Lowe Shop Notes

[BTL]

Buttoning down a couple of conversion necks. Another little detail I haven't mentioned in a while is that I put a little beeswax in each pre-drilled screw hole. It helps the wood screws thread in more easily and also makes them less likely to seize up and strip out over time.

[Pilgrim]

Beeswax is a great idea.  I use paraffin and keep a chunk of it in my tool kit for work around the house. Always helps when easing screws into wood, and sometimes metal.

[BTL]

My memory may not be 100% clear on this, but I feel like I picked up the beeswax trick from Bill/drbassman. At a minimum, I'm sure it came from the Reranch forum, which is what led me here.

That said...more details...I feel like I have been saying details a lot recently. It's starting to sound weird. Details...hmmm.

So, I use these inserts with red paint on them over and over as drill guides to allow the neck mounting machine screws to sink deeper into the neck. Once set, I drip thin CA around the perimeter to lock them in. Then I chase the threads and tap the maple using...beeswax. By the way, these EZ Lok inserts are designed for metal, so I clean the pink goop (thread locker) before I use them in wood.

[BTL]

The base plates and blades are a success, thanks to my buddy Dan on CAD and the fine folks at Send Cut Send. I made the bends in the base plates manually using an Irwin 8R Vise Grip sheet metal crimper.

[Rob]

Those look great!

[BTL]

Those look great!

Thanks, I'm really happy with how this is all working out!

[BTL]

The bobbins are in and everything fits beautifully. I love it when a plan comes together!

[BTL]

This may be my new daily driver.

[Pilgrim]

I like that!!

[Dave W]

I do too!

[BTL]

Thanks! I'm pretty excited about how good the roasted neck looks with the African mahogany body.

[wellREDman]

i really like that headstock with the J body, when you pictured it on its own it was Meh but it works really well with the body. close enough to 7ender to look right with the body but different enough to have its own identity without looking like the type of clone that is just different enough to avoid a lawsuit. its a very fine line to tread and its the only headstock i've noticed that pulls it off.
im not a fan of p/j shapes but that headstock makes it the closest ive come to appreciating it.

[BTL]

Thank you so much!

The 32" medium scale conversion neck project has been my most successful endeavor. I've only built a couple of complete Jayluxes, but they were very well received. Some days I feel as though specializing in nothing but 32" scale P & J builds is where I should focus my energy, but I can't quite get myself to go there.

[godofthunder]

 Amazing work Brad! Who knew 32" scale would make a comeback?

[slinkp]

Amazing work Brad! Who knew 32" scale would make a comeback?

Comeback from where? I didn't know there was such a thing before Lowe!