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(in case that last bit wasn't clear, I was kidding about blasting 1000 cans w/ LP being more cost-effective than purchasing a billet)

That video had shown up in my youtube 'recommended'. Haven't watched it yet- but excited to do so. TIG welding is something I want to learn to do...someday. I now have a couple dozen pounds of scraps and shavings kicking around. I don't think I'll be pouring a billet, but I am looking into casting some knobs and pickup surrounds.
-on a related note a local aerospace dude (they are thick on the ground out here) delivered a 4' x 6' sheet of .625 6061 T6 - so I have material for the next 40-ish guitars. Not cheap, but way cheaper than buying them one at a time.

I didn't quite get the body finish completed...just 2-ish coats to go. But it is easily the best looking cherry I have ever worked with- I has a lot of what is called chatoyancy, which is that depth and shimmer you see with figured hardwoods. The receiver also came a long way this week. Shaping is finished and sanded out to #320. Fretboard has slots and dots and is now attached. I leave it about 1/4" wide on each side, then shave it down to match while cleaning up the epoxy. Next week will wrap up the body and gets switch/pots/jack installed. Will also try get the fretboard cleaned up, cut slots to final depth, sand to #2000.

This whole process is getting really tight and it’s fun to see this much visibility into your prototyping, refinement and repeatability. I like the cherry a lot.

Here is the first mock-up. Fretwork is done. Now it just becomes a never-ending checklist of things to polish and button up. Maybe a week to wrap up details then a week to set up/test. and because this is all 'indoor work' at this point, I had the shop space to get started on glue-up for the next one. Also the house and shop are getting a new roofs this week. Hooray, no more half-dozen buckets collecting water from all the holes.

Oh my. That looks fantastic. The aesthetic proportions are really tuned in on this one. Love the body shape.

Unexpectedly, #7 really came together today. I'm going to play it for an hour at practice to figure out what tweaks are needed, but it feels great and intonated perfectlty with minimal fuss. Already did the glue up a rough cut for #8- a DC minus the lower bout, lefty for my pal BJ.

beautiful!

Spoke too soon. The weirdest fucking thing- thought I had a scratchy pot (common from CTS). Turns out the wire from lug 2 on the vol pot to the jack was microphonic- even the slightest tap or wiggle crackled through the amp. Swapped it out (for wire from the same company) -still microphonic.

New to me. will keep hacking away.

Resolved. Turns out I had a batch of wire w/ silicone insulation...which can create enough capacitance to crackle (or so said amp wiring nerds).

I swapped in some old shielded Gibson wire, and wrapped the shield in heat shrink for good measure.

Also addressed a couple frets that needed to come down. found 2 more tiny spots to address tomorrow. This will be picked up on saturday.

Wow! This one is amazing. I really think it looks cooler than what is out on the market these days. It's simple and classy.