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Wheeler long tennon double cut
http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=35517		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Wheeler long tennon double cut
I started a new guitar today. I lke the concept of a neck thru guitar in that both ends of the strings are anchored to the same piece of wood. But I was after something different, just for the sake of being different.
I had a nice piece of vertical grain Douglas Fir thats been kicking around the shop for a few years. 2" thick by 3 3/4" wide and 35" long. So I fed it to the dogs (jointer, planer,bandsaw, etc.) to chew on for a while and came up with this.
Attachment:
New Eleatric 001.JPG


Here's a shot of the layout. From the neck end you can see the line for the body joint which is at the 23rd fret, the next curved line is the end of the fretboard, then two humbuckers (Dimarrzio's) a TOM and stop tail piece.
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New Eleatric 003.JPG
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Since this will be a flat top with a tall bridge, I'll need a three degree angle from the "neck" to the "body". Here is the layout of the angle starting at the end of the fret board to the end of the neck. I then marked a parallel line from the end of the neck back to the heel. This gives me a final tenon thickness of 1 3/8".
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New Eleatric 004.JPG


First step is to machine the bottom of the tennon, so off to the bandsaw, the double sided tape, thickness sander... and I end up with 3.05 degrees. I can live with that.
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New Eleatric 005.JPG

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New Eleatric 006.JPG

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New Eleatric 007.JPG

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New Eleatric 008.JPG

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New Eleatric 009.JPG
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Doug Fir.

If it's good enough for Ken Parker it's good enough for me. I've pattern routed plenty of flamed maple and I don't get tear out. You would think that this was my first time with a router, this stuff is a regular chip fest.
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New Eleatric 012.JPG


Cut the end to match the tail of the body and finish up the shoulders of the tennon.
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New Eleatric 010.JPG

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New Eleatric 011.JPG
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Now you get to see where all this is going. The blue tape is helping glue a splinter back on (a splinter from Doug Fir?Really???).
Attachment:
New Eleatric 013.JPG


Next up was routing the body for the tennon. This was done in the standard manner with a template that was made to fit the neck, a drill press with a fostner bit to bulk out the material and a router with a pattern bit.
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New Eleatric 015.JPG


Now the neck is in the body. The top of the neck needs to be brought down flush with the surface of the body. Back to the band saw, this time I finish up with a block plane and a sanding block.
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New Eleatric 016.JPG

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New Eleatric 020.JPG

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New Eleatric 023.JPG


Here's what it looks like at the end of the day.
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New Eleatric 024.JPG
Author:  alan stassforth [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Wow, a d fir neck on a normal guitar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wanna make a lap steel square neck with d. fir.
you got some cajones there.
I bet it will come out fine.
Author:  Robert Renick [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
I have some similar stock I was thinking about doing a similar thing with. I like the idea of a light weight electric neck, but I thought that Dough fir would be the opposite of the electric tone that is desirable. I look forward to the reports. What is the body wood?
Looks good.
Rob
Author:  Mike Baker [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Really cool build! Look forward to seeing the progress.
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
The body is spruce from a huge board that I got at a woodworkers estate sale. Maybe I'll make the tuner buttons out of mahogany with a maple cap to apease the tone fairies.
Today I got started on flattening the veneer for the top. Then I thoroughly f-ed up my fretboard , which was my last piece of ebony, so I came home to drink beer instead.
Author:  Mike Baker [ Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
StevenWheeler wrote:
The body is spruce from a huge board that I got at a woodworkers estate sale. Maybe I'll make the tuner buttons out of mahogany with a maple cap to apease the tone fairies.
Today I got started on flattening the veneer for the top. Then I thoroughly [messed] up my fretboard , which was my last piece of ebony, so I came home to drink beer instead.

Hate it when that happens.
I have some maple cutoffs I'd been planning to use as a fretboard. they are tapered width-wise, from 1/4" down to 3/16". Thought they were 1 & 1/4" wide, turns out one was(already used it). The rest are 1 & 1/16". Not wide enough. I think I'm gonna join two of them and use it anyway.
Don't sweat the fretboard. You'll get another and start over. Good luck.
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
So I got a little shop time in today. Glued on some burled walnut veneer and cut the messed up fretboard to size. It's going to look something like this.
Author:  WindyCityBluesBox [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
looks good so far! (looks like a twin to the tele Im working on right now haha Image) That walnut burl will suck uf finish like no other so it helps to seal it with epoxy prior to finishing
Author:  VirgilGuitar [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
This is very cool - can't wait to see how this comes out...
Author:  RogerC108 [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
That's gonna look pretty sweet. Love the shape [:Y:]
Author:  MikeH [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
I am really digging the neck-through-sort-of-but-not-really design. A very cool idea! I've certainly never seen one like that before. Can't wait to see the final product.
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Thanks for the encouragement gentlemen.

I remembered how nice your guitar looked Alex and I have a couple of flitches of the walnut left over from a job so I went with it. I''m going to leave the fir neck showing as I like the reddish tone against the walnut.

Chris, that's a Schaller 456 combo. I got it for free-ish from a hobby builders estate. I finished a guitar for one of the offspring and got all his spare parts. Look here for info http://guitar-bridge.com/hp193108/Artikel-Liste.htm

Todays pictures show some progress and some setbacks. I don't plan ahead too much when I build a new model and sometimes I pay for it. I rebuilt my fret slot miter box and when I get more ebony that will be all good. The neck is done except for the carving which is waiting on the fretboard. Here I'm ready to rout the truss rod.
Attachment:
New Eleatric 001.JPG


The body, on the other hand, has a date with a hatchet (yes I'll potograph that for everyone). The body will be painted black save for the walnut , the neck and headplate. It will have a black burst at the head stock and heel transitions. I want a maple purfling line at the edge of the walnut veneer. I don't want a maple veneer under the walnut because with the 1/2" roundover, the maple line would be too wide. I made a gramil that could reach in 1/2" and cut an absolutley atrocious purfling groove.
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New Eleatric 015.JPG

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New Eleatric 014.JPG

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No biggie it will be painted, I'll shim the purfling (.040" black/maple/black) to the inside and fill the extra space with black epoxy.
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New Eleatric 006.JPG

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New Eleatric 008.JPG

It just went downhill from there. The good thing is that I've got plenty of material and I can be back to where I screwed up in only a couple of hours.
Here's where it stands.
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New Eleatric 005.JPG
Author:  SteveCourtright [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
You are certifiable, Wheeler.

Can't wait to play it!

:)
Author:  Timbo [ Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Very Cool Steve!!!
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Steve, I'll switch to a Floyd Rose and some Dimarzio Super Distortions for you. I saw those pics from the late 70's and that long hair.

Tim, stop by the shop this weekend if you have time. You can take the hatchet action photos.

No work at the shop today, had to go do some actual work. Self employed means unemployed until you get off your dead arse and go do something. I did snap a few more pics while I was there getting tools and such.

Here's how I made the neck pocket template.
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001.JPG
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002.JPG


Pretty self explanatory. Just cut some pieces to size, push them tight to the neck and pocket screw them together. Sand it all flat in the drum sander. I was thinking about veneering this as a tribute to Filippo's excellent jigs and build threads.

I like this style of truss rod access.
Attachment:
005.JPG


Use a 3/16" ball end mill in your router.
Attachment:
New Eleatric 004.JPG

And a piece of plwood with a 1/4" spline attached to fit in the truss rod groove to guide the neck against the fence. Surrogate neck in these pics.
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New Eleatric 003.JPG

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New Eleatric 002.JPG


Here's the last pic you'll see of this body in one piece. Only 4 more days to hatchet time.
Author:  alan stassforth [ Tue Feb 28, 2012 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Very clever truss rod access technique!
Author:  Timbo [ Wed Feb 29, 2012 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
StevenWheeler wrote:
Tim, stop by the shop this weekend if you have time. You can take the hatchet action photos.

Here's the last pic you'll see of this body in one piece. Only 4 more days to hatchet time.


Steve - you tell me when and I'll do my best to be there... Hatchet plus guitar has me very curious!!
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Sat Mar 03, 2012 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Got some work done today. No hatchet shots yet, I put the neck and body together and realized that the treble horn crowded the access to the 24th fret. Pretty ridiculous to have a 23 fret joint and not be able to reach the 24th. So I started grinding it back to get the needed access. Went from this
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004.JPG

To this
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New Eleatric 001.JPG

Here is the change drawn on the new body
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New Eleatric 003.JPG


Got some ebony and made a new fretboard with the fret slots in the right place. This is some super rare curly ebony. If I understand the story correctly, it's a three week hike into the Congo where this species grows. The exact location is a closley held secret and the Sherpas who support the expedition are sacraficed in a ceremony to ensure the continued growth of these highly prized trees.
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New Eleatric 007.JPG

I clamp up the neck and fretboard to a 3/4" x 4" x 24" chunck of steel with legs on it that the brother in law machined flat for me. It has PSA sandpaper attached and I use it for all my neck prep.
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New Eleatric 004.JPG


My sweetie brought me lunch including birthday cake from her dad's birthday party last night.
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New Eleatric 006.JPG


And last for today is a shot of my veneer press which is cleverly disguised as a 1965 454 powered SS Malibu. I could sell the car and get one of those cool vacuum deals, but those can't run 11 second 1/4 miles.
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New Eleatric 009.JPG
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Just a little work today. Veneered the new body and shaped the neck. Got the fretboerd radiused and then made some new purfling with a larger maple stripe(.020") and installed that on the body. I modified the purfling cutter by trimming back the dowel and adding a shim to get back to the correct depth. Works much better having a flat spot on the guide surface.
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New Eleatric 001.JPG


Here's a couple of shots of the neck.
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New Eleatric 002.JPG

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New Eleatric 003.JPG
Author:  Shaw [ Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
So are you reinforcing the necks with carbon fiber rods?...Mike
Author:  StevenWheeler [ Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
Hi Mike,

No carbon in this neck. It is the first time I've used Doug Fir for a neck and did consider putting in two 1/8"x 3/8" cf rods. This is a strong piece of wood and after some rather unscientific deflection testing (stood on it) I decided the cf wasn't necessary.

Steve
Author:  RogerC108 [ Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wheeler long tennon double cut
I'm a firm believer that all tools should be multi-purpose, so I wouldn't get rid of that veneer press either [clap] :lol:
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