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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:01 pm
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Disappointing Day, as I sat up and only got to mill out the 2nd half for the Stratopartster's back..

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About an hour into my fun..It started to rain so it was pack it up :roll: ....May not get back to this for a couple of days.

But the Top Halves and Bottom Halves are ready for joining prep then gluing up....
Center strips still need to be milled to thickness before being glued up to the Top and Bottoms..

On another note, the stock tally is.......

(1) One Figured Maple/Walnut Center Stripe Stratopartster back route body.
(2) One Figured Walnut/Maple Center Stripe Telepartster back route body.
(3) One (yet to be planned) Walnut Stratopartster Back route body baulk.
(4) One (yet to be planned) Walnut Telepartster Back route body baulk.

Number (1) and (2) are the one's I'm working on currently, the other two will be stored while I decide, plus I don't have enough clamps to be able to glue up more than 2 bodies at the same time......
I will need to go shopping for a 70's Stratocaster neck real soon or the Stratopartster will be delayed, as well as a shopping list for pickups and electronics configuration.
I only at the moment, have the Telepartster's, Texas Specials pups, bridge and all the electronics except for the jack plug....
Remember this will be a carved top so the plug will be similar to a Strat setup or directly into the edge on an angle towards the Strap button...

That is it for now.... However I still need to get back to Stratopartster II and III's electronics and various changes....( illustrated on my other build thread) ....
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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 1:01 am
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On to the milling today. It's quite easy to underestimate the actual lenght of time it takes to prep baulks or boards for glueing up into 2 to 3 piece bodies.
In this case there will actually be 8 separate boards for the Telepartster and 7 for the Stratopartster bodies.......

NOOooo :!: :!: These are not Plywood.... :wink:

So to the update following a bit of jest..
This the setup for today...minus the Maple Tops which are still clamped in curing ( glue ) and the two Maple bottoms which are set aside. In this pic the 3/4" x 5.5" maple center pieces have been run thru and about to be split with the chisel and mall.

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The edge burn marks :roll: :shock: are from using a 60 tooth carbide blade past it's sharp date. This was the 1st order of business..Changing to a 35 tooth blade more in line with ripping.

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I started with ripping the Figured Maple ( 3 of the 8 pieces ) center pieces to the correct thickness of 3/8ths of an inch..( I bought these at a Home Depot, for two reasons.) One they were inexpensive and in the stack of 3/4" x 5.5" x 7' were quite a few choice figured lengths.

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Next were the Walnut center strips ( right side of the table ) followed by ripping the Walnut tops and bottoms and then the Maple Bottom Halves..

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This is the final thickness after ripping on the table saw....1 inch thick for the Maple bottoms and 7/8th" for the Walnut tops and bottoms..I'm referring to Tops or Faces and Backs or Bottoms so the two definitions are interchangeable but mean the same pieces of the front or back of the guitar bodies.

The raised centers will be shaved with the hand power plane..and finished up with sanders..

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Here are the completed pieces for the Telepartster...2 Tops...2 Bottoms and 3 center pieces
all ready for final sanding.

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Tele. Backs/Bottoms are on the left...Tops/Fronts are on the right.. 8)

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These next Three Center Pieces are really nicely figured and I feel guilty that they will be hidden but it's not possible to get a figured edge only on a board. :(
( they have to be full center pieces I don't want to go thru the detail of chamfering a 1" deep slot on just the edge of the body.)

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The next 2 pics give a rough idea of the final layout, but I'm toying with the idea of running a Center Strip of Maple to separate the Tele's Back/Bottom Halves...Not sure yet, tomorrow will be the decider as I will be glueing up the Telepartster's Tops and Bottoms.
The Stratopartster's Backs still need some final sanding and squaring...
It is 4:30am here, raining and the forecast is the same for later today, so more milling, sanding will probably not get done..

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That is it for now..... :)

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 10:03 am
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Phew!! :)

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:32 pm
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I was going to update yesterday's progress but since P-bucket has temporarily kicked the Bucket, the latest Bucket list will have to wait.... :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:47 pm
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The hand-held power planer works well?

Always figured you needed a bench style that could accommodate a wide stock.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:09 pm
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Yes, it does but, Caution is of the utmost importance...you need to set it on the 0 or less setting, so that you take less than a 32nd of an inch each pass. At times I had to run it at an angle ( Blade is cutting at an angle not perpendicular).
But I first ran my boards thru the Table saw to about 1/4 inch or less of the thickness I wanted.
You can always take more off if need dictates, regluing chips and sawdust for added thickness is messy.. :wink: :lol: :lol:
So it works quite well, it is multiple passes, check with a framing square so that you are not cupping the board or con-vexing it.
I then ran a small Porter Cable belt sander to eliminate the small ridges. ( the blade is only 3 to 4 inches wide ) so it cannot plane down an entire 13-1/2 inch board in One pass.
Afterwards I used to 5" orbital sanders, a Porter Cable and a Milwaukee fitted with 80 grit then 100 grit. Again checking as you go with the framing square. ( While I'm on the FS subject I use one that is about 1/8th of an inch in thickness as it is stronger and less likely to not hold a true flat edge.

The belt sander is a Porter Cable 2-1/2" x 14" Compact Belt Sander Model # 371.
It's great it can be really detail oriented and is light, easy to use yet powerful.
The planer is a Bosch Model 1594. also a great tool, I have mostly Bosch, Porter Cable or Dewalt for tools with the occasional Ryobi for very light work....

Let's see if I can upload some pics from yesterday....

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Last edited by 53magnatone on Mon Aug 13, 2012 5:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:28 pm
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Photo bucket is back up but not sure about earlier posts.. :?

Here we have the Figured Walnut Tops for the Telepartster ready to be prepped for glueing.

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Same procedure as before, lay out the two clamps on the bench and place the two halves together, close them up for a dry run, backlight the joint and look from the front to see if light peeks thru... If so than either light sanding or a complete re-edging cut is needed.
I ran both halves thru the table saw to ensure a flat square edge..
( I also changed blade again to a Tenryu 45 tooth carbide blade ( expensive about a $100 ) for both ripping and cross cut, this blade is also thicker so you don't get a wobble and it spins true which really matters when you are cutting the board to a 1 inch thickness.

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So here is as the Telepartster tops sit, glued and clamped into the Torture Rack :twisted:

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Next was the Bottoms/Backs halves which I need to work on as they are a bit off squareness since the weather lately has fluctuated between very humid and dry...Yippeee :roll:
Meanwhile I decided that for the Tele I am running a Back Center Strip of Maple between the halves as well as a center strip between the top and bottoms...
The strip here is just for effect since I will need to cut one to the boards length since I will have to adjust my template layout forward or back before cutting the pattern on the Bandsaw..

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If the effect I'm aiming for works, the Maple strip will pop out when under lighting thru the clear coat..... :idea: 8) 8)

Speaking of Maple... 8) These are the two Back halves to the Stratopartster body, cut fitted glued and clamped into the Medieval Rack.
Next will be glueing the Tops and the Backs together, probably tomorrow.
I decided that a Walnut center strip is not going to happen on this one, the pieces of Walnut I have are just not up to the quality I wanted, plus glued up the body is going to be about 2-1/8" th in thickness, even though I need the extra thickness being a carved top, the center strips would have sent this too thick and I don't think it would look that great with the Cherry sunburst or Tobacco sunburst finish... Too Much contrast away from a really nicely figured Maple Tops and Backs

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Last I recut these Maple Center strips for the Telepartster, sanded them perfectly flat and perhaps by Wednesday or Thursday they will get glued up.
On this phase both the top halves and the center strips get impregnated with glue, then the Back Halves also get glued up and all three sections get pressed together flat so that it becomes One integral body..
If you glue the center pieces to the tops or Backs first then later join up to the other half. it' possible to have a space somewhere between the cnter pieces and the tops or backs and once the glue dries, it will give you an uneven surface to glue against, which means more prep and that space will probably show up somewhere where there is a rout to be layed out.. :oops:

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That is the new Tenryu Blade peeking out from behind the fence on the table saw..

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Last edited by 53magnatone on Mon Aug 13, 2012 5:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:52 pm
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tyronne wrote:
The hand-held power planer works well?

Always figured you needed a bench style that could accommodate a wide stock.


I would love to have that option but that probably won't happen for a bit, If I get to build anything it is going to be ( 1st ) a Sewing Studio above the garage for the wife as well as remodeling the 16' x 18' cabin out back....
Anyway a full workshop would mean a large expenditure in both equipment and build.
Though I'm considering a Post and Beam and even though I have enough tree's on the property to cut for that application I would just rather buy from a local yard, in the long run it is much more cost effective than doing it myself..( not to mention I love my 100+ year old tree's and that was the reason we bought this property of 4.5 acres...

Oh..I have some updates to post on the Stratopartster II and III threads....
By the Way, Thank You All for tuning in, even though I'm having all the fun.... 8)

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:47 pm
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Wow, nice. I have not popped in here in quite a while. Looking great!

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 7:27 pm
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Astounding! I really look forward to seeing the maple strip after it is all finished it is going to be beautiful!

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 6:49 am
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Thank You, to all...Much appreciated since there is always a bit of anxiety in this since it is still an unknown as to the final result....

Xhefri..... I have a finish application question for you....Over time the finish on Stratopartster I has cured but not resulted in a satisfying finish unless I wanted that roughed in relic look. I was aiming for a smooth glass finish but it seems what I used for lacquer is just not appropriate as it stays elastic even though it's cured and has molded itself to every divot on the body, whereas when I sprayed it it looked smooth and flat....

Any suggestions on lacquer brand to go to for these, the Tele I and Strato IV bodies since they will be clear coat, the Strat with a Cherry Sunburst or Tobacco sunburst finish... :?: :idea:

Thanks in advance..And I will go to your site and peruse for some solutions..

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 9:40 am
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53magnatone wrote:
Thank You, to all...Much appreciated since there is always a bit of anxiety in this since it is still an unknown as to the final result....

Xhefri..... I have a finish application question for you....Over time the finish on Stratopartster I has cured but not resulted in a satisfying finish unless I wanted that roughed in relic look. I was aiming for a smooth glass finish but it seems what I used for lacquer is just not appropriate as it stays elastic even though it's cured and has molded itself to every divot on the body, whereas when I sprayed it it looked smooth and flat....

Any suggestions on lacquer brand to go to for these, the Tele I and Strato IV bodies since they will be clear coat, the Strat with a Cherry Sunburst or Tobacco sunburst finish... :?: :idea:

Thanks in advance..And I will go to your site and peruse for some solutions..

Hey Mag, Mr. C could answer this questions better than I. But I can say with years of working with lacquer, I can say that is somewhat the nature of the beast. It shrinks a lot, is brittle, chips easy, and is not very durable. That is why a nitro guitar relics so easy. What I have done in finishing, cars or guitars, both with lacquer or urethane, is to make sure I have a good amount of material sprayed on the object. Lacquer and urethane are two different beasts, but the principle is the same. One needs to get a lot of coats on the body before finish sanding and buffing. With lacquer, drying time between coats is essential. Urethane is a bit more forgiving in the fact that in one afternoon you can get a lot of coats on, where as lacquer needs more drying time and sanding between coats—which could take days to get a high gloss, near prefect finish.

But the point is, one needs a good amount of material on the body so proper bock sanding can take place. I have refinished a lot of cars, street rods, classics, and have done about 4, maybe 5 guitar bodies. In all cases, the end result is met by wet sanding and buffing. I put a lot of material on, then let it dry and block it out, working toward finer and finer grit papers till the body is ready to buff. And then again that same principle is used in buffing—using finer and finer grit polishing compounds. The whole finial finishing is an art of its own. Such a pain too: Like, don't sand through the finish....leave enough for buffing. ...Do not buff through the finish on the edges...etc. One reason I only did a few guitar bodies. I love a high gloss, perfect finish. On 3 of the bodies I refinished I ended up having to spray them a second time because I sanded or buffed through the clear coat. (I use urethane BTW) One reason I would rather buy a body already finished, like from Warmoth or off eBay, than do my own. Also one reason I was snickering at the Icestorm/Firestorm debate where I was being accused of painting those myself. No way! Just too much work to get that perfect of a finish especially as cool looking as those.

But to your question, one has to block out the small imperfections after the finish has cured (shrunk about as much as it will). Then buff it to perfection. If you do not want to do this painful process, one has to live with some orange peel, dust specks, and slight imperfections—or even worse...runs in the paint or clear coat!! On one body I shot, it came out nearly perfect (what luck!) and only needed a little block sanding and buffing. But that is not the case most of the time. Last year I finished off a near showpiece Nissan 240SX for my son. (Drifting car with a Sylvia motor and front end). The paint alone was around $1000. Spent like 3 days wet-sanding and buffing on that to get it like a mirror. What a pain in the behind!

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:14 am
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Thanks Xhefry, your response made me chuckle. As I recall I spent my teenage years working with my dad on our 67 SS Camaro. We had a gas station / workshop in Gales Ferry CT on Rt 12. Anyway we completely stripped the car and repainted it a 74 Cadillac green, resembles an emerald green, adapts to lighting in different hues. So half of our shop was actually a body shop/paint shop and I ended up working there/ hanging out as much as I could as a 15 - 14 year old. ( I wanted that car so badly when I got my license but in hindsight, I would not be alive today if I had taken possesion of it. A 600+ HP that does the 1/4 in 10.5 sec. is not a car for a Newbie...Funny enough I saw it recently in my section of the CT woods, I drove by, turned around and took a close look thinking I must be dreaming, it couldn't be...But it was... right down to the same wheels as I remember it back from 1973... I ran into some old Hot Rod friends of my dad who confirmed that... Yes... it was the same 67 Camaro and still owned by the same person :shock: )

Your response just reminded me and confirmed that I did as I should except I stopped at step # 6 instead of proceeding to step # 15.. A lack of patience and wanting to get the Strato I up on the site sooner than it was ready.
This is good, as soon as my other two Strats are back together, # I will be diassembled and both the neck and body will undergo a refinish with the intended result....

Thank You again and I have to go back and read about the Icestorm/firestorm debacle.
It's funny because in my line of work, I often get a skeptical response or just the " it cannot be done this way " .

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:31 am
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If your current project in question needs some fixing. You could just give the body a good wet-sanding and shoot it with a few more color coats, let ot dry and then pile on some clear lacquer, letting them dry good between coats and then let the body cure for a week somewhere warm. Then sand and buff it. Sometime they turn out better after the original paint has cured really well, shrunk and used as a sealer of sorts!

I have painted a few 60s Camaros and the same vintage Firebirds! But my tastes were always 1930s Plymouths, Chevys and Fords. Especially 1936 to 1939. Some stock, some with V8s!

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:34 am
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Howdy!

This is progressing nicely. Good stuff! Way beyond my carpentry skill levels and I can't refin for toffee so can't really comment on SP 1... other than to suggest you go natural and smother it in Danish Oil! :D

Keep us posted!

Andy

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