Winter Build Off 2018 - Walnut Grace 6

Beej

Beej

Supporting Member
Feb 10, 2007
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Vancouver Island
#1
Okay, entry number 2 in this thing: Winter Build Off 2018 - Walnut Free For All. :D

I know I'm nowhere near complete on build number 1 for this build off, but I think I can get this one done in time as well. I already have everything but the fretwire and trussrod. :smug:

I talked about this one already a little in my other thread here: Winter Build Off 2018 - Walnut Reprobate This will be a 65+% walnut version of my "Grace" body style. If it doesn't sound familiar, that's because you've never seen it before. :laugh: It's a single cut design; here are a few specs:

Body style: Chambered 3/4" Walnut body core with 3/8" bookmatched walnut back and 3/8" bookmatched driftwood top
Construction: 6 string set neck
Fingerboard: Pau Ferro, fretted with zero fret,
Neck: 7 laminate walnut with maple accents and walnut/maple veneers, tilted scarfed laminated headstock with body top matching veneer, 3+3 tuner layout
Materials: Black Walnut billets, boards and veneers, Black Walnut Sapwood, Flamed Maple, Plain Maple veneer, Yellow Cedar driftwood (I also have a maple set I might use instead)
Scale: 34"
Pickups: Hot Jazz (9.8k), with custom covers
Electronics: Passive
Bridge: Allparts
Tuners: Gotoh
Finish: Tru-oil over epoxy on body, Tru-oil on neck, satin finish

The obligatory entry photo:
Walnut Entry Photo

Walnut Entry Photo

winter walnut build off
 
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#2
So I got started on this one today, so a few updates. :cool:

I cut up a piece of dimensioned black walnut that I had into four pieces that I could glue together to make a 3/4" thick body core.
body core pieces

body core pieces

ready for planing and glue up

I laid them out in several different ways until I found this one - to my eye the grain matchups worked on the ends of the bass and where you'll see them on the edges.
dry fitted body core

dry fitted body core

found the best configuration for my needs
 
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#3
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#5
Englishman said:
Pretty cool stuff.
Click to expand...
Thanks Mr. Englishman, high praise coming from you. :)

Amongst some other guitar work today, I did a little work on this one. The body core came out of the clamps and cleaned up nicely with a scraper and plane.
walnut body core

walnut body core

.

Next up, I'll be adding a one-piece maple veneer to each side of this blank, plus an additional walnut veneer to the top. I'll glue this up in a large sandwich with epoxy glue, but didn't get to it today.
walnut body core

walnut body core

out of the clamps and cleaned up
 
#7
I played with the template on the top panels and tried a few different arrangements before settling on this. The large gap in the neck pocket also falls away on the underside. I'd have to bring out a few tricks to use it on the other end of the body, whereas in this location, it will mostly be routed away for the neck pocket. This is before edge jointing.
top with outline

top with outline

testing testing

I put the panels together into my edge routing jig and made them fit as tightly as possible without losing too much material. The panels are only just barely wider than my template. :D Here they are smooth as a baby's bum.
router planing the top's edges

router planing the top's edges

router planing jig

And laid out they are a much tighter fit and can be glued together and surfaced. :)
cleaned up seam

cleaned up seam

ready for glue up

Much more to come! :D
 
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#9
I did a little fiddling with the body core last night. I glued on one veneer to test it in my clamping jig and it worked out okay, but not as tight as the last time I used a vacuum press. Lee Valley has a nice one in stock so I'm going to pick one up before I do any further veneer work.

I didn't get to the neck glue up yet, but I should have that in place tonight. :)
 
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#10
While I was digging around looking for longer strips of MDF that I could use for a neck template, I found an old version of this bass that my friend had started. I'll have to snap some pics tonight. I recall he had a problem with the neck (neckthru design) and then he scrapped it. When he moved away, he left it with me, I dumped it in the back corner of my shed and forgot about it. The neck and body are probably not easily salvageable, however I think I can remove and use the fretboard for this bass. He was making a wide six string, so I'm pretty sure there is plenty of width available for my needs... :)
 
#14
Beej said:
Wow, I think that's the first time I'll actually save money by going with Lee Valley... :D Vacuum Press - Lee Valley Tools
Click to expand...

Yes and no.

The kit Jisch bought can handle an entire neck through build. Yours is pretty much limited to bolt-on drop tops.

I have been looking at various vacuum setups for a while. Most of the money is in the bags - vinyl vs polyurethane, mil thickness and overall dimensions.

I think i have my mind made up on an electric pump setup because I can use it to do immersion stabilizing as well as layups.


edit: oh yea, nice work, too :D
 
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#15
So I finalized the neck layout and I'll be gluing it up tomorrow night. Even though the middle is a big hunk of fudge, from the nut to the heel, the outside of the neck will show the flamed maple. :)
Neck laminate mockup

Neck laminate mockup

final mockup

This one and the one above are just mockups. I like how the centre laminates are so much lighter in colour than the ones next to the maple.
Neck Laminate Close up

Neck Laminate Close up

closer shot of the veneers between the laminates
 
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#16
I also decided to go in a different direction with the top. This is another set off the same driftwood board, but these are thicker at about 7/16" without being surfaced. They'll let me have a thicker body and I can use the other set on a guitar build.
Driftwood Body Top

Driftwood Body Top

A new top

I wish I had another dozen clamps or so - I'd be getting a little more done right now... :D
 
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#17
Beej said:
So I finalized the neck layout and I'll be gluing it up tomorrow night. Even though the middle is a big hunk of fudge, from the nut to the heel, the outside of the neck will show the flamed maple. :)
Neck laminate mockup

Neck laminate mockup

final mockup

This one and the one above are just mockups. I like how the centre laminates are so much lighter in colour than the ones next to the maple.
Neck Laminate Close up

Neck Laminate Close up

closer shot of the veneers between the laminates
Click to expand...

Looks cool! In the pics there seems to be a color difference between the center laminates as well, the bottom one seems to have a lot more red. Curious to see what will happen if you oil it, will it exaggerate or tone down the color differences
 
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#20
Thanks folks :) @Hout I may end up flipping that one over so the two are closer in colour - I think that's just how I had held them together. :D

My other build is still chilling in the clamps, I decided to leave it until tomorrow night, which will be about 45 hours. I noticed that today I could still drive my fingernail into the epoxy drips on the body. The older drips are much harder, so I'd rather wait. :)

Tonight instead, I worked on this build. I only took one pic, but I made some thin pieces of cherry that I may use as accent veneers in the body sandwich when I glue this up. I also planed the top boards flat on the bookmatched side.
Router Planed Top

Router Planed Top

before joining the top

Next up will be routing the edge on both boards that will make up the seam and joining them. Once they're joined, I'll router plane the backside flat and glue them to the core. Oh yeah, I have to finish the core... :D
 
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