Ben’s B&S Ball Tele

[Benj]

Sorry no photos yet guys, but I can provide a quick update, I've been sanding the past couple of nights, not taking any shortcuts, repeating DB's famous mantra in my head.
Neck is smooth as silk, went over with 120 on the headstock for the final shaping (after having used the jigsaw and 40/80 grit to shape), then 180 and 240 to smooth out followed by a light 0000'ing. First coat of yellow applied to neck and it is hanging up, but I might leave it 3 or 4 days as the garage is pretty chilly at the moment.
Went over the body with 120/180 last night and gave up when dinner was served. I do love doing these kits, but the choice between sanding and fillet steak in a red wine horseradish reduction on a bed of sweet potato mash with roast vegetables and a couple of glasses of red.... We all know where I went.
Tonight I'll wet it down, 180 again and then do a 240, 0000 wool and hopefully get a coat on.
Pics to follow this evening.

.............

My god that dinner was amazing

[keloooe]

Awwwwwwww..... I wish I had that dinner...
Good to know ya didn't take any shortcuts in the sanding!

[Benj]

I took shortcuts with the HB-4 I made for my bro and I can see the scratches in the finish really clearly.

Not doing that again!

[keloooe]

I didn't take any shortcuts with the LP-1 I built recently, there are no scratches, it's dead flat!

[wokkaboy]

yer well done Pest, you are the sanding guru at getting rid of glue on cutaways

Ben look forward to seeing pics of the tele with a 1st coat, better not let Adam the tele napper see it !

[Benj]

OK a couple of snaps of the neck with 1 coat on. Its a little bit patchy, but I'm hoping this will even out with a couple more coats.
I was jamming last night so didnt get to work on the body. That will be this weekend. Very excited to see how the body takes the Butterscotch

[wokkaboy]

Ben,
love the hanging system you got for the neck ! Before you apply next coat to the fingerboard I'd concentrate sanding out the darker areas. Next coat should even out better hopefully. Is it vintage yellow wudtone you are using for the neck/fingerboard ? Fine steel wool should remove the darker areas with some elbow grease !

[Brendan]

Ben,
Given you've got a curved end to the neck - near the head - may be worthwhile getting a little brush or something to get a little stain into the truss rod hole - that is unless you've got a cover organised.

[Benj]

Thanks for the advice guys, did some work on the neck over the weekend, steel wooled the darker areas and gave it a second coat, looking very nice now.
Body has its first coat on it too, but when i stepped back to admire my work, I noticed I had forgotten to wet the body down and sand to get rid of the fibers on the basswood. Luckily, they are still sitting up so I’ll go over it with 240 to cut it down and give it another coat tomorrow.

Pics to follow in the morning