'56 Century Deluxe Build

[Bill Groner]

This will most likely be my last one? The first picture is owned by a fellow forum member and he has been nice enough to supply me with a template of the body so I could trace the shape correctly instead of guessing. Mine will be the same color as his. The fretboard was the hard part of the build and thankfully is out of the way. Now for some sawdust!

[Kevin Glandon]

Go Billy Go!. Looking forward to seeing and maybe hearing this when you complete it.

[Joe Elk]

Go Bill Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Elk Central Ohio Oh! You will keep building!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[George Piburn]

That piece of maple is really nice , and worth considering using a tint stain in place of an opaque color.

Places like woodworkers supply catalogues - luthiers mercantile carry little containers of powder that dissolve in alcohol , wipe on rub it, Dry , then lacquer over coats.

You can also tint the lacquer add coats to the desired color (see through to the grain) then the clear coats.

The final result will be unique and a lot easier than rattle cans from Re-ranch who make super colors.(pricey)

[Kevin Glandon]

I really like the fretboard my friend. Tell us how you did that. Looks like you found a chunk of lucite.

[Bill Groner]

It is Transparent Blue Acrylic 1/8" thick. The blue was too dark, but if I put it on something white it became close to the color of Jack's fretboard in the 1st picture I posted. I made the fretboard 4" and machined 1/16" slots to hold key stock. Once I had all the slots (29) in, I machined the two angles on the fretboard. Incase anyone is wondering why I made it 4" and milled the angles later, it is because acrylic is brittle and has a tendency to break at the exit of the slot. Doing it the way I did it, I used the side of the mill bit and the pressure when side milling is always toward the center of the fretboard therefore the chance of any acrylic chipping is minimized. It's kind of like drilling a hole in wood and the wood splinters as the drill exits the hole. I made the white dots from Teflon, and the red ones are made from Delrin. A red sharpie was used on the 12th and 24th. A sharpie will color Delrin, but it won't stick to Teflon. I machined the piece of white PVC,(Bottom) the Blue Acrylic,(middle) and the Clear piece of Lexan(top)as a sandwich. This way all holes and angles will be correct. The dots are simply pressed in and the fret bars have a slight bend in them to keep them in place. (Me and glue don't get along) The bars were sprayed white and sprung in place. It was a lot of work, but I was pleased with how it turned out.

George you are correct the grain is pretty nice and it is a shame to cover it up. I did give some thought to staining it, but I liked the look of Jack's so much, it will be paint. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. You are also correct staining and spraying would be easier than rattle cans, but if I wanted to make some thing easy, I would not have chosen this particular lap steel to build.

[Joe Cook]

Looking forward to your progress on this one, Bill. I really like the looks of the old Gibsons. Careful, though! Their lawyers are watching.

[Bill Groner]

No worries Joe, I have changed enough stuff it won't be an exact copy......

[Bill Groner]

Not sure I will keep the trans blue control plate, but maybe once the blue goes on the body it will look pretty nice? I do have a matte black one made. The build went pretty well. I started with a piece of wood 13 pounds, but I think I'm around 5 to 6 pounds now. Glad I changed my mind and decided to keep the stand.

[Kevin Glandon]

Interesting choice on the pickup. Wonder how that is going to sound.

[Bill Groner]

It's a SD Lil '59. Bill Hatcher thought it would sound good. I'm not saying he suggested I buy it, I already had it and I asked his opinion on it. He sent me a clip of him playing one.....I thought it sounded pretty nice. It's no bigger than a typical strat single coil Pup, but it's a humbucker with adjustable pole pieces.

[Bill Groner]

Got it sanded and primed over the weekend. Perfect weather in the Northeast. Hopefully in a couple of days the weather holds out and I can shoot some color.

[Tim Toberer]

Cool build you have going here! I am looking specifically at the bridge, this is something I have been experimenting with. I find that the bridge and the nut are the most important parts on the instrument. Do you groove the bar on the bridge to make string level more even? If not done correctly this can actually make it worse, I am guilty of that. This would be a great post over on the builders forum, it is currently dominated by alien super builders with high tech machine shops When I asked about making a fretboard, they told me to use a laser??? It would be nice to have some simpler projects over there!

[Bill Groner]

I don't groove the bar on the bridge. I used to do that, but for me it seemed to matter very little. The string spacing is determined by the string holes in the bridge plate.

I put the post on Steel wo Pedals because it is a lapsteel and although I do venture over to the builder's section, I thought it best to put it here where the non pedal guys play. Let them come over here. LOL

[Tim Toberer]

I don't groove the bar on the bridge. I used to do that, but for me it seemed to matter very little.

This is my conclusion as well. Not worth the trouble. The nut is a different story.

[Bill Groner]

I always compensate on the nut. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but that wouldn't be the first time I did something wrong!!!

[Bill Groner]

Sprayed some color yesterday. Painting fixture allows for flipping the steel and spraying the sides, top and bottom in one session. Makes a nice drying stand as well. After substantial dry time, wet sand and spray some clear.

[Jack Hanson]

Lookin' good, Bill!

If the weather cooperates and you can begin shooting clear coats soon, you should be stringing it up before one could say "Jack Robinson!"

[Joe Elk]

Getting close Bill
Joe Elk Central Ohio

[Bill Groner]

Just had to see it together. Rain maybe the next two days and we need it in PA. That's OK......I'll get the wet sanding out of the way for when the sun comes out again and I'll be ready for the clear coats!

[David Becker]

Pretty freakin' gorgeous, Bill! Can't wait to see and hear the final product.
Best,
David

[Bill Groner]

Thanks Joe, Joe, Kevin, Jack, Tim, and David. I appreciate your positive replies........and we got some much needed rain last night with more to come.

[Travis Brown]

Looks great!