@boo, they’re also selling Crystalac’s liquid mica metallics and colour shift liquid mica for mixing into the topcoat.

It seems to be priced at $=£, which considering that’s an inc VAT price makes it about 16% more expensive than the US.Not unreasonable if they’re shipping it here rather than making it under license.I guess that’s another product for…   Read more»

I’ll just machine a square hole in either side of the rails big enough to get a small clamp through. Simples!

@darrenkingGenius!

at the moment I can’t really think of any air tools that I’d need/buy besides a sander

@mattbeelsEasily solved with a couple of catalogues and a drink.

I’ll look into those options and then cry (probably) when I see the prices! @mattbeels, yes, but according to boo the tools are so much cheaper that you’ll be saving money every time you buy one, so you’ll feel bad…   Read more»

@darrenkingOf course no solution is perfect for everyone.It doesn’t seem to me that this would require a huge amount of clamping force, since there’s a fair bit of weight holding things down (jig, blank and router) and the router is…   Read more»

I don’t know quite what it is about the explorer, but it’s probably my favourite “radical” guitar shape.It’s “wrong” for a guitar (says the guy who plays a headless!), but somehow very balanced aesthetically.

@booYou say a “big compressor”, but if someone didn’t have room/budget for the biggest, what would you say would do the job for most people? i.e. enough to spray one guitar at a time, and run a reasonable selection of…   Read more»

@darrenkingThanks for the info.That works, though if I was designing for myself I might have made the base a smidgin bigger than the rails so I could clamp without a baseboard (which makes it heavier to move about).Then again, since…   Read more»

I knew darren would come up with a fine design!How easy is it to get a couple of clamps onto it to fix it to the bench?
 

@tv1For me it’s not just the tools, it’s the loop I’d get into, finding that I could buy tool X if my compressor was just a little bit bigger…I’d start off looking at something suitable for an airbrush that I…   Read more»

A compressor is a wonderful excuse to buy all sorts of other tools, including a venturi bagpress unit.Hopefully I can avoid getting one though, since we have a couple at my hackspace (including a very large one in the metal…   Read more»

I rather like the idea of having some nice hand tools and taking my time carving a top.But if you want to get the job done quickly, and you don’t mind noise and LOTS of sawdust, these are the wayhttps://www.classichandtools.com/acatalog/Saburr-Tooth-Flat-Faced-Shaping-Wheel-4-Sanding-Disc-with-Holes-SD4H.html#SID=1610

One of the most surprisingly (to me) effective colours I’ve seen on mahogany was when Ben Crowe dyed the back of his cyberpunk guitar black. With an oil finish, the best way I can put it is it came out…   Read more»

drill bits for wood?These are lovely. Yes they’re expensive, but I’m not sorry I spent the money.https://www.workshopheaven.com/star-m-japanese-601-precision-drills-set-of-16-in-a-canvas-roll.html

Is that headstock intended to double as a heckler jabbing device or is it just to stop the singer cutting your solo short?(Both reasonable uses in my opinion).It’s a great looking guitar.

For that, they invented bending!   @koendbIf you’re familiar with Dave Kilminster, you’ll know that if it was physically possible to play, he’ll have done it (and most probably if it wasn’t).He’s an absolute monster of a guitarist, the Dave…   Read more»

I don’t know how much difference it makes. Has it been measured? Or is it another myth of vintage guitar construction? @jamesbissetJust speculating here, but perhaps it isn’t so much a myth as an outdated requirement.Modern wood glues are incredible,…   Read more»

, it’s soooo much simpler and more accurate imo. I think it’s telling that machinists who work in Imperial (i.e. mostly Americans and old school British) work in thousands (or ten thousandths) of an inch. Multiples of ten are just…   Read more»