New Bass in the Works

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Chet Bishop

Finally got back to moving on the bass again:

http://www.bluefiddles.com/2015/11/b...ng-the-blocks/

Why not put the info here on the Forum rather then links. If your Links break, so will this thread.

Replies make little sense if there is no text or pictures here.

[Chet Bishop]

They are kind of lengthy...is that OK?

Besides, if I try to enter the whole post here, all the photos are deleted, so I would have to reconstruct the entire post. (I just now tried to copy the whole post to this venue, and discovered that little fact...)

If you'd rather I do not post the links, I will stop, though-- this is your forum; You're the boss, Ken! :-)

[Ken Smith]

I can only add that if you want interaction with replies from others referencing your work, then the text should be here and not another Link. You can put up several pics per post here. It's your project so you can do as you wish.

Here is an example; http://www.smithbassforums.com/showthread.php?t=1525

[Chet Bishop]

Thanks, Ken! I appreciate the liberty you offer.

The bass is coming along slowly, as the weather has been troublesome, and I have been struggling with a cold...but, I did get the blocks shaped, finally. I think I may have to move the project to my son's shop where it is warmer and better lighted.

Used this rowdy beast to get the rough wood off:

It's a Kutzall disc, very coarse, and rips wood like crazy, but does not load up or burn the wood.

Then this little Stanley 100-1/2 plane:


It worked fine, though it is a little hard to control since it has such a radically curved sole.

Finally, I made this sanding block to finish the smoothing of each block:

It is two 2" PVC fittings cemented end to end, and a handle affixed, then some 60-grit corundum cloth affixed with the same PVC cement.

It worked very well, and the blocks are ready for ribs.


Thanks for looking,

Chet

[Ken Smith]

Does working in the cold (with or without YOU having a cold, lol) affect the wood in anyway as far as humidity, moisture, shrinking or cracking?

[Chet Bishop]

It is easier to bend wood, keeping it hot, keeping the bending iron hot, etc. when the air is not hovering around freezing.

Needless to say, when gluing, it makes a huge difference in working time.

The next five things that need to be done are involving heat:

1. Bending the ribs
2. installing the ribs
3. bookmatching the plates
4. bending the linings, and
5. installing the linings

So probably working in a heated environment would be a good idea. His shop is not only heated, it is a good deal larger than mine. :-)

Yes, I think moving the project to his place sounds like a winner. :-)