DIY Forearm contour/tummy cut/contoured heel on parts Tele

[Birdman642]

I have a partscaster Tele I’m trying to fix up. I’m planning on trying to try to cut a Fender style contoured heel, a tummy cut and a forearm contour into it. Does anyone have any tips on how to do this?
As far as finishing goes, I was gonna leave it as the plain wood, and just finish it off with Tru-oil to offer some protection. Does anyone have any tips on the finishing process?

 

[Birdman642]

It honestly doesn’t matter to me if it does have a “pro” look. It was my old punk guitar I used in my teens. It was already a little grungy looking to begin with. I’m honestly more concerned with functionality than aesthetics.

 

[jeremy]

the first one i did was with rasp and belt sander or orbital sander, cant remember since it was so long ago. i did the heavy shaping with the rasp then smoothing with the sander and by hand. it was a fair amount of work but came out really good. what do you have available for tools?

 

[ehdwuld]

4 inch side grinder with a sanding disk
clamp to table
Rough it to shape
Finish sand all of it

Clamp it to a table and use both hands to hold the grinder

This is the most important part

Cheap Harbor Freight grinder and some disks are likely les than $20

 

[Birdman642]

what do you have available for tools?

As far as tools go, I’d likely have to buy everything when I do the project itself. I saw something with someone using a small handsaw for rough shaping the tummy cut, and then a small planer for the forearm. How much work would that all be?

 

[Clint 55]

With those hand tools it will be a bit of work. Several hours worth of project. You won't have to kill yourself tho. Otherwise what ehd said will be the quickest and easiest method. A fast spinning adjustable speed grinder with a sanding pad on it will take down the material without very much work. Then you can just hand sand for the final finish sand.

You don't need to finish it, it's just extra work. All my guitars are unfinished and they're fine. If you bring it everywhere it might get a little dented but it's not a big deal. They get a little dirty but not really. If you're concerned about them not looking dirty you can just fine sand them periodically to make them look fresh again. I have had mine for a while now and I still haven't felt the need to do this.

 

[PS412]

Awesome

Awesomer.

 

[Clint 55]

Ahh!

 

[jeremy]

You don't need to finish it, it's just extra work. All my guitars are unfinished and they're fine. If you bring it everywhere it might get a little dented but it's not a big deal. They get a little dirty but not really. If you're concerned about them not looking dirty you can just fine sand them periodically to make them look fresh again. I have had mine for a while now and I still haven't felt the need to do this.

if you gig or jam with a band with any regularity, the guitar will get dirty. i have one guitar without a finish and its got some pretty funky spots on it. way more than you could realistically sand out without putting in a ton of work.

 

[Clint 55]

It's probably several years old tho hey? If you wanted to maintain a high use unfinished guitar you could probably just 220s it every year or so.

 

[Clint 55]

Awesomest

 

[jeremy]

It's probably several years old tho hey? If you wanted to maintain a high use unfinished guitar you could probably just 220s it every year or so.

its not a high use guitar and youre right you could sand it every year. probably more frequently if youre sweating, every few months in that case. or you could just finish it, which in the long run will save you a ton of work. an oil finish doesnt require anything fancy and isnt very hard unless you are trying to get a glossy finish

 

[Clint 55]

I see. The oil finish doesn't get dirty?

 

[ehdwuld]

Awesome

Awesomer.

nope that chain saw thing comes apart at speed and is dangerous as F%^&

Sanding disk

 

[PS412]

nope that chain saw thing comes apart at speed and is dangerous as F%^&

Sanding disk

Yep, sanding disc is the way to go.
I never had the chain disc bust off when I have used one. I am very aware that it can and do treat it with respect. They take off sooo much meat.

 

[Chris Pile]

I've always used a four-in-hand combination file & rasp, rasp to rough, file to smooth. Sandpaper to finish. TruOil finishes can be renewed easily, no problem. Anyone can operate a rag.

 

[ehdwuld]

I agree with Goob
a coat of OIl works to finish it
I use Tung oil
but Tru Oil is very much like it

 

[Birdman642]

So I use the power sander to do the rough cut, what grit should I be using for that?
Then file it with a rasp, any specific grit for that?
then smooth it with sandpaper. What grit for that?

What should I know about using Tru-oil as a finish? How many coats should I put on, how long to dry between each coat, is sanding needed between coats?

 

[ehdwuld]

start coarse to aggressively get to where you want
rasp is coarser than sand paper

a palm sander or belt sander are going to be slow even if you use 80 grit

start with 80 then 120
then gradually up to close to 1000 - anything above 500 should be good

the fine paper just removes the scratches from the coarse paper
then wipe off with a tack cloth
and wipe on oil

 

[Clint 55]

What Ehd said. Just choose whatever tool you're most comfortable with to do the heavy material removal whether it's a rasp or sander or whatever. Then take out the scratches by hand sanding with progressively finer grits. I usually go as coarse as possible to make it easier 40,80,120,180/220 but that's just my preference as an example.