Winter 2017 Build Off - Speak of the Devil

#121
CanadaNeal said:
I think red LEDs lighting up the burnt wood inlay would look cool.

View attachment 1025523 View attachment 1025522
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I'm a little hesitant about using LEDs embedded in the epoxy. If they ever burn out, they would not be replaceable. Cool effect though, I have to agree.

FingerDub said:
Lurker here, enjoying your progress MapleGlo.

Isn't there some sort of semi transparent reflective paint that will make the flames "move" when light reflects off them? I think that would be a really cool effect to have if it can be pulled off without looking cheesy.
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Thanks! I'm going to try a few things. Anything iridescent will have that "moving" effect. I saw these at the grocery store this morning.

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So I picked up the package. Perhaps the glue will hold them in place while I pour in the epoxy. Maybe I can go from red to silver with some blue in there. I'll play with it, maybe later today.
 
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#124
Rough shaped the headstock.

headstockrough.jpg


Not sure what I'll do about this.

headstockside.jpg


The tip of the headstock is thinner - I may just leave it as I want some "meat" for the screws holding the tuners to grab on to.

necksofar.jpg


I think I want to glue on the fretboard at this point. When I fill the inlay, I think it'll be better if the fretboard is fixed to the neck to prevent any kind of movement.
 
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#127
I glued up the fretboard this afternoon.

fretboardglueup.jpg


I wanted to start experimenting with the sparkle, epoxy, and red colorant for the flame inlay, but that will have to wait until later in the week.

Allparts is having a sale - there's some signifiant savings. I ordered a couple of bridges that actually have a suitable string spacing for the neck through. Those Babicz solorails are great, but very expensive.

bridge.jpg


Under $25.00 for a 5 string bridge is pretty good, I think. I almost ordered 5 Schaller tuners, but they only had 4 in stock. I was ready to take the chance they were reversible as they only had right side tuners left. Those were like $10.00 each.

This will be the first time I'm using black hardware on a build. I've always only used chrome/aluminum in the past.

I also ordered a few jack mounting plates.
 
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#131
Thanks for all the interest and comments!

RBS_Johnson said:
What about some of the super sparkly craft paper stuff that JIO put in the holes on one of his P basses? That could be cool if it could be cut accurately to the shape of the inlay.

Looking good! Or is it looking evil?

-Jake
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While it's a possibility, I'm a little fearful. I have some mirrored sheets that I thought might work, but if I lay something on the bottom of the inlay, I'm not sure how that will effect the adhesion of the epoxy. If the material is porous enough, the epoxy would soak right through to the wood below and adhere fine. If not, I'm afraid the inlay may pop out.
 
#132
mapleglo said:
Thanks for all the interest and comments!



While it's a possibility, I'm a little fearful. I have some mirrored sheets that I thought might work, but if I lay something on the bottom of the inlay, I'm not sure how that will effect the adhesion of the epoxy. If the material is porous enough, the epoxy would soak right through to the wood below and adhere fine. If not, I'm afraid the inlay may pop out.
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If you brush a thin layer of epoxy in before you put the [whatever sparkly/reflective material you choose] then fill it the rest of the way I'd think that would be enough to keep it from popping out even if it doesn't soak completely through.
 
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#133
I ran into this issue a little on my inlays on the Hossenfeffer. They are more transluscent then I realized, so you see a "shadow" of the dark inlay walls all around through the edges. If I look real hard, I can see a ghost of the fret position numbers I wrote on the back of each inlay! Heh. Next time I'll paint the inlay pockets with epoxy and white colorant.

Maple,
Thanks for ruining the perfectly good rant on truss rod vs. Neck thickness I had all planned out, I have been Served!
 
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#135
Like I did with the 4004 inlays/epoxy pours. Of course, looking over this now, I'm thinking I should have cut the inlay and poured the epoxy before I cut the fret slots. Damning each slot is going to be a challenge.

fretboardglued.jpg


4 layers of masking tape fills the slot pretty well it seems. Well, tomorrow I think I'll try some test inlay pours to see what I can come up with.
 
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#136
Re: Masking the fret slots

Get some 0.020" thick aluminum or brass or steel sheet stock from the hobby shop, or shim stock from a metal supplier. Cut some strips about 1/2" wide. You may even be able to get 1/2" x 0.020" brass strip stock at the hobby shop. Cut them into lengths maybe 3" long.

Have them ready as you start the pour. Pour the epoxy mix in and let it settle out. Then place the metal strips in the fret slots. Maybe set a board across the top of them to make sure they don't lift up. After the epoxy has cured, yank them out with pliers. You'll still need to run a saw through the slots to clean them up, but at least the slots will be there.

Yeah, it would have been better to cut the slots after pouring the inlays. That's how we did the Rockit fingerboards.
 
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#139
mapleglo said:
Oh, and it's Teddy's Birthday today. He's 57. We had a party.

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My sock monkey crew wishes Teddy another 57 years of 'soft-power' (pop Japanese term for the positive power of cute/happy/positive icons) and wished they could have attended the party as they take every advantage to party. (party-hats, sporks and a lively game of Parcheesi are a common activity around here) :)

Jocko as spokesmonkey sez' keep on keepin' on.
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