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ok... I bought a band saw, the basic cheapie I could get. 350 bucks. I figured it would pay for itself quickly. It saved me 10 bucks on a jigsaw blade already.
Forgot how great they are, 10 mins and the neck was shaped.

I bought a 2 inch pattern bit from carbotec too, 30 bucks well spent - I could spend all day in that shop, awesome place. Be aware that size of a router bit is a killer. It grabbed a couple of times - even after band sawing close to the line - but didn't lose it, or a limb - though it felt like I could at an moment!

pics, this time

headstock = 3 x 3?





Still playing with markers, I reckon brass on maple. Sizing is way big at the moment, oh well.

No inlays can look cool, mind.

but then I wouldn't know where to put my fingers....

spare couple of hours this arvo.... so out with the fretting tools. Then out with the angle grinder then out with the sander....

very productive. I must say new fretting as opposed to refrets is much easier and much more satisfying.


rough fretjob, will finish when the neck is good to go


almost there, still a little flat up near the neck end.


Last couple not dead centre, and last one too big maybe. Oh well.



Shame about this chip, flaked out while routing... bums. Need to fill it and dye the sides of the fretboard. Anyone know how to stop it leeching? Maybe scalpel down the sides of the joins and masking fluid? Then fill the scalpel marks with superglue?

Anyway, nearly one down, two to go

oh and its a lovely big fat neck In my old age, I'm tending towards these for comfort. I find I get cramps in hands too easily nowadays the fat neck helps!

Really do like those fret markers. Headstock shape is nice

A bit OT, but have you ever seen rectangle fret markers? Not trapezoid, more "large staple" size. Could be an interesting look. Kinda like these but vertical.

Bg wrote: I bought a 2 inch pattern bit from carbotec too, 30 bucks well spent - I could spend all day in that shop, awesome place.

I'd never heard of them. Looked at their website this morning and I am now $2300 poorer. No shit!

I hadn't seen those, but bloody hell they will be a bit of work!

Torn between 4/2 or 3/3 tuners at the moment. I originally was going to go 4 on the top and 2 on the bottom but I reckon 3 aside now

Slowy wrote:

Bg wrote: I bought a 2 inch pattern bit from carbotec too, 30 bucks well spent - I could spend all day in that shop, awesome place.

I'd never heard of them. Looked at their website this morning and I am now $2300 poorer. No shit!

Fuck what did you buy???? Yes easy to spend that much cash in there. They brand some stuff, presumably chinese, but they stand by the quality of it. I nearly walked out with the triton oscillating spindle sander, but I'll save that for next weekend if my cars under budget!

P.S. You should visit the store, its an alladins cave... the staff are bloody awesome too. and the spelling would be Carbatec doh!

Bg wrote:

Slowy wrote:

Bg wrote: I bought a 2 inch pattern bit from carbotec too, 30 bucks well spent - I could spend all day in that shop, awesome place.

I'd never heard of them. Looked at their website this morning and I am now $2300 poorer. No shit!

Fuck what did you buy???? Yes easy to spend that much cash in there. They brand some stuff, presumably chinese, but they stand by the quality of it. I nearly walked out with the triton oscillating spindle sander, but I'll save that for next weekend if my cars under budget!

P.S. You should visit the store, its an alladins cave... the staff are bloody awesome too. and the spelling would be Carbatec doh!

A folding work table, some jigs and guides and 3 Festool power tools.

They had a workbench in there I literally covered in JB's semen..... and yeah the festool stuff is bloody awesome! Its dangerous going to the site, even more the shop!

weekend update.... finished the neck carve, its not perfect but its bloody good side dot markers with brass tubing, not the best. Need to rethink that one next time! Have stained the whole neck and then rubbed it down with wirewool so it has this 'stonewashed denim' appearance. I'm loving it Headstock tuners drilled - sadly haven't ordered 3 a side tuners yet... will run a test with 6 a side if I don't get them in time.
One weekend will see it done! Bearing in mind I'm renovating bathroom, fixing windows etc at the same time

No pics, till the weekend

So, pics will appear this weekend, hoping to have Number 1 finished. In the meantime, I've started my other wo necks. One is maple on rosewood, thats about ready for carving. The other is maple on maple and thats ready for gluing So much easier with templates doh! That carbatec template router bit is a fucking killer though. Might have to get hold of a spiral flute. Cheapshit toolline bandsaw is holding out well

the rosewood neck is having solid aluminium inlays. Probably going brass for the maple on maple.