There's always hope, even for late bloomers!
I agree!
Been working on proportioning the body and pickguard and it's getting closer.
I took the paper p/g mock up which I had intentionally cut big, taped it to a cereal box and cut out a template.
Transferred that to a piece of 6mm hardboard, cut and smoothed it and attached to a piece of plywood backer board. That black square is an $0.88 self stick floor tile from Lowes. It cuts really easily and is a moneysaver vs using plastic. Got the idea from somebody at that other forum.
Here's the P/G and cavity cover prototypes (real ones will be 3 ply plastic) after cutting on the pin router. I think I may be able to bevel the edges using the pin router. Man, am I digging it!
Cavity cover in place. For the belly cut I used a Japanese pull saw, chisel and drawknife for the rough out and a belt sander to finish it. I've considered getting a small shaper for this operation but this was pretty quick and rewarding. Again, hardwood may be a different story.