# Puzzle Top 8 String.



## pondman (Dec 12, 2016)

Started a new build. 

Maple body (for neck dive control)
Padauk and Maple neck. 



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## skeels (Dec 12, 2016)

I see you, fancy scarf joint....


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## theo (Dec 12, 2016)

Haven't jumped on the forum in a LONG time. Glad to see you're still building pondman! looking forward to the progress on this.


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## jemfloral (Dec 12, 2016)

Woohoo new pondman build day!


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## thinkpad20 (Dec 13, 2016)

aw man that looks really cool. How did you get the top to look that way? Is it actually made of multiple pieces of wood joined together?


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## Deegatron (Dec 13, 2016)

I've always wanted to do a puzzle top... looking good sir... looking good....


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## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Dec 13, 2016)

That maple body will likely brighten things up a bit to tighten the low end too!


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## pondman (Dec 14, 2016)

thinkpad20 said:


> aw man that looks really cool. How did you get the top to look that way? Is it actually made of multiple pieces of wood joined together?



Yes


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## Deegatron (Dec 14, 2016)

skeels said:


> I see you, fancy scarf joint....



awwww man. I missed that first time around.... at some point Pondoman's necks are going to start becoming more scarf joint than actual neck.... That being said.... I'm not suggesting that would be a bad thing....


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## BouhZik (Dec 14, 2016)

I can see two necks, right?
Looks great already, as usual....


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## crankyrayhanky (Dec 14, 2016)

cool


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## Fred the Shred (Dec 14, 2016)

Nice! I still want to run my fingers on the multicolour RBM 7 you made, mind you.


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## pondman (Dec 14, 2016)

Deegatron said:


> awwww man. I missed that first time around.... at some point Pondoman's necks are going to start becoming more scarf joint than actual neck.... That being said.... I'm not suggesting that would be a bad thing....



You know it makes sense 



BouhZik said:


> I can see two necks, right?
> Looks great already, as usual....



Yes, I made the blank big enough for two so I have one for the Boden I'm making.



Fred the Shred said:


> Nice! I still want to run my fingers on the multicolour RBM 7 you made, mind you.


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## ElRay (Dec 14, 2016)

This has been on my list for years. How did you cut the top pieces? Did you find dedicated router bits? I've been tempted to slum it down and use a dovetail bit, or on of those train track bits, but your pieces have the right swerve/swoop to them that you can't get with the other bits.


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## pondman (Dec 14, 2016)

ElRay said:


> This has been on my list for years. How did you cut the top pieces? Did you find dedicated router bits? I've been tempted to slum it down and use a dovetail bit, or on of those train track bits, but your pieces have the right swerve/swoop to them that you can't get with the other bits.



I used Silver Birch ply because its so white and also so it didn't fly apart when routing but I still had major probs with tear out because of the thinness.
The solution...I made a template and had it laser cut  then dyed the different colours. 
I didn't like the lasered square edges making it look one dimensional so I spent 4 hours rounding each piece with 1200.


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## pondman (Dec 14, 2016)

I've been told that I don't know where the worskhop ends and the house begins.



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## Leviathus (Dec 14, 2016)

So, are you the gaffer?


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## pondman (Dec 15, 2016)

Leviathus said:


> So, are you the gaffer?



I like to think so


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## Deegatron (Dec 15, 2016)

*Asian father voice* "WHY YOU NOT DONE YET?!?!?!"


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## ElRay (Dec 15, 2016)

Deegatron said:


> *Asian father voice* "WHY YOU NOT DONE YET?!?!?!"



A friend of mine groaned and told us not to tell him mom, when he found out his blood-type was B+


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## ElRay (Dec 15, 2016)

pondman said:


> ... I made a template and had it laser cut  then dyed the different colours ...


 

Oh man ... now you got me thinking ...


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## pondman (Dec 15, 2016)

ElRay said:


> Oh man ... now you got me thinking ...



Oh man now you got me thinking


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## KnightroExpress (Dec 15, 2016)

A Pond-made Escher top? Yes please


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## pondman (Dec 16, 2016)

Production stopped while I build a radius jig for de belt sander. An 8 string board is too wide for my radius block.

Heavy duty metal should do it 

More to follow.



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## benny (Dec 16, 2016)

I like where this is going!


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## pondman (Dec 16, 2016)

Done.

Fully adjustabe pivot and base height. 



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## pondman (Dec 17, 2016)

Deactivators ready for loading.



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## Ron Head (Dec 19, 2016)

just ... a w e s o m e , cheerrrs man !


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## pondman (Dec 19, 2016)

Well this was just about done but I just wasn't happy with the neck so I pulled the ferrets and planed the fret board off  and started again today


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## ElRay (Dec 20, 2016)

Two new questions:

If you don't mind me asking, How much did the laser-cut piece cost? I just started looking at services, and saw $100/hour. I have no clue how fast those things cut.

I couldn't tell in the pictures if you did anything to hide the plywood edges. What did you do?

Ray


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## pondman (Dec 20, 2016)

ElRay said:


> Two new questions:
> 
> If you don't mind me asking, How much did the laser-cut piece cost? I just started looking at services, and saw $100/hour. I have no clue how fast those things cut.
> 
> ...



It cost me £30 but that was through a friend of a friend, it was a little embarrassing really  
I used some Silver Birch ( Betula pendula ) ply I found. Its white all the way so it doesn't really show. There is one shake variation on one of the edges of one piece that I noticed when I sanded the edges to the body contour but stuff like that never bothers me.


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## Slunk Dragon (Dec 21, 2016)

I swear, you always take neat ideas, and make them look so classy in execution! Your house is slowly turning into your own personal art museum.

Also, I'm totally going to be a bad egg and say please do an M C Eschar top, too. xD


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## MoonJelly (Dec 21, 2016)

As long as we're doing artist challenges, do something Mucha-esque too. Way beyond my ability.


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## DistinguishedPapyrus (Dec 21, 2016)

Love that radiusing jig. I've been meaning to build one for a while, just to take some time out of the radiusing process. Takes a while to do it with just a radiusing beam and sand paper alone.


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## pondman (Dec 22, 2016)

DistinguishedPapyrus said:


> Love that radiusing jig. I've been meaning to build one for a while, just to take some time out of the radiusing process. Takes a while to do it with just a radiusing beam and sand paper alone.



Aye I wish I'd have made this ages ago for the time it saves  and the true level it gives. I bolted the whole jig to the back of my belt sander so it can stay in place permanently , all i have to do is swing the arm up and lock it so it isn't in the way.
I fit the whole neck with board attached to the jig then its all done in one go.


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## Walshy (Dec 22, 2016)

Is this just a hobby for you, pondman, or do you have/plan to do this for a living? You have some serious skills.


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## ASoC (Dec 22, 2016)

Walshy said:


> Is this just a hobby for you, pondman, or do you have/plan to do this for a living? You have some serious skills.



I would give up my money so quickly for a pondbuild.


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## A-Branger (Dec 23, 2016)

which got me thinking, what do you do with all your builds bro?

do you keep them al? if so, wheres the family photo??


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## MoonJelly (Dec 23, 2016)

You guys need to improve your pond-stalking skills...

Al has a landscape business, he does this in his spare time for fun. He feels if he did it for money it might lose its appeal.

He hoards all the builds. No family photo because he hides them around the house so they aren't ever all in one place. Just like my father in law and pocketknives.


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## Walshy (Dec 23, 2016)

I'm fairly new to the luthiery thread, so thanks for the back story there. To me, it only elevates his mystique. Sounds like a busy guy!


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## MoonJelly (Dec 23, 2016)

Oh dang, I didn't realize you were new! There's a guy on here who has the same avatar as you and he's been around since like 2006


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## pondman (Dec 24, 2016)

Getting close now.



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## pondman (Dec 25, 2016)

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## Ron Head (Dec 25, 2016)

i love puzzles even more now !


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## pondman (Dec 26, 2016)

Its been one big puzzle putting it together


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## KnightBrolaire (Dec 26, 2016)

that neck is class


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## redkombat (Dec 27, 2016)

love the scarf joint. any chance the lines where the wood meets the edges match up to any frets?


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## Sumsar (Dec 27, 2016)

Danish Oil? As a Danish person I would very much like to know what that is  ?


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## benny (Dec 27, 2016)

Very nice! That jig looks pretty sweet too. Did you use any readily available plans? 



Sumsar said:


> Danish Oil? As a Danish person I would very much like to know what that is  ?



I don't think you really want to know...


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## pondman (Dec 27, 2016)

benny said:


> Very nice! That jig looks pretty sweet too. Did you use any readily available plans?
> 
> 
> 
> I don't think you really want to know...



Nah, I just made it up as I went along. If you need any details give me a shout.


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## pondman (Dec 27, 2016)

Sumsar said:


> Danish Oil? As a Danish person I would very much like to know what that is  ?



Its real name is Snake Oil and its a by product from the pron industry


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## ElRay (Jan 1, 2017)

benny said:


> Sumsar said:
> 
> 
> > Danish Oil? As a Danish person I would very much like to know what that is  ?
> ...


It's the lesser-know prequel to Soylent Green -- How do you think they make deep fried Soylent Green?


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## Pikka Bird (Jan 3, 2017)

Sumsar said:


> Danish Oil? As a Danish person I would very much like to know what that is  ?


They scrape it off the faces of Danish teenage boys.


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## pondman (Jan 14, 2017)

Finished . Loads of pics over in NGD here http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/showthread.php?t=318526



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