The Steel Guitar Forum

I'll take it George. I'm in Comox. Where on the island are you?

Thanks JD

I'm not too clear on how to upload anything but bitmap images. I tried to upload a DXF but the file type is not supported.

Did you make these up in Fusion 360?

Real pretty.

Fulawka had more drill presses than a cat hoarder has scratches so he set up his cutter in a dedicated permanent setup. :lol: Keep me posted, looks tricky! You can see in the video clip that Fulawka used a very solid drill press with a fixed, non-tilting table so he was guaranteed perpendicularity....

You would need an annular cutter and a good drill press with enough clearance for a clamping setup. I have been trying this myself with mixed results on being able to get a true alignment on both ends of the cross shaft I am cutting. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix2203/17353_Annular_Cutter_1...

Ross Shafer wrote:Gorgeous guitar Les, I love the Mango/Lacewood combo! Nice machining too.

Thanks Ross, I'm learning as I go and the machining is pretty lumpy up close but I'll try to get fussier the next time.

That is very nice work. In my experience that beautiful satin finish you have on the metal work is harder to pull off than bright polish! Would you care to share some of your process? I just find that all of my polished stuff looks filthy as soon as I touch it so I started to use these scrub pad th...

Andy DePaule wrote:Hi Les,
Very nice workmanship. I don't think I've ever seen Mango wood before.
Best wishes,
Andy

It's rather like koa or blackwood. I am not sure what contribution it will make to the sound of the guitar but I am hoping for the best.

Here is my current project.

The body is mango and the fretboard is lacewood with maple frets.

Hey Jim,

Can you point me at the Fender design you are referring to?

I'm really looking for images of the disassembled parts. I can't seem to find any pictures to see how it works aside from the blade pivot.

Can anyone post a picture of the Blanton scissor finger mechanism? I understand that it uses a blade instead of an axle but I would love to see a photo or a drawing of the disassembled parts. All the posts about Blantons seem to focus on his bell cranks but I can't find a single picture that shows h...

They definitely made them:

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With all those frames in those boxes, Are you using an extrusion and just slicing off the width of crank to make them. They do look exactly the same. Not sure if Ross is working from an extrusion but when I saw this post by Les I also thought it may be a good idea to see if I can find an extrusion ...

The real advantage of the continuous bellcrank is you don’t need to mess with the rod - just a few turns of the screw. Also regarding weight don’t forget to take off the weight of the bellcranks you would need otherwise. The difference in my case is 3 grams or .105 ounces between one of these and a...

These continuously-adjustable pullers are very well made and designed, and I can really honestly appreciate the work and thought that went into them. But with that said, I just don't see them as a "necessary item". (And evidently, most pros don't either.) They're added parts expense and a...

I just got thisSKB trap case. It is 36"x12" and is 8" deep. There is room for foam padding and a fold up music stand. It has usable wheels which are a real plus. It is a lot lighter than the average plywood cases that come with steel gutars. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix2203...

This is getting interesting. What are the other options that would allow for a straight pull and relax without a pivot axle setup? I have looked at the Fender blade setup but it looks overly complicated and has limited raises and lowers. I think that’s a good argument JD. But the good thing about a ...

Starting to resemble a steel guitar. https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix2203/2146_20220821_183440_1.jpg How are you cutting the beautiful compound curves on the end of the changer housing and the pretty pointed parenthesis that matches up with the fretboard? These are lovely details. On another...

John McClung wrote:Do these bell cranks allow other pull rods to pass through to reach pedal and lever bell cranks closer to the keyhead?

Yes, The rods do not pass through but rather beside the bell cranks.

Hi Les, Looks like you and I were working on the same thing at the same time! https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix2203/5723_IMG_5665_1.jpg Now THAT'S how it's done! I see that you have solved for getting as close to the center of rotation as possible, while also enclosing the cross-shaft complet...

Can anyone tell me if there is a reason why changer diameter in all-pull guitars is typically 3/4 inch?
Is there any good reason not to make this 1 inch or larger? I was thinking that with a larger diameter the movement of the scissors and fingers could be reduced for the same amount of string pull?

Sounds a bit complicated Chris.
I think that by the time I have implemented these changes it will be, aside from bending the rod through the travelling block, basically a home shop version of what Ross Shafer is doing on the new Sierras.