Wow - Check this out! From our friend Chris Knowles.
Hi John:
I've made some changes to my LP. I got tired of
looking at the black plastic trim pieces on my guitar especially since I'd
expended the effort to make the wooden pick guard.
Looking in my wood collection I found some black
walnut left over from another project and proceeded to make pickup trim
rings, control knobs and pickup selector switch knob and trim ring.
I do not have a lathe to make round parts, so I had to
improvise using a spindle sander on my drill press and a bolt used as a
centering post on the drill press table, I then gently rotated the knobs
against the spindle sander until I'd reached the shape that I like. Making 4
identical knobs was challenging to say the least.
Chris Knowles
Note: We've used our drill press in this
manner before, and the key safety tip is to not use the top speed available,
and to wear safety goggles! You can also use a hand drill for this
operation, but make sure it is in a vise or other stationary holder.
You can shape the knobs with cloth-backed sandpaper
strips, available at Lowe's or Home Depot, However, it does take some
skill to get a nice curve on the knob like Chris'. Great job.
The pickup rings? Cut 'em out with a saw and start
sanding! Check out that switch tip...Cool! You can make a maple
pickguard with some veneer and some contact cement by gluing the maple onto
the plastic. However, I believe Chris' is the real deal.
By the way - black walnut is a fantastic wood, and it
easy to carve and sand.
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