Arzi's MMB-4 from vision to finish...

Continues...

nice flush mount
Attachment 5228

fitted the Artec preamp
Attachment 5229

Put the knobs including concentric one on
Attachment 5230

So - so far this has been done freehand since I don´t have a router. I´ve used dremel with a cheap routing tip and sanding stones to do most of the detail work. WIth this in mind I´m quite pleased with the results. Of course it could be better with the right kind of tools but maybe in the future.

The Artec fits fine but there seems to be little room for the miniswitches - have to see how I can fit those when they arrive.

Next it`s whole lotta sanding and shaping the headstock. After that it´s the feared routing for the binding...

Arzi

Looks good, the cavities have turned out well.

well done Arzi you did a great job of the battery box and neck pup cavity

Hi

more freehand was done today. First I sanded the top and sides of the body and then picked up my trusted dremel...

The result is this:
Attachment 5297

Attachment 5299

There are some wet spots in the pics from wiping the dust off.

I marked the line where I wanted the routing channel to be and it is there... almost...

As you can see freehand does not equal the result of a router or laminate trimmer with appropriate tips. Still - I got the depth and height (at most parts) right - before sanding the back wall of the channel.... Cause I didn´t count this in my calculations - the channel is now about 0,5mm too deep. This is still ok - just need some more sanding the sides to hide the lower edge to the body.

The height is not the same the whole way around but - as I´m not bringing the binding to the top edge I can hide these approx 1mm differences when I round the top edge. The channel is about 9mm high and binding 6mm so I can get the "fat" look I wanted.

I´m also thinking of beveling the lower edge of the binding a bit up and inwards ( hard to describe...). This - I think - will help me fit the binding in place even with the bit wavy channel because it´s not "standing" on the not-so-level channel surface. When pushed down the sides with tape the binding (at least in my imagination) will "bite" in the edge. The beveled edge Might also prevent some of the glue from oozing out of the channel and keep it under binding - you never know...

All this took about 8 hours of work and half a pack of smokes... Would have been easier and looked better with the right tools but as I don´t have the 450€ ( 600 AUS) for the tools - I´m happy for now.

That's still a very, very good looking result Arzi! Well done sir!

Bloody hell, Arzi! Fantastic stuff. Free handing a binding channel, you are braver than me.

Thanks guys. I'm not brave - just financially restricted and propably mentally too to try anything this bold. Just got lucky this time I guess... :)

wow Arzi well done mate the binding channels look great.
Free hand routing that is mega gutsy. Glad it worked out !

wow nice result for freehand!

very nice work Arzi, especially that binding channel