Failed Project Swirlotype ---> Project Stealthmachine?

[Stealthdjentstic]

I just remembered I still have a shitty strat copy lying around that was meant to be a test guitar before I swirled my 7421. Well, that didn't happen so I'm going to be turning it into a Blackmachine copy!

Here's what the body looks like at the moment (it's a darker and richer pink than the washed out salmon pink in the picture):



I'm planning on:

- Sanding the body down
- Staining it darker
- Ebony, Walnut or Koa veneer, whichever I find cheapest really
- Proper binding, either ABS plastic or some kind of wood binding, I'm leaning towards maple binding
- Reshaping the body so it's more of a modern strat shape


The neck:

-Dye fretboard
-Reshape headstock so its blackmachine/parker-esque
-Sand neck down so its less of a C and more of a D/soft C


Aiming to copy Skeels here:




So, does anyone know the best way to go about making a template for the body?

[asher]

What sort of tools do you have access to, and how large can you print?

Also, you should totally stain it pink again once you're done

[Stealthdjentstic]

Originally Posted by asher

What sort of tools do you have access to, and how large can you print?

Also, you should totally stain it pink again once you're done

I have access to a ....ton of tools, my grandpa does a lot of woodwork so the garage is full of......ing everything really

I could probably go somewhere to get the template printed right?

[asher]

Yeah, I was gonna say if you can find an image (or linework, even better) and print it big, just cut it out and transfer it onto MDF or something. Everyone seems to love MDF templates to rout and cut around.

You might or might not be able to do this with SketchUp or some sort of free CAD software but importing a blackmachine image and drawing over it, and then printing the lines full scale would make this even easier. And yeah, if you can't print it yourself I'm sure you could take it to a copyshop of some sort and get a few printed. I say a few because they'll probably all get cut up.

[Stealthdjentstic]

How important do you think a template is by the way? If I'm just doing some reshaping to make things look a little sharper/more modern maybe I should just say .... it and go at it?

It seems like an aweful lot of work.

[asher]

That's very true, lol. Was just going on about them since you mentioned them, but if you're just gonna hack at it with some rasps and shit I'd just doodle on it with a pencil/sharpie for reference.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Yeah the half assed approach is very appealing to me, does anyone have any good guides on doing binding? I have pretty good idea of how to go about doing it, but it doesnt hurt to read more.

[BlackMastodon]

Hmmm are you going to be making the edges less round on that? If it's more of a regular strat shape then it has a bigger radius to the edge curves right? Since you said you want to put a veneer on it you could make just take off some material from the top, maybe like 1/4" at most to get some of that radius off, might make it easier to do the binding as well. As for templates, I don't think it's completely necessary, I assume you really just want to make the horns sharper right?

[IB-studjent-]

I want some of that jus de pomme !
Apple juice and pink guitars, ....ing metal !!!!

[sage]

Yes, the halfassed approach can be very appealing. I would totally make a template, though. It's pretty easy and, well, if you bollocks something up, MDF is cheap. Pink strat bodies a little less so.

[skeels]

I wish I could give you some advice, but I'm kind of a neanderthal when it comes to tool availability. My raison d'etre is the old sculptor's advice on how to carve an elephant - take a rock, and cut away all the parts that don't look like an elephant.
I can't wait to see what you do because a veneer or a top is my next project. I may even buy a tool rather than use my stone chisel!

Also +111146 for doing real binding!

[Fiction]

I wouldn't use a template for shaping.

It's all feel, homie.

Edit: @ Homie.

[Mysticlamp]

what kind of guitar was skeel's?
one of those stagemasters?

[Stealthdjentstic]

No clue

At any rate, I'll be sanding down the body next wednesday which is when exams are over.

What order should I do this in by the way?

1. Sand
2. Reshape
3. Stain
4. Add veneer
5. Binding

Im really confused if binding gets done first or veneer.

[skeels]

Hm. I would guess veneer first. Otherwise you would need to cut it to fit precisely inside the binding.
Am I right?

Also, yes, that was a Squier Stagemaster. Totally stole the idea from someone else here.

Also, stain last?