AHG octave mando build

[GAD]

It May get me banished from the board, but, I don’t like coffee.

I never liked coffee. Loved the smell, but hated the taste.

Some 30 years ago I was in Santa Clara with a bunch of guys from work for a class. The class was TCP/IP - that's how long ago it was! We rented a single van (there were I think seven of us) and since I was a teetotaler at the time, I drove us everywhere, including back and forth to San Fransisco *every night* where we would park the van, get dinner, and just wander around until we heard blues music coming from a club which we would then party in until we'd get bored and look for another club. We would do this every night for the roughly 6-7 days we were there, drive back at 2-3am, go to bed and get up for class which started at 9am.

The class was at 3-Com, and after falling asleep in class on the second day one of the guys convinced me to get Starbucks because "it tastes like coffee smells" and the campus had a Starbucks on site. I can't stand anything bitter, so they got me a Cafee Mocha. If you've never seen one, they look like this:



A Grande is 370 calories (that's almost two snickers bars without the protein from peanuts) and it was DELICIOUS! Of course it was delicious because it's 370 calories of mocha syrup and whipped cream, but I had two a day for the week and it kept me going.

Of course I went off the deep end (as I do) and now pump my own locally roasted espresso and a hand-made Italian machine, but 30 years later I'm a fat bastard mostly because of sugary coffee drinks.

 

[chazmo]

I never liked coffee. Loved the smell, but hated the taste.

Some 30 years ago I was in Santa Clara with a bunch of guys from work for a class. The class was TCP/IP - that's how long ago it was! We rented a single van (there were I think seven of us) and since I was a teetotaler at the time, I drove us everywhere, including back and forth to San Fransisco *every night* where we would park the van, get dinner, and just wander around until we heard blues music coming from a club which we would then party in until we'd get bored and look for another club. We would do this every night for the roughly 6-7 days we were there, drive back at 2-3am, go to bed and get up for class which started at 9am.

The class was at 3-Com, and after falling asleep in class on the second day one of the guys convinced me to get Starbucks because "it tastes like coffee smells" and the campus had a Starbucks on site. I can't stand anything bitter, so they got me a Cafee Mocha. If you've never seen one, they look like this:



A Grande is 370 calories (that's almost two snickers bars without the protein from peanuts) and it was DELICIOUS! Of course it was delicious because it's 370 calories of mocha syrup and whipped cream, but I had two a day for the week and it kept me going.

Of course I went off the deep end (as I do) and now pump my own locally roasted espresso and a hand-made Italian machine, but 30 years later I'm a fat bastard mostly because of sugary coffee drinks.

GAD, that is EXACTLY my story (not TCP/IP class, but I worked in San Jose across from the Pruneyard -- which had a Starbucks). What a weird coinkidink!

 

[AcornHouse]

I never liked coffee. Loved the smell, but hated the taste.

Some 30 years ago I was in Santa Clara with a bunch of guys from work for a class. The class was TCP/IP - that's how long ago it was! We rented a single van (there were I think seven of us) and since I was a teetotaler at the time, I drove us everywhere, including back and forth to San Fransisco *every night* where we would park the van, get dinner, and just wander around until we heard blues music coming from a club which we would then party in until we'd get bored and look for another club. We would do this every night for the roughly 6-7 days we were there, drive back at 2-3am, go to bed and get up for class which started at 9am.

The class was at 3-Com, and after falling asleep in class on the second day one of the guys convinced me to get Starbucks because "it tastes like coffee smells" and the campus had a Starbucks on site. I can't stand anything bitter, so they got me a Cafee Mocha. If you've never seen one, they look like this:



A Grande is 370 calories (that's almost two snickers bars without the protein from peanuts) and it was DELICIOUS! Of course it was delicious because it's 370 calories of mocha syrup and whipped cream, but I had two a day for the week and it kept me going.

Of course I went off the deep end (as I do) and now pump my own locally roasted espresso and a hand-made Italian machine, but 30 years later I'm a fat bastard mostly because of sugary coffee drinks.

You’re not selling it by invoking the Starbucks brand. When I visited China in 2002 (?) I was completely disgusted when, in the middle of the Forbidden City complex, inside the walls, was a Starbucks.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Chris, you are not alone, don't do coffee either.

 

[AcornHouse]

I love finding new tuner makers. I just need a commission who'll want to pay for them. (Actually these seem quite reasonable compared to other high end makers.)

Collection

Barnett Tuning Machines

barnett-tuners.com

 

[twocorgis]

I love finding new tuner makers. I just need a commission who'll want to pay for them. (Actually these seem quite reasonable compared to other high end makers.)

Collection

Barnett Tuning Machines

barnett-tuners.com

For that kind of coin, they had better clean my house!

 

[GAD]

For that kind of coin, they had better clean my house!

Honestly, I bet their margins aren’t that high. Well made hand crafted stuff made from good materials costs more and prices if materials keep rising.

That’s why we’re surrounded by crap - to meet a price point. If you build without that mindset you end up with $500 tuners.

 

[twocorgis]

Honestly, I bet their margins aren’t that high. Well made hand crafted stuff made from good materials costs more and prices if materials keep rising.

That’s why we’re surrounded by crap - to meet a price point. If you build without that mindset you end up with $500 tuners.

You're probably right, but even I can't rationalize spending that kind of money on tuners when 18:1 Grover Sta-Tites are so good, and can be had for around $50 or so. They're even still made in the USA (I think).

 

[GGJaguar]

They're even still made in the USA (I think).

Nope, Korea.

 

[davismanLV]

At first my brain went, "Ooh! A vintage coffee grinder!". I've since corrected it.

I thought it was a grinder, too. Then after I looked for a bit.....

 

[davismanLV]

The tuners in the middle photo are DREAMY!! I like 'em!!

 

[twocorgis]

Nope, Korea.

Well, so much for that idea. At least they used to be made in the USA!

 

[AcornHouse]

Working on neck layout. Needs to be right from the get go, don't want to waste the blank. I think I may shift the whole thing down an inch to get optimal grain direction in the headstock. (Ignore the blue, that's just eraser residue.)

Mineral spirited cut off showing figure.

 

[GGJaguar]

That's some topographic flame figure!

 

[cupric]

Great thread!

 

[AcornHouse]

Trimmed down on the top, surfaces run through the drum sander, lines redrawn, measurements checked about a dozen times...

 

[AcornHouse]

Working on the topside layout. Got truss rod and carbon fiber reinforcements sized and ordered. I'm going to wait until they arrive and get it routed out for them before cutting the blank to shape. That way I have a good strong clamping area while I rout.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

Tailpiece arrived today. A little disappointed. Not because it was less than expected, but because it was more.
I'd ordered an Allen non-polished unplated cast bronze tailpiece. This was the pic on their website.


I would have preferred one with a nickel finish to match the tuners, but they didn't offer any. In fact, I couldn't find any cast ones in a nickel finish of any kind. I also prefer Allen to the cheaper import versions because they go to the trouble of making the posts canted back in a teardrop shape, rather than just a vertical round post. Much easier to string with.
The above bronze look, with it's earthy tones, would work well with the cedar and walnut.

So this was what I received.


Not terribly earthy, and a bit more polished, with too much of a brassy, dare I say, goldy, look. Oh, the irony!

But, I have a cunning plan. When I couldn't find any suitable nickel ones, I started looking at nickel plating. Turns out it's incredibly easy to do at home without much, if any, specialized equipment. Plus I can do a brushed texture like the tuners.

Anyone do any home plating? Any tips?

I've done some nickel plating on old brass razors. Pretty straight forward and there are plenty of online features on it. If I remember correctly, I bought the nickel on ebay. Made a nickel acetate solution, using distilled vinegar and some of the nickel, along with a little electricity. Make sure that the tailpiece is clean and free of corrosion then it becomes the cathode and a piece of nickel is the anode. I got good results and would expect you to as well

 

[AcornHouse]

I've done some nickel plating on old brass razors. Pretty straight forward and there are plenty of online features on it. If I remember correctly, I bought the nickel on ebay. Made a nickel acetate solution, using distilled vinegar and some of the nickel, along with a little electricity. Make sure that the tailpiece is clean and free of corrosion then it becomes the cathode and a piece of nickel is the anode. I got good results and would expect you to as well

Got some nickel coming in off Amazon.

 

[GGJaguar]

Careful you don't get "nickel itch" handling it.