Radiatabacker Part IIa ~ Luthiery Laboratories

July 19, 2020

Radiatabacker Part IIa

July 19, 2020

A lot of work for not much to show

I made some small adjustments to the outline, and finished the neck mounting. And a lot of sanding. The drywall sander is a godsend, it works much better than a block, and really saves your hands. But my arms feel like lead.

I also did the roundovers on the back, a mix of 1/4" and 3/4". You can see the small fillets I left at the base of the neck mount. I could have squared those corners with a file, but this will be less prone to crack the finish. The neck will cover them.

And a lot more sanding on the back, I found a spot where the belt sander had dug too deep. It's as flat as a mirror now.

Detail of the neck mount and horns. I'll use a standard Fender mounting plate for the added strength, since this body is rather thin. The front body edge will get binding. Now I think it's time to start roughing-out a neck. Fortunately, I have a model right at hand that I can simply copy - the Superfreak. Speaking of which, that one is ready for final assembly.

Uncategorized, 07/19/20

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Edge Binding Jig

The Edge Binding Jig is inspired by StewMac's attachment for the Dremel, except that mine uses a real router, and is designed to fit into tight spaces like the inside of Fender horns, which StewMac's does not do well. The edge follower is a nylon cap nut on a 1/4-20 bolt threaded tightly through a block of maple. The jig is also useful with the follower removed for routing neck pockets, round-overs, etc. The length of the base plate, with the maple stiffeners, allows a large area of contact with the workpiece for stability, something that can be a real problem with a standard router base. The small DeWalt 611 router is easily controlled with one hand, while the other hand keeps the jig aligned on the workpiece. I sometimes even clamp the whole thing upside-down and use it as a quickie little router table.

More: Edge Binding Jig ...

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