Building my Pedal Steel

Karlis Abolins · From: (near) Seattle, WA, USA

This Summer I began a project to build myself a pedal steel that embodied some design concepts I have been contemplating. I bought endplates, legs and a tuning head assembly from Wayne Link. I bought a used changer from Ernie Pollack. At that point I realized that I wanted a much wider spacing at the tuning head than is normal so I decided to make my own tuning head. My first attempt using a drill press, hacksaw and files ended up a disaster. About that time a thread began on building your own steel. I contacted Steve Frost who posted some pictures of a beautiful instrument that he is building for advice. Steve pointed me in the right direction. I bought a wood/metal bandsaw and a cross sliding vise. After learning how to use these and how to make the various jigs I needed, I finished my new tuning head yesterday.

Earlier this month I made a trip to Portland, Oregon to buy wood at Gilmer Wood. My mission was to find a block of Pacific Alder big enough for my guitar body. I chose Alder at the suggestion of my brother-in-law who is a violin maker. Unfortunately Gilmer did not have a block of Alder of the right dimension. They suggested that I look at a piece of Agathis which comes from S.E Asia and which is used for tonewood in that area of the world. The piece that they showed me had the tonal qualities that I am looking for and was attractive to boot. The picture below shows that tuning head resting on the block of Agathis.

I have signed up for an evening class on machining/lathe at a local trade school to improve my machining skills for the other parts I have to make. This is a lot more work than I envisioned but at the same time it is a lot of fun.

Karlis

[This message was edited by Karlis Abolins on 12 November 2004 at 07:42 AM.]

Grant Johnson · From: Nashville TN

Wow!
That looks great!
Please keep everyone posted as you progress...

------------------
www.bigsmokey.com

Ron ! · Posted 12 Nov 2004 8:04 am

Now that's a nice looking keyhead Karlis.Welcome to the building club.
Below is a picture of the one I am building at the moment.The only thing that i need to put on this one is the tailpiece with the tuning screws for split tuning.
These steel guitars will be for sale within a few months.
There will be 3 different models up for sale.SD10,S10,D10.And i think I will add the Universal too.So that makes 4 models
So watch the forum for updates on this brand of steel guitars.

Ron

Nikaro SD10 4x6

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Beautiful work.
You going to groove those rollers?

Mark Vinbury · From: N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA

Spectacular job!!! I build 8 string lap steels and make a similar headstock out of wood.I can attest to it being no small piece of work.Really makes you want a CNC machine.
I have considered using a cross slide vise but figured since the blade can't go through the vise the material would be unsupported out off the side.Between this and blade wander I didnt't think the accuracy would be very good. What was your setup?

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

Karlis, that's beautiful work.

It would seem that the nut is not high enough to accommodate a very thick neck piece.

Rick

Karlis Abolins · From: (near) Seattle, WA, USA

Thanks for the kind words.
Bill, I may groove the rollers after I finish my evening class.
Mark, I used the cross slide on the drill press and on a special jig for cutting the notches. I cut the notches with a porter-cable worm drive saw in conjunction with the cross slide. The cross slide really made my work easy and repeatable. My bandsaw work was done freehand.
Rick, You noticed how thin the neck is going to be. The neck will actually be integral with the body. Think solid body guitar.

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Chas; is that a Bridgeport Series 1 CNC with BOSS 5 Operating System?

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 12 November 2004 at 10:22 AM.]

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 12 November 2004 at 12:38 PM.]

Jackie Anderson · From: Scarborough, ME

I have a Smithy combination "mill/drill" and lathe -- not the most precise or sophisticated machine tool, but not too expensive, either, and it suffices for most of my projects. You might look at the machines like that which Grizzly sells. I also have a certificate for completion of "Machine II" at the Rindge Evening Industrial Institute, i.e. continuing ed at a voc/tech high school, while I was in graduate school. There are resources like this everywhere, and I haven't met an old machinist yet who wasn't glad to pass on his knowledge (not unlike the experts who grace this forum). While the likes of you and me (or at least me) will never put the real masters out of business, there's no thrill like making something that actually works and plays music! Carry on!

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

Karlis ,
Lookin good,dosen't look like you did it with a drillpress and a hacksaw. With proper tools and the talent you abviously have,you should have a lot of fun, and wind up with a nice lookin guitar.

Bill

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Hey Karlis; just wondering. I don't see grooves in the rollers? Are you going to "V" groove to gauge size or are you leaving them slick?
Ricky

Farris Currie · From: Ona, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Karlis,my hats off to you!man thats what you call determination,i have a old brown and sharp Horz.mill,i put 10 saw cutters,and make a pass,thought that was bad.go to that machinist school,you will enjoy it.machinery cost money,but nothing like it.i use a brown and sharp auto screw machine for rollers,groove,drill,and cut off.my stuff is old,but sure can do lots with that old stuff.go for it man!!!farris

Steve Frost · From: Scarborough,Maine

Karlis- your headstock is just beautiful, it's come a real long way from the last pictures you sent. I can't wait to see more pictures of your project! What did you end up doing for the rollers?

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

KArlis, very pretty key head, this should prove a most interesting project

Chas :
"the CHAS 56 Operating System"
a very rare, but venerable OS for your lathe LOL

Karlis Abolins · From: (near) Seattle, WA, USA

Good questions about the rollers. I really wanted to groove the rollers but ended up being unable to do it with the equipment I have. I started out with 1/2" brass rod which I cut and center drilled for the axle hole. I sanded to final dimensions and polished the roller and axle shaft.
After I finish the machining/lathe course this Winter I should have enough skill to do the job. I then have to decide if I want to spend the money to get a lathe and/or mill for the remaining parts of the project.
Karlis

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Seems like you could groove the rod on a lathe no problem ,
then cut the rollers post grooving.
You just need to find some rattail files the same general width as your lower strings.

Less of an issue for an E9 than a C6 though.

Certainly this would be an interesting excercise to ask your metal shop instructor to help with.
He I am sure has things for you to do, but it's your dime, sop ask him to instruct you specifically in thing s you KNOW you will need for your ongoing project..
He should be glad to help, and the more difficult the question, most likely the more interesting for him.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 13 November 2004 at 06:21 AM.]

Winnie Winston · From: Tawa, Wellington, NZ * R.I.P.

Agathis is known in part of the world as Kauri.
It might be a "tone" wood, but, then again, so is spruce when used for a violin top.
But to make the body out of it? Agathis is not dense enough to give a good "ring." That's why steels are made from maple. Zane Beck made a few from Oak-- whioch sounded good. The Anapeg is made from a very dense Australian wood, and sounds great.
If it was me, I'd stay away from agathis, and look for a dense wood.

JW

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Winnie has a good point, ( hi guy), mass seems to have a lot to do with tone.

A low mass and rigidity causes more harmonic interaction withthe strings,
and hence more damping of the strings.

The instruments that people consistently say have "tone" are PP's and early Sho-Bud Professionals.
One common charictaristic of both steels is a solid heavy mass and coupling to that mass.
Albiet in very different ways for each.

I also see a war between tone and weight, that is never ending.
So MSA has gone to space age materials to add rigidity rather than pure mass for the same reasons and keep it managably light too.

Others with great "tone" reputations all seem to be big on hard woods.
Food for thought.

Karlis Abolins · From: (near) Seattle, WA, USA

Thank you for the comments about Agathis. The wood I really wanted to use is Pacific Alder, another tonewood. Pacific Alder is used in solid body guitars. It provides a clear light tone. The guitar I am building will probably end up more similar to a traditional 6 string rather than a pedal steel. The piece of Agathis that I found has that clear transparent resonance that I am looking for.
As I stated in my original posting, I am trying out some concepts that have been percolating in my mind for a couple of years. One of them is to diverge from the traditional sound of the pedal steel and move the pedal steel (at least this one) back into a mainstream guitar sound while retaining a recognizable and aesthetically pleasing appearance. It remains to be seen if I will succeed or not.

Karlis

[This message was edited by Karlis Abolins on 14 November 2004 at 05:45 AM.]

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