I wouldn't have thought about using T-nuts, but it makes a lot of sense if they're under the fingerboard. Very cool.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
Welcome to TalkBass! Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Winter Build Off 2024 - Scalawag 5: Best Bass to Replace the Best Bass for Me
- Thread starter Beej
- Start date
It's Brucebars light... I'll try this on my next neck as well.
Use a bit of anti-seize. IIRC, Rudy's never had a problem, but Bruce has seen T-nuts gall and seize; with resultant messy repairs. A dab of anti-seize on the end of the bolt threads should fend that off.
Though I do like that look and have done it before, on this one I think I'm going to keep things all the same colour palette so that I can wash it out with wood bleach before the finish. I tested the 'raw' Osmo (tinted white) and was completely unsatisfied with the look. It's attractive, (looks like pale wood, but still ambered slightly) but it's not what I'm envisioning for this bass. I'm going to bleach the wood and then apply a water-based gloss and probably rub it back to satin like I've done a few times.Looking good
I think veneer on the back of the headstock is the way to go. Maybe dyed poplar with maple on top. If it extended down to the volute you can end it there so the poplar reveal traces the top of the volute which IMHO is a cool look.
Kinda like this
View attachment 5342645
Or this
View attachment 5342646
I haven't had that problem either, but I can see it happening. In my case, it's rare that a neck comes off once assembled, so it's sort of a one and done sitch. The nice thing about the hex head furniture bolt, if it gets stuck, you can put an impact driver on it and force the bolt out right out while completely ruining the threads.
Or you drop by Canadian Tire and spend under $10 Canuck-bucks on a small 28g tube, or under CA$20 on the lifetime supply 113g jar and don't need the impact driver at all... you don't need the fancy (extra CA$10 or so) copper or nickel stuff for this job, but if you get it for replacing an oxygen sensor on the car, it still works fine.
I've got a jar of copper stuff that I bought in about 1990 that's still going.
My biggest issue is that the stuff is super dirty looking, gets everywhere and stains everything nicely. I used to use it on stainless to stainless connections in which it worked wonders (no problem getting 5 year old heavily weathered outdoor connections apart).
I routed for the pickups yesterday. I attached the template with double sided tape down the middle (due to the body radius) and the clamped it on one end for extra protection. I drilled holes with a forstner first so that I could drop the router bit into the cavity and rout it out.
I rough cut and spindle sanded the headstock a couple of days ago, but didn't get a pic at the time. Next is to put the router template on it and clean up the last 1/32".
I've been doing a terrible job of documenting things in this thread. I'll try to get more process pics going forward.
I rough cut and spindle sanded the headstock a couple of days ago, but didn't get a pic at the time. Next is to put the router template on it and clean up the last 1/32".
I've been doing a terrible job of documenting things in this thread.
I'll try to get more process pics going forward.I'm also thinking about giving the body a radius. But I think I'd better mill out the neck pocket and the other cavities first to avoid any trouble...
My trick here is that I don't mill the radius into the middle 50-60mm or so, plus I'm using a mild 50" radius. The radius is subtle enough that I'm sure flat earthers would deny it. It works out to mean that a template can rest down the centre and it doesn't rock when routing. This was a definite issue when I used my 40" radius template. The body edges became a bit thin for my taste as well.
I got a few things done since we last met.
I prepped the fretboard for glue up, and installed the locating pins to keep it in place while gluing. I put a staple into the neck and then cut it off just leaving the tiny tabs. Yes, I have sliced myself more than once on them.
Then I glued it with carpenter's glue and clamped it up.
After I pulled it out of the clamps, I trimmed the fretboard close to the neck on the bandsaw, and then took it the rest of the way with this half round file.
With the neck mostly complete (but not carved), I could locate and mark the neck pocket and aluminum bridge block on the body.
I laid it out again the same way to make the neck pocket template.
Neck removed and ready to be cut out and routed.
Neck pocket routed into the body and neck test fitted.
I next marked the body outline template onto the back of the body because I had to cut away some of the body blank near the neck pocket in order to fit a clamp on the bridge block template.
I put down some 1/2" MDF strips on either side of where the bridge block cavity would sit, to elevate the template. This was to accommodate the length of my router pattern bit.
The bridge block test fitted pretty well.
So I drilled and countersunk the holes for the screws that along with epoxy, should hopefully hold this well to the body.
Getting the bridge block and neck pocket finished meant I could trim the body out with the bandsaw 1/16" or less to the line and then rout it out. I routed it from the back due to the radius in the front of the body.
And here's a little mockup of where things are at.
I prepped the fretboard for glue up, and installed the locating pins to keep it in place while gluing. I put a staple into the neck and then cut it off just leaving the tiny tabs. Yes, I have sliced myself more than once on them.
Then I glued it with carpenter's glue and clamped it up.
After I pulled it out of the clamps, I trimmed the fretboard close to the neck on the bandsaw, and then took it the rest of the way with this half round file.
With the neck mostly complete (but not carved), I could locate and mark the neck pocket and aluminum bridge block on the body.
I laid it out again the same way to make the neck pocket template.
Neck removed and ready to be cut out and routed.
Neck pocket routed into the body and neck test fitted.
I next marked the body outline template onto the back of the body because I had to cut away some of the body blank near the neck pocket in order to fit a clamp on the bridge block template.
I put down some 1/2" MDF strips on either side of where the bridge block cavity would sit, to elevate the template. This was to accommodate the length of my router pattern bit.
The bridge block test fitted pretty well.
So I drilled and countersunk the holes for the screws that along with epoxy, should hopefully hold this well to the body.
Getting the bridge block and neck pocket finished meant I could trim the body out with the bandsaw 1/16" or less to the line and then rout it out. I routed it from the back due to the radius in the front of the body.
And here's a little mockup of where things are at.
Thanks kindly, good people.
The plan was for a near-full 5/8" roundover on the back, and a partial 5/8" roundover on the front. I pulled out the bit and it had a lot of gunk built up near the cutting edges, leading and trailing.
I scraped it off, wiped it down and then did the roundovers.
And still burnt everything everywhere. Lots of fine filing, sanding and scraping ahead.
The plan was for a near-full 5/8" roundover on the back, and a partial 5/8" roundover on the front. I pulled out the bit and it had a lot of gunk built up near the cutting edges, leading and trailing.
I scraped it off, wiped it down and then did the roundovers.
And still burnt everything everywhere.
Lots of fine filing, sanding and scraping ahead.
I've done a few more things.
I drilled the neck bolt holes in the body, starting with tiny pilot holes from both the back and from the pocket. Marking and locating done by measuring and transferring.
I first did the forstner holes. I tested them with a neck bolt until the heads sat a touch below the surface.
I also drilled them out to the larger size needed for the furniture bolts.
These furniture bolt heads don't match my forstner bit, as they are metric, and the forstner is imperial, so I put these in a drill chuck and run them against a metal file to turn them down to size. This one has already been painted as it's a spare from a previous build.
I then went over the body with some fine files to clean off all the burnt fibers, smoothed all of the roundovers and cleaned up the edges.
And I finally got around to gluing up the maple veneer on the back of the headstock. It has pretty much zero figuring, but at least it covers the slightly askew scarf joint glue line.
I drilled the neck bolt holes in the body, starting with tiny pilot holes from both the back and from the pocket. Marking and locating done by measuring and transferring.
I first did the forstner holes. I tested them with a neck bolt until the heads sat a touch below the surface.
I also drilled them out to the larger size needed for the furniture bolts.
These furniture bolt heads don't match my forstner bit, as they are metric, and the forstner is imperial, so I put these in a drill chuck and run them against a metal file to turn them down to size. This one has already been painted as it's a spare from a previous build.
I then went over the body with some fine files to clean off all the burnt fibers, smoothed all of the roundovers and cleaned up the edges.
And I finally got around to gluing up the maple veneer on the back of the headstock. It has pretty much zero figuring, but at least it covers the slightly askew scarf joint glue line.
And a few more updates.
I took the veneer out of the clamps after a few hours. There are a couple of bubbles, but it's just wet glue and they should suck down as they dry.
Then I used an exacto to trim around the edges but not too close, then took it in the rest of the way with a fine file.
Here, it has dried further and the bubbles are all but gone.
I also spent a few minutes getting the furniture bolt heads turned down to the desired width, and shortened them.
I took the veneer out of the clamps after a few hours. There are a couple of bubbles, but it's just wet glue and they should suck down as they dry.
Then I used an exacto to trim around the edges but not too close, then took it in the rest of the way with a fine file.
Here, it has dried further and the bubbles are all but gone.
I also spent a few minutes getting the furniture bolt heads turned down to the desired width, and shortened them.
I was watching the What's on Your Workbench? thread about the glow in the dark side dots, and I remembered that I have 1/8" diameter aluminum tubing, glue, epoxy and "Let's Resin" glow in the dark powders. I bought a bundle a couple of years ago and in my preliminary testing, they all glowed a little, but the only really glowing powders were the Sky Blue and classic Yellow-Green. These two held their light over minutes whereas the others lost their light in seconds.
Here's the bag of green under a north-facing window with sun outside, after being under an LED headlamp for 10 seconds.
And here's some aluminum tubing.
I cut a little piece, taped off one end, filled it with glow powder and then dripped the ultra-thin CA glue into it. It immediately flashed a bright green and hardened like a rock. Here, I've put an LED light to it for 10 seconds.
I don't know why it flashed a bright green and/or why it hardened so quickly, but I'm guessing there was a reaction between the powder and the CA. I pulled the tape off the bottom and the remaining powder all drained out. Only a small disc of glowing CA was created down at the end of the tube. I had imagined cutting slices of glow/aluminum and using them as side dots, but I think you'd have to install a piece of tubing, get it close to flush, fill it with powder and hit it with CA to make it work.
I decided to do a direct comparison with some Luminlay that I have. On the left is the white styrene-shrouded Luminlay stick and on the right is the aluminum tube with Let's Resin yellow-green and CA glue. I held them both under the LED for 10 seconds together. Here, they have been sitting for 10 seconds after being 'charged'.
Here is 20 seconds:
And here is 30 seconds.
The Luminlay is a solid cylinder of the glow-infused plastic, whereas my aluminum stick is just a small disc at the end, probably 1/32" thick. It's also day time in these photos, when I looked at them in a dark closet a few minutes later, they were both pretty bright and visible. I think this would work just fine on a dark stage.
I also did other stuff, but I'll post that up later.
Here's the bag of green under a north-facing window with sun outside, after being under an LED headlamp for 10 seconds.
And here's some aluminum tubing.
I cut a little piece, taped off one end, filled it with glow powder and then dripped the ultra-thin CA glue into it. It immediately flashed a bright green and hardened like a rock. Here, I've put an LED light to it for 10 seconds.
I don't know why it flashed a bright green and/or why it hardened so quickly, but I'm guessing there was a reaction between the powder and the CA. I pulled the tape off the bottom and the remaining powder all drained out. Only a small disc of glowing CA was created down at the end of the tube. I had imagined cutting slices of glow/aluminum and using them as side dots, but I think you'd have to install a piece of tubing, get it close to flush, fill it with powder and hit it with CA to make it work.
I decided to do a direct comparison with some Luminlay that I have. On the left is the white styrene-shrouded Luminlay stick and on the right is the aluminum tube with Let's Resin yellow-green and CA glue. I held them both under the LED for 10 seconds together. Here, they have been sitting for 10 seconds after being 'charged'.
Here is 20 seconds:
And here is 30 seconds.
The Luminlay is a solid cylinder of the glow-infused plastic, whereas my aluminum stick is just a small disc at the end, probably 1/32" thick. It's also day time in these photos, when I looked at them in a dark closet a few minutes later, they were both pretty bright and visible. I think this would work just fine on a dark stage.
I also did other stuff, but I'll post that up later.
I bolted the neck up to the body and checked bridge measurements, and my centreline is a touch off. I thought about burning the bass, but settled on punching myself in the face once. I marked and punched the holes and drilled the middle one, but when I went to tap it, I discovered that tap is missing. A new one arrives Wednesday.
I drilled the holes for the nut and rough cut it out.
I drew the TR cover and rough cut it out. I also cleaned up the nut a bit and readied it for final sanding.
I also drilled for the tuners. I drilled a tiny pilot hole right through, and then used forstners from the back and front to meet in the middle. The back ones are the same size as the tuner capstan, and the front ones accommodate the large nut.
I did the belly carve on the back. I used a flap wheel on a grinder to rough it in, then a bastard round file to rough carve it to this.
I also drilled for, and glued in the luminlay side dots.
I also wire wheeled the neck bolts to clean up the threads, then I taped off the threads, put the bolts in a block, heated them up with a hair dryer while I warmed up the rustoleum spray bomb in a pot of warm water. When both were suitably warm, I took them outside and sprayed a nice wet coat. It was about 6c or 43f outside. I brought them both back inside into the bathroom and let them offgas/dry under the fan for a few hours.
Wet:
Dry this morning:
I also sanded the fretboard up to 320 grit and put on a coat of osmo to ready for fretting.
I drilled the holes for the nut and rough cut it out.
I drew the TR cover and rough cut it out. I also cleaned up the nut a bit and readied it for final sanding.
I also drilled for the tuners. I drilled a tiny pilot hole right through, and then used forstners from the back and front to meet in the middle. The back ones are the same size as the tuner capstan, and the front ones accommodate the large nut.
I did the belly carve on the back. I used a flap wheel on a grinder to rough it in, then a bastard round file to rough carve it to this.
I also drilled for, and glued in the luminlay side dots.
I also wire wheeled the neck bolts to clean up the threads, then I taped off the threads, put the bolts in a block, heated them up with a hair dryer while I warmed up the rustoleum spray bomb in a pot of warm water. When both were suitably warm, I took them outside and sprayed a nice wet coat. It was about 6c or 43f outside. I brought them both back inside into the bathroom and let them offgas/dry under the fan for a few hours.
Wet:
Dry this morning:
I also sanded the fretboard up to 320 grit and put on a coat of osmo to ready for fretting.