Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Another Project to Keep Me Busy


Robin.C

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 107
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Robin.C

    46

  • Jani

    24

  • Charlize

    13

  • Cyndee

    6

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

Hello. Today's installment of The Wonky Duck Bass.

Now I'm not going to show the disaster I had trying to do the internal hollows. I will just show how they look when I got them right ?

During September all the parts I need for the controls arrived from around the world, so ... I can start to build the control plate up. The six-string string guard will be cut down and new holes and slots done to fit all the pots and switches. Cheaper than buying an original or a piece of pearl plate.

Next is how it looks after I jigsawed and routered the pockets for the pickups and set screwed down the saddles.

With those done I could use the saddles as a reference point to make the template for the neck pocket which got routered out and then finished, for a first attempt it fitted perfect. I'm so happy how that turned out considering it could have meant starting all over again.

Last picture of how all these bits look together.

 

This weekend will be finishing of the pockets for the pickups so the wires can reach where they need to go and maybe start building up the controls. Still waiting on a cutter to finish the last internal bits.

 

How you all like it, I know I do ?

 

Hugs

Robyn

014_Oct2021_001_Inner_Hollows.jpg

015_Oct2021_002_Control_Components.jpg

016_Oct2021_003_Pickups_and_Saddles.jpg

017_Oct2021_004_Neck_Pocket_After Routering.jpg

018_Oct2021_005_How_It_Looks.jpg

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I hope you will record a bit of that beauty to share with us.  It's all coming together.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment

@Charlize oh yes I'll certainly record something that may or may not be considered music. Probably not as I don't know how to play Bass guitar !

 

A couple of weeks ago I got the control panel wired and it makes sound, it will be interesting to see how my version of the stock Hofner setup works.

 

Enjoy.

Hugs

Robin

019_Oct_2021_Sound.jpg

020_Oct_2021_The Mess.jpg

Link to comment
18 hours ago, Jani said:

A clean soldering job!

@Jani, I try though it's getting more difficult to see what I'm doing as I get older.

I'm also finding my eyes are also seeing slightly different as the HRT effects progress. ? 

 

Hugs

Robin

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I remember the ophthalmologist telling me that he got everybody not just the undertaker.  Age certainly makes seeing things more difficult.  Glad you didn't get any solder on the darmstadtium or the meitnerium.  

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

 

Link to comment

Yes, @Charlize? You're over my head with those words: "darmstadtium or the meitnerium." They remind me to call the eye doctor. Thanks for that. Also, can't wait to hear that bass.

I've got too many projects here at home, myself, so it's good to see the progress of others. The end is in sight!

cheers,

Davie

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

@Robin.C Haven't looked lately - but just did - your new bass is looking amazing.

Link to comment
9 hours ago, Charlize said:

Glad you didn't get any solder on the darmstadtium or the meitnerium

Nobody wants to get solder on their darmstadtium  .... ??

@Davie the end might be in sight however it's still a long way off and i'd need a telescope to see it ?

Thank you @Shay hopefully I can learn enough between now and when I finish it to be able to play a few notes on it.

 

I also got my fancy strap for it form the US the other day. Let's just say it will really suit the Bass and it was worth the wait and monies.

 

Also the ball nose cutter I was waiting for has arrived. So this weekend I can try and destroy the front and back of the Bass ?

 

Hugs

Fiona

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Hello, it seems my initial post disappeared; so this is repost. Not the same words of course since it was a while ago and i forgot what i wrote.

First photo is the body prior to routing the top and rear faces. Second photo is routed bodies. Ball nose cutter did a great job and then i just used a chisel to remove the excess.

Next up the final glue up of the front and rear halves.

Clamp City.

Finally we have the tailpiece and strap which i realised i needed to fit before gluing the bodies together as I'd lose my center-line reference point and you don't want your tailpiece off center ... LOL

 

I need to get the other photos ready. So later this week you will see the coppering and conductive spray pics. As long as it works of course.

 

Hugs

Robin

021_Oct_2021_Internal Body_a.jpg

022_Oct_2021_Internal Body_b.jpg

023_Oct_2021_The gluing.jpg

024_Oct_2021_Strap Mount.jpg

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Soon you will have to post a video of it playing!

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Hello TP. Bass update. So first up I had knee surgery hence it's been awhile since last lot of photos.

First up is the brass plate to brace the back of the pearloid control panel. Next is the hole I needed to drillfor the tailpiece ground. Then the inner cavities primed (white) and coppered. Next is the carbon conductive paint to give that extra bit of RF shielding and make sure everything is connected in a circuit to ground. And lastly the final glue up.

025_Nov 2021_Brace for controls.jpg

026_Nov 2021_hole for tailpiece ground.jpg

027_Nov 2021_inner cavities.jpg

028_Nov 2021_conductive paint to add another layer of shielding.jpg

029_Noc 2021_final glue up.jpg

Link to comment

Here we go for another lot of pictures.

Yep that's me trying the bass out for size and weight. It is a little heavy. However there is a bit of carving to be done to the front and backs so it may lose a small amount of weight.

Certainly wont be any neck dive ?

Lastly are some pics of the trial fit of everything and a last photo before I pulled it all apart to do the finishing.

Enjoy ..

Hugs

Robyn

030_Noc 2021_test.jpg

031_Nov 2021_systems check.jpg

032_Nov 2021_last shot before final finishing.jpg

Link to comment

Onto the last stuff.

Binding ... omergerd how blumin' difficult. Acrylic glue and lots of blue tape. It worked but sheesh.

Finally I have to admit a stuff up.

When I clamped it together for the final glue up I didn't see that the body pieces had slide a little so i ended up with 1/8" (3mm) gap and ledge on opposite sides. Not good.

The only way I can fix it now is to fill the gaps and re-profile the offending areas hence the last picture.

It means as I can't afford a set of proper binding slot cutters no binding slot on the back so it will just get a 1/2" (12mm) rounded edge.

So there you go all up to date.

It's going to take awhile to make this MDF and filler nice and smooth plus do the carving of the front and back faces. I am hoping to get it to a point where I can start painting it during my Christmas holidays.

Wish me luck.

 

And big HUGS to everyone.

Robyn

033_Nov 2021_gluing binding on.jpg

034_Nov 2021_Binding closeup.jpg

035_Nov 2021_where we at filling.jpg

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

You have certainly been working hard and it shows.  I particularly love seeing the bear playing base on the couch.  Enjoy! its going great.  New year concert?

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I love the shape you've given this Bass, voluptuous!  I've been thinking this was going to be heavy as its made with MDF.  Could you have made the routs larger without compromising the rigidity of the sides and faces?   What is the unfinished weight?  

 

Jani 

Link to comment
3 hours ago, Jani said:

What is the unfinished weight?

About 4.5lbs at the stage ?

I knew it would be heavy. Probably a bit portly for lugging around to gigs. If I was a musician, and I'm not ?

 

Sadly I was having troubles with the sides flexing at this thickness when I was routing the edges. I've learnt a lot with this build. I had no idea how to build a guitar when I started.

Does it show ? ?

 

I've already got ideas for a Fender Bass project that I want to use the parts I bought for this one that I couldn't use this time around. 

 

Methinks I might end up making a few basses over the next couple of years. They take up a lot less space than my car projects ?

 

Happy Saturday everyone ?

 

Hugs

Robyn

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Wow, at 4.5 pounds that is quite light for a bass. My short scale Hofner Viola Bass (think Beatle Bass) is 5lbs.  My Yamaha is 8.5lbs. which is typical for most Basses.  A good strap is a must. 

 

I agree about taking up less space!   I was up to 12 at one time and except for the daily drivers they were all kept inside.  I'm down to three cars and a truck now.  I keep my guitars and basses in one room now!  

That seems like a good project.  I've got all the woodworking tools but I'm not sure I have the desire at this point.    

 

Cheers, 

Jani

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   6 Members, 0 Anonymous, 153 Guests (See full list)

    • Abigail Genevieve
    • RaineOnYourParade
    • Ashley0616
    • Mmindy
    • Maddee
    • awkward-yet-sweet
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.7k
    • Total Posts
      768.5k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,029
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Selkimur
    Newest Member
    Selkimur
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. BraxtonLee
      BraxtonLee
      (26 years old)
    2. Bryanna
      Bryanna
      (45 years old)
    3. Jayde1
      Jayde1
    4. Mireya
      Mireya
      (66 years old)
    5. Shellianne_Kay83
      Shellianne_Kay83
      (41 years old)
  • Posts

    • RaineOnYourParade
      Congrats to your family on the new addition!
    • RaineOnYourParade
      Funny you think that I would be able to get through more than two sentences with how bad my stutter gets (joking, of course)   My topic would probably be mythology, random Japan factoids in my mind, or a favorite story   (Best option would be a fave story of mine including a lot of factoids on Japanese myths-)
    • Willow
      Congratulations @ivy. Nothing beats a family growing two feet at a time!
    • April Marie
      I read each of your entries and learn so much. Thank you, especially, for the TransCentralPA info. I have been looking fora group and activities where I could express myself safely and with support. I missed this year's conference but next year might be possible and I am going to look at their other events, too.
    • April Marie
      Leadership and Management, the differences and similarities between the two as well as the applications of military leadership principles across the spectrum of professions.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      I have read numerous accounts of trans folk no longer being welcome among evangelicals.   I am here for help and fellowship not to rebuke anyone.  I can take a pretty high degree of insult, etc., and you haven't insulted me, to my recollection anyway :) and I usually let it go.  But I thought I would let it all out there.   I am sure I disagree with you on numerous issues.  I appreciate other people's viewpoints, including those who radically disagree with me.  Intellectual challenge is good. One thing I appreciate about @MaeBe.
    • Abigail Genevieve
      Congrats!
    • Sally Stone
      Post 8 “The Ohio Years” We moved to Pittsburgh because of the job with US Airways.  The job involved classroom instruction and simulator training, but no actual flying, so I kept looking for an actual pilot position.  A year after signing on with US Airways I got hired to fly business jets.  The company was located in Cleveland, Ohio, but I was flown commercially from my home in Pittsburgh to where my aircraft was located, making it unnecessary to live near company headquarters.    My flight scheduled consisted of eight days on duty with seven days off.  Having seven days off in a row was great but being gone from home eight days in a row was difficult.  For the first few years the flying was fun, but after a while the eight flying days in a row, were taking their toll on me.  Those days were brutal, consisting of very long hours and a lot of flying time.  Usually, I came home exhausted and need three days just to recover from the work week.  Flying for a living is glamorous until you actually do it.  Quickly, it became just a job.    After five years as a line captain, I became a flight department manager, which required we live near company headquarters.  That meant a move to Cleveland.  Working in the office meant I was home every night but as a manager, the schedule was still challenging.  I would work in the office all week and then be expected to go out and fly the line on weekends.  I referred to it as my “5 on 2 on” schedule, because it felt as though I had no time off at all.   About the same time, we moved to Cleveland, my wife and I became “empty nesters,” with one son in the military and the other away at college.  Sadly, my work schedule didn’t leave much time for Sally.  Add to the fact that while Cleveland is an awesome city, I just never felt comfortable expressing my feminine side.  Most of my outings, and believe me there weren’t enough, occurred while I was on vacation and away from home.   One of the most memorable outings occurred over a long weekend.  I had stumbled across an online notice for a spring formal being held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, hosted by a local trans group there.  I reached out to Willa to see if she was up for an excellent adventure.  She was, so I picked her up and we drove to Harrisburg together.    The formal was held on Saturday evening and we had the absolute best time.  It turned out that organizers were a group named TransCentralPA.  Everyone was wonderful and I made a lot of new friends that evening.  We learned the spring formal was one of the group’s annual events but for the following year, instead of a spring formal, the group wanted to do a local transgender conference.  That local conference would become the Keystone Conference, and I would attend every year for the next 12.  My move to the west coast was the only reason I stopped attending annually.  I went to the first annual Keystone Conference as an attendee, but in subsequent years I served as a volunteer and as a workshop presenter; more about those in the next installment.   For my Cleveland years, the Keystone Conference would be my major outlet for feminine self-expression.  Yes, I did get out on other occasions, but they were too infrequent.  The managerial job just didn’t allow me the freedom I needed to adequately live my feminine life, and my frustration level was slowly, but steadily on the rise.  It amazed me how adversely not being able to express the feminine half of my personality was affecting my happiness.   However, a major life change was upcoming, and while it would prove to be a significant challenge in many ways, the events would ultimately benefit my female persona.  First, my mom and dad got sick.  They were in and out of the hospital and required personal care.  My wife and I did our best but living in Cleveland, we were too far from them to give them the support they both needed.  Second, I was experiencing serious job burn out.  I decided I need to find another job and I needed to be closer to my parents.    Things changed for the better when I got hired by an aviation training company as a flight simulator instructor.  I would be training business jet pilots.  The training facility was located in New Jersey, which put us much closer to my parents, and the work schedule was much better for quality of life.  Most importantly, this life change would help Sally re-emerge and once again flower.    Hugs,   Sally       
    • Mmindy
      I made a living talking about bulk liquids in cargo tanks transportation as a driver and mechanic. Safe loading/unloading, cleaning and inspecting, as well as emergency response scenarios.   Hazmat and fire behavior in the fire service as well as emergency vehicle operations and safe driving. "It was on fire when they called you. It will be on fire when you get there." Arrive ready to work. I could also talk about firefighter behavioral  heath and the grieving process.   The real fun thing is I can do this for people who are not Truck Drivers or Fire Fighters. Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Citizen Tax payers about Public Safety Education.   I love public speaking,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • Mmindy
      Congratulations to the mom and family @Ivy on the addition of another child.   Hugs,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • MaeBe
      Congrats to you and yours!
    • Ashley0616
      YAY! Congratulations on a granddaughter!
    • Ashley0616
      I recommend CarComplaints.com | Car Problems, Car Complaints, & Repair/Recall Information. A lot of good information
    • LucyF
      I've got Spironolactone ___mg and Evorel ___mcg Patches (2 a week) going up to ___mg after 4 weeks 
    • Ivy
      Got a new Granddaughter this morning.  Mother and child (and father) are doing fine. This makes 7 granddaughters and one grandson.  I have 2 sons and 6 daughters myself.  And then I  switched teams.  I think this stuff runs in the family. Another hard day for the patriarchy.
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...