ST-1 Custom experiement

[Andyxlh]

With the string through, just drill through on the outer holes and then drill from both sides so the holes are in a line.
Make sure a drill press has the reach to get to the hole location, small ones don’t.
At home, I find that a hard sanding block and sandpaper better than a sander for finishing headstocks. After cutting I use a bastard file to finalise shape and then paper to finish, from 80 grit to 400 finish. Keeping the edge perpendicular to the face is key.
Sounds like you are making progress!

[lunaticds]

With the string through, just drill through on the outer holes and then drill from both sides so the holes are in a line.
Make sure a drill press has the reach to get to the hole location, small ones don’t.
At home, I find that a hard sanding block and sandpaper better than a sander for finishing headstocks. After cutting I use a bastard file to finalise shape and then paper to finish, from 80 grit to 400 finish. Keeping the edge perpendicular to the face is key.
Sounds like you are making progress!

Looks like the press has a drill depth up to 50mm, and I need to get through 41mm, so I should be able to make it. Thanks for the tip on getting them in line. I will get on to that once I get this press set up (looks to be a lunch time job that may happen next time I need to get away from my desk for 15). I was able to click and collect a better rated one from somewhere other than Bunnings - the press I was looking at there was universally canned for being crap.

Sanding - yeah, to be honest I wound up taking to it with a file, then hit it with some 120 grit, and found I was able to start cleaning up the cut marks and get some shape into it. I figured it was worth a shot last night after I got the little fella in bed, and it seemed to come up pretty well. I'll work away and sanding it down with the higher grits until it's good.
I haven't worked out how I want to finish the neck yet. I'm thinking that I'll perhaps just go more traditional and just clearcoat it. I've got a couple of cans of polyurethane clear floating around, so I was thinking I'd just use that. The body will get the Krylon clear coat, and I should enough for the neck too, but I'm thinking that the polyurethane will add a little colour to things.