HERE I WILL SHOW HOW I AM GOING TO MAKE A CUSTOM BRIDGE AND SADDLES FOR THE GUITAR. IN SHORT THIS IS THE PLACE THAT THE STRINGS PASS OVER ON THE BODY OF THE GUITAR BEHIND THE PICKUP, AND THE STRINGS PASS OVER THE SADDLES AND ARE ADJUSTABLE TO HELP INTONATE THE GUITAR........UHHHHHH
1. BRIDGE
I'M STARTING OFF THE SAME AS MY OTHER BUILDS WITH THE METAL ELECTRICAL BOX OUTLET LID COVER THINGY....
2.
THE LOCATION OF THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT...I'LL GET INTO THAT LATER. HERE I AM DRAWING UP WHERE I WANT IT TO GO AND KIND OF LOOK LIKE...
3.
GOT MY LINES DRAWN AND THE BACK PIECES CUT OFF...
...THEN GET IT ROUGH CUT OUT ON THE BAND SAW AND ONTO THE GUITAR FOR A QUICK LOOK SEE....
4.
THEN I PUT THE BACK INTO A VISE AND HAMMER IN THE BEND...
5.
THEN ITS OFF TO THE GRINDER TO CLEAN IT UP...MY SON LIKES TAKING PICTURES OF THE SPARKS COMING OFF!!!
6.
AFTER A LITTLE CLEAN UP I PUT IT BACK ON FOR ANOTHER LOOK...
7. SADDLES
READY TO CUT OUT THE 3 SADDLES OUT OF SOME ALUMINUM ROUND BAR
8.
FIRST I SAND A FLAT SPOT ON THE BACK AND TRY TO CENTER PUNCH A HOLE....
9.
THEN A LITTLE CUTTING OIL AND MAKE THE HOLE...
10.
I PUT A NAIL THROUGH THE HOLE HOPING IT WILL HELP ME DRILL SOMEWHAT THE SAME FOR THE SECOND HOLE.....IT KIND OF WORKED ON SOME OF THEM....
11.
NEXT I WILL CHOP IT OFF AT THE BAND SAW AND TAP THE HOLE (PUT THREADS IN IT) FOR AN ADJUSTMENT SCREW...
12.
THE TAPPING WAS A SUCCESS...NOW I'M CUTTING A LITTLE SLIT IN THE TOP OF THE ADJUSTMENT SCREW TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS (WHAT A GREAT IDEA)!! THE ADJUSTMENT SCREWS ARE JUST CUT-OFFS OF THE SCREWS I AM USING FOR THE BRIDGE
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THESE WILL BE THE HOLES FOR THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE SADDLES...
15.
THEY ALMOST CAME OUT STRAIGHT......I TAP THEM AS WELL
16.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE CURRENT PROGRESS...
17.
OK...TIME TO CLEAN UP THE SADDLES A LITTLE, DONT TRY THIS AT HOME (OR IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING SIT BACK AND LAUGH!)
FIRST I CUT THEM CLOSE TO THEIR FINAL SHAPE...
THEN TAKE THEM TO THE SANDER TO SAND THEM TO THE LINE....THEN REALIZE THEY GET VERY VERY VERY HOT WHEN DOING THIS, SO YOU GET A BOWL OF WATER TO THROW THEM INTO .....THEY GIVE A GOOD SIZZLE AS MY SON WOULD SAY!!!
18.
AFTER MY FINGERS COOL DOWN AND CAN BE USED AGAIN, I CHUCK THE SADDLE INTO THE DRILL PRESS AND CLEAN THEM UP WITH A FILE AND SAND PAPER...IN THE SECOND PIC YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LINE....
19.
THEN A QUICK MOCK UP TO BASK IN THE GLORY OF FORWARD PROGRESS.
WHEN YOU ARE AN EXTREME NOVICE LIKE MYSELF, I PREFER TO VERY MUCH CELEBRATE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COME TOGETHER! MAKES THE WHOLE PROCESS EVEN MORE FULFILLING!
WHEN YOU ARE AN EXTREME NOVICE LIKE MYSELF, I PREFER TO VERY MUCH CELEBRATE THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COME TOGETHER! MAKES THE WHOLE PROCESS EVEN MORE FULFILLING!
20.
OK BASKING OVER, BACK TO WORK. I GOT SOME SPRINGS OUT OF SOME INK PENS, CUT THEM IN HALF AND PUT THEM ON. THEY WILL PROVIDE A LITTLE TENSION IN THE SADDLE WHEN ADJUSTING....
21.
TIME FOR SOME MORE HOLES....ON THE LEFT WILL BE THE HOLES TO ATTACH THE BRIDGE TO THE GUITAR BODY. ON THE RIGHT WILL BE THE 6 LITTLE HOLES TO LET THE STRINGS PASS UP THROUGH THE GUITAR FROM THE BOTTOM OVER THE BRIDGE
22.
MORE BASKING...JUST NEEDS A LITTLE MORE CLEAN UP AND ATTACHING...
23.
FOR CLEAN UP I START WITH THE ROTARY ATTACHMENT IN ALL THE HOLES TO GET RID OF ANY SHARP EDGES. THEN I FILE ALL THE SIDES TO TRY OT MAKE IT SOMEWHAT SYMMETRICAL AND SAND IT UP A LITTLE....
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25.
BASKING AGAIN....HERE IT IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO STOP MESSING WITH IT. I WILL PROBABLY DO ANOTHER SANDING SESSION LATER BEFORE POLISHING, BUT FOR NOW ITS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD!