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Thread: Lawrys JM-1 : The Matriarch

  1. #1
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    Hi Guys,
    Just started my second build, a Jagmaster with a custom deep green Wudtone colour (many thanks to DB for mixing it). I put the bits together and all seemed sweet except for a minor problem with the neck heel and body route. The neck heel has a slight curve whereas the route and scratch plate are flat. No biggie I'm told by Guru DB, just shape one or the other to fit.

    I do have another problem though, After spending about 3 hours sanding the body I was using some steel wool when it caught a bit of feathered grain and tore out a fibre of wood. It is about 5mm long, 1mm wide and 1-2 mm deep. It is too deep to sand down without creating a hollow. Anyone got any suggestions? Please!

    Oh yeah... The name Matriarch is in honour of my grandmother who is 101 years old and still as sharp as a tack. It was her who bought me my first guitar about 45 years ago and encouraged me musically through my entire life. This seemed like a nice way to say thanks.

    ]

  2. #2
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    Can't seem to get the picture of the damaged bit to upload.

  3. #3
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    Aha. Got it!


  4. #4
    GAStronomist wokkaboy's Avatar
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    Lawry, have you still got the fibre piece of wood that came out ? you could put a tiny bit of glue in the hole and glue the piece, but more than likely you will need a small amount of filler. Is it on the back or front face of the body ?
    Most people on the forum recommend timbermate filler, I've not used it so someone that has used it may know more about it
    Current Builds and status
    scratch end grain pine tele - first clear coat on !
    JBA-4 - assembled - final tweaks
    Telemonster double scale tele - finish tobacco burst on body and sand neck

    Completed builds
    scratch oak.rose gum Jazzmaster - assembled needs setup
    MK-2 Mosrite - assembled - play in
    Ash tele with Baritone neck - neck pup wiring tweaks and play in

  5. #5
    Yes timbermate is awesome! You can't go wrong with it.

    However, choose the timbermate colour that is closest to the wood because they will definitely absorb stains differently.

  6. #6
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    Thanks for the replies guys. Man, you're quick off the mark. Unfortunately I don't have the bit that came out, so filler it will have to be. I thought that would be the case but I had no idea which type is the best to use. Looks like a trip to Bunnings tomorrow. Oh yeah, the mark is on the back, which is a bit of a bummer really because the front has so much scratch plate that it would likely have been covered. Still... Shit happens.
    Cheers.

  7. #7
    http://www.timbermate.com.au/product...od+Filler.aspx

    It's a really amazing, innovative product. You should buy the smallest one that they have, because these things last for a very long time!

  8. #8
    GAStronomist wokkaboy's Avatar
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    Lawry could have been worse if the hole was on the front not hidden under the scratchplate, but you should be able to stain over the timbermate and no one but yourself will know there 'was' a hole there in the first place.
    One word of warning mentioning the big green shop that starts with 'B' will get you 30 minutes in DB's naughty corner !
    Good luck and post some pics once you have done the repair, one day I'll need to fill a hole and want to see how wudtone looks over it.
    Current Builds and status
    scratch end grain pine tele - first clear coat on !
    JBA-4 - assembled - final tweaks
    Telemonster double scale tele - finish tobacco burst on body and sand neck

    Completed builds
    scratch oak.rose gum Jazzmaster - assembled needs setup
    MK-2 Mosrite - assembled - play in
    Ash tele with Baritone neck - neck pup wiring tweaks and play in

  9. #9
    Member Scott J.'s Avatar
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    Hi Lawry ... that's certainly a great way to pay homage to someone who's provided with such musical influences.

    Serious bummer about the "tear out" on the body! (its the "little things" like that inspired the "brand" I put on my builds ... Pharquew! )

    As you no longer have the "missing piece" (another bummer),I'd be considering two options (though there's probably a number of others worth considering) ...

    Option 1. Fill (carefully) and sand:
    A good quality filler like Timbermate is very useful but you'll face two problems with it (or any filler) ... 1. matching the filler colour to the timber colour and ... 2.(the most telling) getting the same performance (colour finish) with the filler under the Wudtone colour as you're going to get with the timber itself ... quite often there'll be some variance between how the timber takes the colour up and how the filler takes the colour up (just how much variance depends on a whole lot of factors but it can range from "unnoticeably minimal" to standing out like the proverbial "dog's b*lls")

    In this situation instead of store-bought filler you might consider the old cabinetmakers trick of mixing you own filler from the sawdust you're creating from the timber itself (so you'll get exactly the same timber colour) and mixing it with a little glue ... however to ensure you get the same colour performance you must NOT use a plastic-based glue (so don't use anything like PVA/Aquadhere or similar products) ... Tite-bond might work, I'm not certain (though I'd be suspicious until you've tested it) but certainly a traditional "hide" glue like rabbit-skin glue or cow-hide glue will give the colour-performance "take-up" to minimise any noticeable difference ... but you'll need to work quickly as hide-glues set pretty quickly (but they can be easily re-juvenated by just re-heating) ... an old-time technique that works really well (have a play around with it before you try it just to get the hang of how it works). If you don't want to mix and heat your own (and risk being banished from the house because of the smell) hide-glues can be brought pre-mixed from decent hardware/cabinetmakers suppliers (probably not Bunnings, but you never know).

    Option 2. Steaming - this was trick shown to me by an old gunsmith that he used to use to bring out the dings and dints in gunstocks with out risking modifying/changing the "shape" of the stock by sanding out the dings/dints(saving him a lot of work). Get a fairly damp cloth and a steam iron, place the cloth over the effected area and then applying the iron to the cloth - a good steaming of the area will cause the timber grain to expand and raise - though you might need to hit it a few times. Admittedly this is a technique best used for dings and dents where the timber is already there and has just been compressed but it might work for a small tear-out (where the timber is actually missing) depending on the timber ... if it does work you'll need to be extra careful when your sanding back over the area so as not to push the "raised" timber back down again - tho once its had several coats of cured top finish/varnish over it should be quite stable/strong enough.

    At least with option 2 if it works you have an easy win without risk and if it doesn't then nothings changed and you can still proceed with the filler.

    Of course, in such a situation as you're currently in, the smartest move is to seek the wisdom of the guru ...

    ... DB are you there?


    Wait a minute ... that sounds like Rock and/or Roll!

    SG-1 ... "Little Miss" finished in Flamenco Cherry Wudtone
    TL-1A ... "Slugger" finished in Antique White Nitro
    EX-1 ... "Metal God" finished in nickel-plate (work in progress)
    ST-1A ... "Scrapper" stained and finished in linseed oil ... and with the "secret weapon"
    GR-1SF ... "Rocker-billy" (just arrived, work in progress)

  10. #10
    Hi.
    Good old Granny. What a nice thought from you.
    I'm not a guitar maker or repairer but I have a mate who used to have a workshop behind Sydney Set Up and the old Jackson's Rare Guitars ( JRG now gone of course )in Annandale. Anyway, he mixed body wood dust with the glue product and then filled the trench. And he used to steam the wood too but he was very very very skilfull. Me ? I would fill and sand back. With the green you have chosen and the fact it is on the back, you will be fine.
    On the lighter side, have considered doing a full relic job on it !!!! Only joking.

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