Ben outstanding looking guitar. Will you promise to show alot of closeup shots of this guitar when its done Please**** I want too see the inlay & everything. Thank you to all of you at Crimson, Iam amazed at the level of talent that you guys have & I love your tools I just placed another order for some more tools. Scott
for those most pressing matters, air pressure is your best friend! it's better than a million clamps. tl;dr: fix the pieces in place, using needle-thin nails as needed, and put the whole thing into a big ass 00 vacuum storage bag. (they're big enough for a bass. 140*100cm) salvaged fridge compressors are basically free and super quiet vacuum pumps, and once the air is out, you have close to 1kg/cm² of perfectly even pressure from all sides.
The great thing abt the spool clamps is the pressure is pulling straight down. Unlike w regular bar clamps, unless the top and bottom pads r directly over each other, they'll pull in one direction or the other.
What I am trying to wrap my head around, is how in the world did Ben get a piece of ebony big enough to make that neck through. I've been looking for ages and it's nearly impossible to find a Gabon Ebony blank in neck through dimensions. At least not stable and well milled that is. The very few I have found are $500 or more, which is about 5x the average board foot price for ebony. I guess it pays to have the ability to buy wholesale, or large quantities of lumber like Crimson can. No hope for us garage workshop builders. 😁 Love the guitar, always wanted to do an ebony neck guitar, with some kind of spalted body. I hope we get a nice detailed video on it when it's done. \;;/
I'm doing a telecaster project and the body I have is a alder wood body but it only has the pickup holes and I need to line up the vintage style bridge and drill holes for the strings to go through the body. How would I do this? and what tools do I need? Brad
There's no reason at all to pass the strings through the body. Doing so creates more problems than it solves. Just get an original Tele style bridge that allows you to string through backside of the bridge itself.
I kinda wanted to do it for the looks and I want to challenge myself a bit. But how do I aline the bridge to the body because there are no previous markings or screw holes to go buy.
Does anyone know how long the 6hrz promo code is good for. I'm waiting to hear back if I've been accepted into an instrument (guitar) design and build course and I'm on a tight budget. I think I will find out next week but if the promo ends before that I'm not sure I'll be in a position to get the kit I want
Bad Juju yeah great input buddy. I've obviously watched the 6 hour build otherwise I wouldn't know the code. They only say that the winner will be announced on the 16th, they don't say how long the code is good for
I notice that some of the clamps the nut is at the top of the thumb nut & others at the bottom, I'm sure it's an oversight BUT would think they should be at the bottom for maximum transfer of force.. Could be mistaken though? HaHa!!
Hey Ben.. Have a look at these new ones from Stew-Mac ----> www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Clamps/StewMac_Spool_Clamps_Set_of_6.html The longer handle & bit of tubing look to make them a bit easier to use.. Put a spin on it a make it even better. ROCK ON!! Gary/Hk
Those clamps look like a great way to use up off-cuts too small for other things. So simple (yet seem amazingly effective) too!
That is an amazing looking top!! Love the figure and colour contrast.
Ben outstanding looking guitar. Will you promise to show alot of closeup shots of this guitar when its done Please**** I want too see the inlay & everything. Thank you to all of you at Crimson, Iam amazed at the level of talent that you guys have & I love your tools I just placed another order for some more tools. Scott
Ben, can you do a mini-torial or full tutorial on Volutes? Like whys, hows and such...thanks!
Your work is beautiful. Thanks for the technique videos
for those most pressing matters, air pressure is your best friend! it's better than a million clamps.
tl;dr: fix the pieces in place, using needle-thin nails as needed, and put the whole thing into a big ass 00 vacuum storage bag. (they're big enough for a bass. 140*100cm) salvaged fridge compressors are basically free and super quiet vacuum pumps, and once the air is out, you have close to 1kg/cm² of perfectly even pressure from all sides.
The great thing abt the spool clamps is the pressure is pulling straight down. Unlike w regular bar clamps, unless the top and bottom pads r directly over each other, they'll pull in one direction or the other.
A bag of lead shot, like bird shot, works great as a weight and will conform to any shape you place it over and you can reuse it indefinitely.
Yeah, until you don't use it for quite some time, and when you final;ly grab it , it goes ALL OVER your shopfloor!!!! Burlap ROTs!!
What I am trying to wrap my head around, is how in the world did Ben get a piece of ebony big enough to make that neck through. I've been looking for ages and it's nearly impossible to find a Gabon Ebony blank in neck through dimensions. At least not stable and well milled that is. The very few I have found are $500 or more, which is about 5x the average board foot price for ebony. I guess it pays to have the ability to buy wholesale, or large quantities of lumber like Crimson can. No hope for us garage workshop builders. 😁 Love the guitar, always wanted to do an ebony neck guitar, with some kind of spalted body. I hope we get a nice detailed video on it when it's done. \;;/
"Ehhhh clamps..." Simple and brilliantly engineered clamps to boot!
I'm doing a telecaster project and the body I have is a alder wood body but it only has the pickup holes and I need to line up the vintage style bridge and drill holes for the strings to go through the body. How would I do this? and what tools do I need?
Brad
There's no reason at all to pass the strings through the body. Doing so creates more problems than it solves. Just get an original Tele style bridge that allows you to string through backside of the bridge itself.
I kinda wanted to do it for the looks and I want to challenge myself a bit. But how do I aline the bridge to the body because there are no previous markings or screw holes to go buy.
That wood is so beautiful it makes my eyes hurt, how do you even find a neck thru ebony neck blank?
+Aaron Mix it wasn't easy.. In the end it was David Dyke in the UK who had a blank bit enough.. He is a great supplier of fine wood.
Does anyone know how long the 6hrz promo code is good for. I'm waiting to hear back if I've been accepted into an instrument (guitar) design and build course and I'm on a tight budget. I think I will find out next week but if the promo ends before that I'm not sure I'll be in a position to get the kit I want
watch the 6 hr build...
Bad Juju yeah great input buddy. I've obviously watched the 6 hour build otherwise I wouldn't know the code. They only say that the winner will be announced on the 16th, they don't say how long the code is good for
The code will expire on the 15th September 2017.
That's a great day!! My Wife's 52nd Birthday.. everyone order anything to win.. Guitar Pick?
I would personally make the spool clamps square to give more even pressure and would butt up against each other.
hi ben all you need is a garage work shop press 50 quid on ebay you will need fewer clamps
Why not use vacuum bags to get an even pressure.
That top seemed a bit thick for a vacuum bag to hold down. Plus, the bag wouldn't be able to take care of the spots near the neck.
yes you get 14 pressure every square inch far better than clamps gibson use presses a garage press would do a great job
why
All that jazz
I notice that some of the clamps the nut is at the top of the thumb nut & others at the bottom, I'm sure it's an oversight BUT would think they should be at the bottom for maximum transfer of force.. Could be mistaken though? HaHa!!
Hey Ben.. Have a look at these new ones from Stew-Mac ----> www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Clamps/StewMac_Spool_Clamps_Set_of_6.html
The longer handle & bit of tubing look to make them a bit easier to use.. Put a spin on it a make it even better.
ROCK ON!! Gary/Hk
Spool clamps? And, here I thought they were baseball bats...lol.... Oh! Excuse me. Cricket bats..lol
You built guitars for King Crimson. Get that I-IV-vi-V mess outta here.
don't like them period, for many reasons.
what reasons?
That's not a period, that's an ellipsis. Elaborate, Mr. John.