Noob caster from Kansas here. While there's not a lot of night life, there's a lot of beer consumption. Of course after getting an itch to actually try casting do I find out that all those beer cans are useless. However, one always seems to find aluminum casualties after heavy-wind storms/tornadoes and my folks live in a college town. At the end of each semester those kids toss out all sorts of aluminum goodies. I don't know how many of you are musicians, but as a bass player I always wanted one of those Kramer basses with the aluminum neck. The rare times I've ever seen 'em for sale (locally), I'd have to remortgage the farm or sell a kidney buy it. I guess the ultimate goal is to make one of my own, but one must walk before one can run and since my registration has been approved, it's time to roll up the sleeves and get my hands dirty...as it were. -tk421
Hello to tk421 from Kansas! A bass guitar neck would be an interesting project. You would need to come up with the pattern and then grow it some 1.5 to 3 percent to account for the shrink in the cooling metal.
Tops, you know exactly what I'm talking about! I see that's currently in Wichita. I'm closer to the northern border and a 400 mile round trip would add another to +/- $120 to that already ridiculous price (20th century V8). Thanks for the shrinkage info!
You are welcome. I am a newbie so take any facts or figures I say as supplemental information. Will you be making patterns by hand or will you be fortified with CAD/CAM/CNC ?
CNC? (just kidding) It's one of those things on "the list", As for patterns, I'm in luck, as I have a MIM P-bass neck with no body (yet)!
Welcome tk. A quick google search of your handle gives me the idea that you're probably a little more discerning about your bass tones than the average joe. Something I picked up on when looking into the Kramer bass is that the necks were machined from billet as opposed to cast. A cast neck might sound great, maybe even more pleasing than a Kramer. But at some level, maybe indiscernible, I'd have to believe the sound would be different because of alloy and grain structure differences. That said, I'd love to see you make one! Pete
Thanks Petee. A buddy of mine pointed me to this Reverb.com article which totally renewed my interest. Almost forgot; There's never a Hammond 1590 series enclosure around when you need one! Especially if you need one custom sized!!
tk421, When's the last time you've been to tk560 Here's what I wound up making back in 2011. Down at the bottom of the page.. Fredo That should not be a difficult sand casting for you.. Even as a beginner. www.TK560.com :: View topic - Vac-form Machine Gallery
Petee, I wouldn't consider myself a luthier by any means. If anything, more of a "necessity is the mother of invention/dirt-farmer turned starving musician" Fredo, At first thought you were poking fun at my avatar/screen name (one of the reasons I chose it ...but Wow! Don't know the first thing about vacuum forming/clamping etc...however, 30+ years of lugging around SVT's, Fender's and Marshall's (valve's on the other side of the pond) I know a little about "vacuum" tube amps! Inherited some acreage via COVID and amidst revitalizing the dilapidated barn for my new mancave, I came across a couple of milker's....
TK, Welcome to the group. I got my R2 done over a decade ago.... But still have my armor in a few boxes waiting to be finished. Live long and prosper!
I have 2 of these: one sunburst (the photo is just reference) and one black. Making a 1:1, would net me another short scale bass. There's been a red one for sale on Reverb for quite awhile, but it's been customized. I've only seen white, black and sunburst basses. The scale is perfect for a Bass VI if I choose to string it as a guitar. I've seen a couple of natural guitars, but only guitars. Really dig the one with the red finish and think it'd look totally "hot-rod" with aluminum headstock. In my 20's I could only afford $200 Univox copies (Reverb item is $900). That was a week without libations!!! I've loved the Mosrite Ventures style of guitar ever since my pa' played the Ventures Christmas album and pissed off (moms' ma, who was a total lil' blue haired old lady from the fire-n-brimstone bible study group) grandma when I was just a lil' tike.
Apologies for the thread hijack but I think we need to hear some awesome guitar playing. The first 20 seconds of this song is one of my favourite opening riffs ever.
I am originally from Atchison, Kansas. Married a Kiwi and now living in Auckland, NZ! What town you from?
Ahh, my favorite watering holes' well rot-gut; McCormick! My ma' is from Centralia, but settled in Manhappiness (Manhattan, the Little Apple, for those not 'in the know') after dad's stint in the air force. Have a colleague in St. Jo and always loved hitting the antique/junk shops on the way thru. Unfortunately, the last time I had need to go see him was back in the 20th century. Don't know why, but when I first read IT (Stephen King) I envisioned Atchison as the backdrop!
Here's a video of someone casting a guitar. I'm not sure I approve of their feedstock Aluminum cans suck for casting for so many reasons. As a Youtube video goes he does a good job. You can tell it's his first time casting metal, but he does turn the cans into ingots then casts the project parts. He is mindful of safety, and has a neat pouring setup for what looks to be an A12 or A14 size crucible. If you follow his video odds are you're going to get an ok casting and not die!. But Go pick up some cast rims or a few engine heads not cans!
He may not be an experienced caster but he's creative, careful, methodical and persistent, all qualities that serve a caster well, especially a beginner.
And (most?) states have beverage container deposit laws >5c which means it's also an expensive source of casting stock. That would be $50 worth of deposits here. I didn't watch the video but would have to imagine 1000 cans yielded a small fraction of what could be had in good scrap casting stock for $50.....of course, you cant resize that stock with your heal . Best, Kelly
Here in Ontario, there's a deposit on beer cans but not soda cans, go figure?? Anyways, he says he loses about half the can's weight to dross and the finished guitar weighs 12.3lbs. Has anyone here ever weighed an aluminum can?
