth until the perimeter and internal bracing are complete.

 

[Englishman]

I'm glad I saw this before buying a bunch of stuff to start lol.

 

[Reedt2000]

You counting pieces in this build? I'm pretty sure if you get to 555 it's an automatic win...

 

[jsiddall]

Just catching up on this thread now and... uh... that's amazing!

 

[2groggy]

You counting pieces in this build? I'm pretty sure if you get to 555 it's an automatic win...

This gives me 3 choices:

1. count the pieces and accept a 1 in 5 chance that the number is divisible by 5
2. claim that I already counted the pieces and that they already are divisible by 5
3. Let you use the pictures to count the pieces yourself

 

[2groggy]

Sides are assembled. Internal reinforcement to follow tomorrow.

 

[Postalflunkie]

That is five kinds of cool

 

[Reedt2000]

Yeah man, that looks incredible

 

[Delinquent]

 

[2groggy]

I sanded the sides down to smooth and mostly flush. Then filled the gaps using some saved cedar and pine sawdust from the previous project whose leftovers I am using for this build.

 

[2groggy]

I made some progress in the last couple of days

I decided to add internal longitudinal bracing between the neck block and tail block that didn't touch either front or back. I built it an an I-beam.

I also built up the neck from the same reclaimed timber.

And doesn't it figure... I see a nail hole that I thought that I'd miss.

 

[2groggy]

No particular reason, but I wonder which of you has the best meme for the totally hypothetical situation of gluing up and clamping the neck, and then returning to the workshop two hours later and seeing the truss rod sitting on the workbench. Purely a hypothetical situation of course. Nope, no pictures of a glued up neck with an empty slot where the truss rod should be.... nope... no pictures... didn't happen...

 

[Postalflunkie]

Um...
No words

 

[Delinquent]

I left a TR out once and heaved the neck across the shop.

Once i calmed down a bit, I cut open the headstock access a little and slid it into place, covering it with a bigger TR cover. Plus I had to steam out some dents.

 

[Reedt2000]

No particular reason, but I wonder which of you has the best meme for the totally hypothetical situation of gluing up and clamping the neck, and then returning to the workshop two hours later and seeing the truss rod sitting on the workbench. Purely a hypothetical situation of course. Nope, no pictures of a glued up neck with an empty slot where the truss rod should be.... nope... no pictures... didn't happen...

How about this one:

 

[ctmullins]

Ha!

I once glued a fingerboard to a neck with the fret slots facing down. Fortunately I immediately realized my mistake and pulled them apart. Had to do a lot of unnecessary cleanup!

@Delinquent ’s idea is a good one - can you slide the rod in, maybe with some judicious tapping with a hammer?

 

[2groggy]

Wow, I haven't posted in a week. I got the FB off with a hair dryer and putty knife. I let the glue cure overnight before sanding it off and glued everything back together the next day. I've also glued a walnut veneer on the headstock. Pictures to follow.

 

[2groggy]

First off, here's the picture of the walnut headstock. It will have 3+2 tuners. I still need to shape the back.

I took most of the day testing pre-bending of wood binding. I based my tests on this.

My pieces had more spring-back than the author's, so I'll give it another watch and see what corners I might be cutting.