The Texas Tele Project

[guitarnut]

Since I have shared so much about my Mark V aquisition and that my forum name is due to my love of guitars...I thought I would share a link to my project page. The Texas Tele, as we have named it, will have an alder back with a carved quilted maple top. Nickle hardware, maple neck and fretboard, black pearl binding and will feature a custom paint scheme of the Texas flag. The colors of the flag will be a combination of bleaching and stains that will let the boiling quilt shine through. The idea is to have the flag appear to be waving in the breeze.

http://www.crenshawweb.com/texastele/texasteleproject.htm

The page has 2D and 3D visualizations...I'm a graphic artist and 2D/3D animator by day...the setup of my garage workshop, the woods I have selected for the project, my Mark V journey, the bandsaw mod I just completed and more.

I try to update weekly or as work is completed enough to warrant an update.

Peace,

[mickyd]

Thanks for sharing the link Mark. Interesting 2 and 3d stuff.

Looking down on the page, you reminded me to install my stairway to my attic. I had forgotten to write it on my "to do" list and seeing it sparked the gray matter.

[tom_k/mo]

Mark, that is some nicely figured Maple. It should look fantastic on the guitar. I have a couple Lancaster longrifles (58" long) made of that. IIRC the wood blanks cost me between $300 and $400 each.

[guitarnut]

Thanks for sharing the link Mark. Interesting 2 and 3d stuff.

Looking down on the page, you reminded me to install my stairway to my attic. I had forgotten to write it on my "to do" list and seeing it sparked the gray matter.

Hi Mike.

Thanks! I have leaned on 3D to do previz for all of my guitars, my workbench, yardbarn, deck, and countless projects for clients at work. It's a great tool!

I put my attic stairs in on a weekend that no one was around...I stood on a desk and hoisted it up. It had location tabs that held it in place while I leveled and nailed it down. Take it from me, get a buddy to help you. :D

Peace,

[guitarnut]

Mark, that is some nicely figured Maple. It should look fantastic on the guitar. I have a couple Lancaster longrifles (58" long) made of that. IIRC the wood blanks cost me between $300 and $400 each.

Hi Tom.

I am excited to see how the maple turns out. I haven't done anything in quilted maple yet but I've seen some beautiful guitars with very deep, 3D figure. If mine comes out half as nice, I'll be thrilled. This will be my first carved top, too.

I picked up a beautiful slab of curly maple yesterday that is large enough for 4 5/8" bookmatched tops and 2 neck blanks...$110!!!

Peace,

[JPG40504]

Hi Mike.

Thanks! I have leaned on 3D to do previz for all of my guitars, my workbench, yardbarn, deck, and countless projects for clients at work. It's a great tool!

I put my attic stairs in on a weekend that no one was around...I stood on a desk and hoisted it up. It had location tabs that held it in place while I leveled and nailed it down. Take it from me, get a buddy to help you. :D

Peace,

YES.....MIKE...... Figure a way to support it while attaching it to whatever it is attached to(joists etc.). Temporary cleat across one end of the opening and another at the opposite end with ONE end secured(loose enough to rotate) and swung out of the way b4 raising attic stairs. Stick one end of stairs onto the secured cleat, raise the other end into position, rotate the remaining cleat to position and secure the 'loose' end.
That is how I have done it and I recommend using screws to secure the cleats. An alternative is to use a T shaped prop to hold the loose end up while securing the second cleat.

OFF subject, but MIKE this WILL help even IF you have assistance.:)

[tom_k/mo]

Hi Tom.

I am excited to see how the maple turns out. I haven't done anything in quilted maple yet but I've seen some beautiful guitars with very deep, 3D figure. If mine comes out half as nice, I'll be thrilled. This will be my first carved top, too.

I picked up a beautiful slab of curly maple yesterday that is large enough for 4 5/8" bookmatched tops and 2 neck blanks...$110!!!

Peace,

Mark, Here's some pictures that the gunsmith sent me as he was building my 54Cal Lancaster. The first is of the butt section of the rough blank as he received it. It was 3 1/2" thick and roughly 64" long.

The second photo is of the butt section of the stock after he carved it, but before staining and finishing. There's relief carving and German Silver wire inlays in the stock,and the center section is a sliding wood door patch box. Wood patchboxes were made on rifles before they made the brass hinged door patch boxes. This rifle was made to replicate an early 1700's Lancaster school flintlock.

The third photo is of the same section after the stock was stained and 7 hand-rubbed coats of Tung oil applied. As you can see, the striping is as prominent as the actual grain. (btw, there's not a piece of exposed metal on that rifle that is not engraved, including the screw heads).

[Ed in Tampa]

YES.....MIKE...... Figure a way to support it while attaching it to whatever it is attached to(joists etc.). Temporary cleat across one end of the opening and another at the opposite end with ONE end secured(loose enough to rotate) and swung out of the way b4 raising attic stairs. Stick one end of stairs onto the secured cleat, raise the other end into position, rotate the remaining cleat to position and secure the 'loose' end.
That is how I have done it and I recommend using screws to secure the cleats. An alternative is to use a T shaped prop to hold the loose end up while securing the second cleat.

OFF subject, but MIKE this WILL help even IF you have assistance.:)


JPG40504
I don't know how Mike's stairs were but mine had a metal frame that more or less acted like the cleat you mention. But like Mike I recommend a buddy.

It was all I could do to hoist the rest of the assembly up and lock it place.
The metal stair assembly must have weighted close to 80 lbs and being about 5 foot long is fairly difficult to swing up overhead and have it lock onto the support hooks that hold it until you can permenately fasten it in place.

With mine you have to hold the whole thing at one particular angle before all locked into place.

To anyone planning to install pull down stairs, GO METAL!!! I have had both and the metal is so far superior to the wood that there is no contest. Price difference for me was about $30. Now that I have metal I would have paid twice that for the benefit of it over wood.
Don't even consider a wood pull down!