Carving Stage

 Today I was only able to get the carving done. Last night I drew my outline in pencil based off a design I drew out on a telecaster template. Starting this morning, I used my relief tools to carve around the outline.

 I used my smallest U-gauge and made two passes to create about 1/16" depth cut. I then used my blade tool to scratch away the outside wood to make a smooth, gradual recession.

 I started to sand around my cuts to make a smoother transition. Unfortunately, I wasn't working in my studio and sanding was creating too much dust. I needed to put off further sanding until a later date when I can get back into my studio.

The next step is to finish the sanding, then mask out my design, followed by staining. I originally set out to use polystain. After reading about how horrible the stuff is to use, I will be returning it for waterbased rubbing stain. I will be water coloring the driftwood design, then wood burning around the edges. The last step will be to clear coat the entire guitar to protect the finish.

Sanding Day 2

Today was the second day of sanding the body of the guitar. It took me about six hours of hand sanding to get all of the sealer off the wood. The hardest parts were near the neck of the guitar and on the sides. I ended up using my dremel to remove most of the sealer and buffed out the rest with sand paper. Tomorrow, I will be doing the next round of finer sanding to make sure there are no scuffs or scratches in the wood. After I finish sanding, I need to draw out my design, carve the body, and mask off the area that is not going to be stained. I also need to build an apparatus to hold the guitar while I stain it.

 

I wasn't happy with the clear coat on the front of the guitar neck so I sanded down the last coat and resprayed. I'm still not pleased with the finish on the neck and I will be adding another coat of clear tomorrow.

Guitar Project: Day 3

Today, I continued to work on the neck of the guitar. I had to finish sanding off the sealer before I could put the name of the guitar on and clear coat it. Sanding around the metal mounts proved to be a pain. I ended up sanding through the tape and scuffed the metal finish. I was able to sand the metal back to a worn finish that I'm pleased with. I then took a print out of text and colored the back of the paper with graphite. I taped the paper to the neck and traced the lettering. This left a pencil outline to follow. I used watercolor paint and went over the pencil lines. I went with the name Drift based on the theme. If I continue to make guitars I think my brand name will be Drift Guitars.


While I wait for the paint to dry, I took apart the body of the guitar. I made the mistake of putting the wire coverings during the first assembly and had to peal them off. This took a bit of time, but by the time I finished disassembling the paint on the neck was dry. I applied the first coat of clear and went back to the body. I need to sand off the sealer in order to stain the wood. I started on the back of the guitar with 60 grit sandpaper. It took forever just to get to the natural wood. I stopped occasionally to dust off, wash up, and add another coat of clear to the neck. I sanded after the first coat which was unnecessary. With only two coats, the neck already looks great. Tomorrow, I will add another two coats which should be enough. I went back to sanding and finished grinding through the tough sealer. When I got the entire back down to the wood, I switched to 100 grit and then 150 grit. The natural wood grain stands out much more now and it's quite beautiful. Unfortunately my body has taken the toll. Hand sanding is going to be a big project to get the rest of the sealer off the guitar. On the upside of sanding, the sealer has a great smell. I'll have photos up tomorrow.

Guitar project

Yesterday was the first day of my guitar project. I bought a Saga guitar kit and and I am customizing it to my driftwood theme. I assembled the guitar to make sure it was in all working order. The fittings for the tuners were too large for the holes that are pre-drilled. I had to use my dremel to shave off a little bit of the holes and made a tight fit. It was actually still too tight and I had to leave them in during my shaping of the neck.

Today, I started the shaping of the neck. First, I drew out my desired shape on the neck in pencil.The next step was to tape off the fret board and the metal fittings for the tuners. I then cut out the large areas of wood using a hand saw. This went smoothly until I noticed a crack in the wood. I had to cut out the cracked area, which changed my design. I then used my dremel to cut out the areas I couldn't get at with the saw. This took a bit longer but went smoother then expected. After, I used a sanding bit on the dremel to smooth out the cuts and make some additional shaping. My last step for the day was to hand sand the edges smooth using 150 and 100 grit sand paper. I also started sanding the sealer off the back of the neck. Tomorrow, I will need to finish sanding using a finer grit, hand sign the neck, and then add a few coats of clear coat.  



The Suicide Squirrel

Well known for being seen arguing with its self, this two headed squirrel choked its self to death. The skull is now squirreled away in the Suicide Collection.

This is a 7" x 7" ink drawing of the suicidal squirrel.

Squirrel Skull Study

This is a 5" x 7" graphite study of the top and bottom of a squirrel skull.

Squirrel Freaks

Check out this RARE dog headed squirrel!  

 http://www.caninest.com/freaky-photoshop-dogs/

 Below is an adorable baby squirrel who hasn't quite grown into his head yet.

 http://cuteoverload.com/2009/10/01/dont-get-swell-headed-but-youre-cute/

This is a white squirrel I saw in Brevard, NC.



Cyclops Bull Skull

This is a 5" x 6.5" graphite drawing of my concept of a Cyclops Bull Skull.

A look at Cyclops

The Greeks and Romans believed that Cyclops were a race of Giants with only one, central eye. These myths may have been influenced by the skulls of elephants with the misinterpretation of the nasal cavity as an eye socket and its large size.

However, its is also the possibility that Cyclops did exist as victims of a congenital abnormality. Today, science and doctors call this phenomenon "Cylopia" based on the Greek myth. Cyclopia is a birth defect that causes one eye, centrally located in the nasal cavity.

First Daily Sketch

This is the first sketch for my daily blog. This graphite drawing measures 5" x 6.5" and is of a coyote skull with separated jaw bone.

Obscura's Mummified Cat

Check out this clip from Discovery Channel's show Oddities.  The show covers the Obscura Antiques shop that specializes in oddities. In this clip, the co-owner tries to figure out where to put a newly acquired mummified cat. http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/oddities-mummies-galore/

See the full episode on December 12 at 1:30 and be sure to check the link for more episodes and show times.

Welcome to the Strange!

You must be curious about what bizarre awaits. Since this blog was inspired by a recent acquisition, it is only fitting that I share it with you. Below is an image of a mummified cat head. This cat was found under an old farm house. It is from a full sized cat and now measures about 4".   

I fell in love with this cat the moment I saw it. I was quite surprised when my girlfriend agreed to buy it as a Christmas gift.