First Build - DC Junior

Danielsguitars

Love the fobco drill press, that's on my want list one day, my friend has one I used for years, now nothing else is quite good enough 

PeteC

Took quite a bit of disassembly, cleaning and fettling over Xmas but it was worth it and I am so glad I bought it. 

Weighs a blood ton though.   Took 2 of us to lift it onto the pedestal.  

Came with a lovely 4” Jacobs x-y table vice too.The head spins on the column and the table tilts 90 degrees so I am hoping I can rig up a jig to clamp the body to the table and drill vertically for the socket. 

Danielsguitars

PeteC said:

Took quite a bit of disassembly, cleaning and fettling over Xmas but it was worth it and I am so glad I bought it. 

Weighs a blood ton though.   Took 2 of us to lift it onto the pedestal.  

Came with a lovely 4” Jacobs x-y table vice too.The head spins on the column and the table tilts 90 degrees so I am hoping I can rig up a jig to clamp the body to the table and drill vertically for the socket. 

I've got another old drill, can't remember what make, I think it's American and it weighs a ton takes 2 to lift, I mounted it on the end of my workbench and swivel the head 90 degrees to drill through jack socket holes, I screwed 18mm MDF sheet on the end of the bench to clamp the body on and it works well 

PeteC

Yes I recall when I was looking for some advice about drill presses I think you mentioned this - good solution.  

Next build question.   I am installing Kluson 3 on plate button tuners .   I think the bushings are 11/32 and the posts fit a 1/4” hole. 

Any tips on how best to drill for these?  I am thinking 11/32 hole as deep as the bushings then drill 6.5mm or 1/4” for the rest of the depth for the post ?   Or do I need to make it a bit tighter for the bushing and use the press to seat them?  I don’t have a good reamer, and couldn’t use one if I went down the 1/4 inch post hole solution.  

Just wondered how the experienced builders go about this usually ? 

Cheers
Pete 

TTony

PeteC said:

 Decided to re-radius the board as I wasn’t happy with the slight curve in the length of the board - which was due to a longitudinal curvature in my diy radius block.  Solution was simply to halve the length(20”) of the radius block down to 10” - which has halved the error !  

With that sort of attention to detail, I've a feeling that this is going to turn out as a pretty impressive instrument.

I feel guilty when I see people making necks from scratch.  Guilty that I've tended to buy mine pre-made (thanks GSP!) because my attempts at making them have never turned out particularly well.

Danielsguitars

PeteC said:

Yes I recall when I was looking for some advice about drill presses I think you mentioned this - good solution.  

Next build question.   I am installing Kluson 3 on plate button tuners .   I think the bushings are 11/32 and the posts fit a 1/4” hole. 

Any tips on how best to drill for these?  I am thinking 11/32 hole as deep as the bushings then drill 6.5mm or 1/4” for the rest of the depth for the post ?   Or do I need to make it a bit tighter for the bushing and use the press to seat them?  I don’t have a good reamer, and couldn’t use one if I went down the 1/4 inch post hole solution.  

Just wondered how the experienced builders go about this usually ? 

Cheers
Pete 

Traditionally they never did stepped holes on tuner holes so I don't on vintage spec stuff

I'd drill a small pilot hole through your headstock, this gives back and front brad point drill positions, I also use this way to stop any potential tearout and gives a clean hole

PeteC

Thanks Danielsguitars - I will go with that.   Looks like the ferrules are 11/32 so I will drill slightly smaller and press em in.   

Cheers 
Pete 

SteveRobinson

PeteC said:

Yes I recall when I was looking for some advice about drill presses I think you mentioned this - good solution.  

Next build question.   I am installing Kluson 3 on plate button tuners .   I think the bushings are 11/32 and the posts fit a 1/4” hole. 

Any tips on how best to drill for these?  I am thinking 11/32 hole as deep as the bushings then drill 6.5mm or 1/4” for the rest of the depth for the post ?   Or do I need to make it a bit tighter for the bushing and use the press to seat them?  I don’t have a good reamer, and couldn’t use one if I went down the 1/4 inch post hole solution.  

Just wondered how the experienced builders go about this usually ? 

Cheers
Pete

I like a stepped tuner hole and have a set of counterbores from StewMac in various sizes, gauged for common bushings.

PeteC

Hi Folks ...next step : I have just finished dimensioning the neck, headstock and fretboard and am about to glue the fretboard to the neck. 

BUT.....I have some double sided tape residue on the back of the fretboard which is proving a bit of a bugger to get off completely and I want to remove it all before glue up.

Whats the best thing for getting rid of it ?   I have some spray can Iso Alcohol, as well as white spirit to hand. 

I tried using a cabinet scraper to get rid of it - but its still leaving some residue in the pores of the board. 
What do you reckon is best ? 

cheers
Pete 

TTony

PeteC said:

What do you reckon is best ? 

Only one thing for it - scrap the neck and start again.




Seriously - is a bit of residue in the pores of the wood going to make any difference to anything?

If you've used a scraper, then a razor blade (which I was going to suggest) won't remove  any more, and if it's sunk into the pores of the wood, I wouldn't have thought alcohol would help much either - that seems to soften/loosen the stickiness (when I've tried it) so you can scrape stuff off more easily, but it's not going to help in the pores.  If you try digging it out, there's more risk that you'll damage the surface that you want to glue the fretboard to.

I'm strictly a hobby builder rather than a pro, but that's my 2p's worth.

PeteC

OK - I'm over-thinking it !!   I'll scrape and go with it. 

Danielsguitars

I use acetone to get rid of residue then alcohol before glue up

PeteC

Thanks - I was wondering about the best solvents to use.  I have used a scraper and razor blade but want the tightest bond I can get so I will use what you suggest. 
much appreciated! 
Pete 

PeteC

Next newbie question ( many more to come yet !!! ) :  good fretwork choice for a DC junior "replica"
What does the panel think ?


Interesting bit......I couldn't find a nice 11/32nd brad point bit ( without spending silly money ) for my tuner holes, but I did find this excellent video and tried it out on a couple of old drill bits last night and it worked an absolute treat if anyone finds themselves in a similar spot. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeT6HSPaTPc 

cheers
Pete 

TJT1979

Great thread! Thanks for taking the time to post.

greggreg66

Fred Gabrsek is the man! Have you seen the vid where he turns a drill bit into a hole punch for the side dots? So good! 

PeteC

think I found the answer : Dunlop 6155 fretwork. 

greggreg66 said:

Fred Gabrsek is the man! Have you seen the vid where he turns a drill bit into a hole punch for the side dots? So good! 

oh! must watch that - do you know if its part of his LP build series on YT ? 
cheers
Pete

greggreg66

PeteC said:

think I found the answer : Dunlop 6155 fretwork. 

greggreg66 said:

Fred Gabrsek is the man! Have you seen the vid where he turns a drill bit into a hole punch for the side dots? So good! 

oh! must watch that - do you know if its part of his LP build series on YT ? 
cheers
Pete

Yep! First part of Episode 10

PeteC

cheers - I will check it out tonight

PeteC

Hi Folks - I need a bit of help / advice on the DC build !!!

1st "snag" : I was about to glue my fretboard today but thought I would final sand the fretboard down with 120 and then 320 grit.
I just acquired a good 24" Steel Veritas straight edge too so wanted to ensure the board was a flat as possible. 

After much sanding ( all the whole checking thickness the against the Catto DC plans I have ) I found that the fret slots at the edges of the fretboard were disappearing !! -- I clearly hadn't cut deep enough when first slotting the board - knowing that I would need to final cut them anyway at some point before fretting the neck. 

So - what's a good accurate way to final cut the slots when I haven't really cut deep enough to start with ?  - just use the slots and take great care - or is there a better way ( jig etc ) ? 

2nd snag : for this build I chickened out a bit and bought a double action russ rod  - but its rattling a bit in the slot when I tap the neck , which I want to cure before gluing the board - should I use a bit of silicone or not ? I read so many conflicting views - especially on the "mylespaul" and TDPRI forums. 

Views most welcome !!!

cheers
Pete