| Author |
Topic: Who makes their own frypans? |
Mark Helm
From:
Tennessee, USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 12:11 pm |
|
Guys: I've come across some pretty amazing people here who do things like pour molten aluminum in their livingrooms...
But, seriously, they do it in their back yards or garages...
So, if you make your own frypan, please share a few pictures here. It would be nice to see many of them all in the same place!
_________________
Remington Steelmaster S8 w/ custom Steeltronics pickup. Vox MV-50 amplifier + an 1940's Oahu cab w/ 8" American Vintage speaker. J. Mascis Fender Squire Jazzmaster, Hofner Club bass, Ibanez AVN4-VMS Artwood Vintage Series Concert Size Acoustic Guitar. 1920s/30s Supertone Hawaiian-themed parlor guitar. Silvertone parlor guitar. |
|
|
 |
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 2:00 pm
|
|
 |
|
|
|
James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 2:43 pm
|
|
| Holy cow, Rick. That's amazing work. |
|
|
|
Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 3:17 pm
|
|
Well it's not a frypan, but I did make it. I don't think the first picture is a frypan either, but it sure is a nice Rick. Did you make that one Rick?
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 3:39 pm
|
|
Here are a few of the many Frypan steels I've made. Seems like no two are alike.
Here is a link to a Youtube Video of Roberto & Jorge Alaniz at the 2017 HSGA convention, Roberto is playing a Frypan-6 I made for him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzG0HGa94vM&t=147s
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars.
Last edited by W. Johnson on 11 Nov 2017 6:15 pm; edited 2 times in total |
|
|
|
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 4:01 pm
|
|
| Bill Groner wrote: |
| I don't think the first picture is a frypan either, but it sure is a nice Rick. Did you make that one Rick |
Yep .... a sand cast B6 ... the “Tuckeliteâ€.... even the plates are cast aluminum.
Believe it or not ... the toughest things I’ve cast aren’t the â€Bronzepan†(42 lbs) or the double neck “ Boobpan†.... it’s the “Luigifiersâ€
Casting a hollow box with an 8†hole in front and three tube holes on top .... a lot of serious cussing those summers ðŸ¤
I tried to cast this summer ... but never got to it ... bought the stuff for another steel / amp combo ... but 8 weeks summer vacation wasn’t enough time ... went to Yellowstone, all the kids around .... yada yada yada 😂
Maybe this spring/summer ... 🤠|
|
|
|
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
|
|
|
|
Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 11 Nov 2017 9:34 pm
|
|
Great work Rick, those are beautiful.
And, I own one of Wayne Johnson's Innovative Guitars lap steels. It is an amazing lap.
 |
|
|
|
Andrea Tazzini
From:
Massa, Italy
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 6:33 am
|
|
Terry, and about the stool?????!!!!!
Andrea |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 7:42 am
|
|
Terry VunCannon makes one from wood, called Vmuse:
Thought I would post a photo of it. Hope it's okay Terry. You posted a photo of IGGY, but not one of your own.
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
|
|
|
Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 8:05 am
|
|
Andrea, my wife and I found that stool & I fell in love with it...metal art.
Thanks Wayne, I did not mention my laps on this thread since it was about pouring & molding. My laps are in the classic shape that I love, & are made of mahogany wood. By the way, IGGY is doing great. Thanks for adding my laps to the mix here. |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 10:18 am
|
|
| Terry VunCannon wrote: |
Andrea, my wife and I found that stool & I fell in love with it...metal art.
Thanks Wayne, I did not mention my laps on this thread since it was about pouring & molding. My laps are in the classic shape that I love, & are made of mahogany wood. By the way, IGGY is doing great. Thanks for adding my laps to the mix here. |
Hi Terry, he said "who do things like pour molten aluminum in their livingrooms". So, keying in on 'like', well, making a guitar from wood is not like pouring molten aluminum, neither is machining, but, maybe the 'living room' part applies ? 
I would love to learn how to do aluminum casting, much less waste of machined off metal. Perhaps someday?
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
|
|
|
Marc Bell
From:
Surat Thani, TH
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 6:02 pm
|
|
Bit ashamed to post this after seeing Rick's fine work, but I have cast a good many fry pans at home. They are not neat pieces of art like the ones Rick made but they are fine playing and sounding cast metal fry pans. Not difficult or expensive to make although time consuming. On my Youtube channel I started doing a How To for anybody wanting to try doing it at home but there is a serious lack of interest and I got bored!
and here is the Youtube channel with the "How to" cast yourself a fry pan in the garden on a zero budget. This is part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLwhQtEwk_s |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 6:50 pm
|
|
| Marc Bell wrote: |
Bit ashamed to post this after seeing Rick's fine work, but I have cast a good many fry pans at home. They are not neat pieces of art like the ones Rick made but they are fine playing and sounding cast metal fry pans. Not difficult or expensive to make although time consuming. On my Youtube channel I started doing a How To for anybody wanting to try doing it at home but there is a serious lack of interest and I got bored!
and here is the Youtube channel with the "How to" cast yourself a fry pan in the garden on a zero budget. This is part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLwhQtEwk_s |
Nothing to be ashamed of here, casting your own frypan guitar. How many people on the planet are able to do this? Not many. Good job. Perhaps I'll check out your video, might try my hand at it. I have so much scrap aluminum, might be I never have to buy the aluminum to cast one.
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
|
|
|
Marc Bell
From:
Surat Thani, TH
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 6:55 pm
|
|
| Thanks Wayne, and good luck if you try it. One thing I would suggest, you say you have scrap aluminum hanging around - make sure you use cast aluminum when you try. Window frames an coke cans are easy to come by but this is quite a large casting you need an alloy that flows well. I'm sure I had better results using engine casings and aluminum boat propellers rather than the first few tries with melting down cans. |
|
|
|
Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 7:29 pm
|
|
Marc, I just watched the videos... that's really impressive. Nice playing too.!
_________________
"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 12 Nov 2017 7:52 pm
|
|
| Marc Bell wrote: |
| Thanks Wayne, and good luck if you try it. One thing I would suggest, you say you have scrap aluminum hanging around - make sure you use cast aluminum when you try. Window frames an coke cans are easy to come by but this is quite a large casting you need an alloy that flows well. I'm sure I had better results using engine casings and aluminum boat propellers rather than the first few tries with melting down cans. |
Actually, I just did a quick google search on the subject, the scrap I have is not suitable for casting, most of what I have is 6061 alloy. Also, soda pop cans are not suitable either. So, if I want to cast a frypan from aluminum, will have to find scrap, as you did, that is cast. I read 413 alloy is best, but there are others that will work.
I have read that cast aluminum alloy and extruded aluminum alloy have different resonant qualities, and the instrument tone will be affected. Extruded aluminum alloy is more dense, this affect tone and sustain. My guitars are all made from 6061 T6 aluminum alloy. I have sometimes used 6060 or 6061 which is not hardened, for making plates, and it is much softer. The tone using extruded aluminum can be exceedingly bright, so I have learned techniques in construction of pickups and pickup placement, to compensate for this brightness.
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
|
|
|
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 5:02 am
|
|
I really like those Marc ...
I use A356 ... high silicon ... helps the flow
As Marc pointed out, if your going to use scrap ... auto pistons work well ...
Guy sells ingots made from pistons on ebay ... good deals
Another guy sells "Petrobond" ... thats what I use ...$$$ but worth the extra bucks |
|
|
|
Ron Simpson
From:
Illinois, USA
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 6:39 am
|
|
Is anyone familiar with frypan steel guitars made by Dick Sanft?
Ron |
|
|
|
W. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 7:48 am
|
|
| Marc Bell wrote: |
| Thanks Wayne, and good luck if you try it. One thing I would suggest, you say you have scrap aluminum hanging around - make sure you use cast aluminum when you try. Window frames an coke cans are easy to come by but this is quite a large casting you need an alloy that flows well. I'm sure I had better results using engine casings and aluminum boat propellers rather than the first few tries with melting down cans. |
Hi Mark,
I watched your videos, totally awesome! Thanks for making and uploading them. I definitely need to do this.
Wayne
_________________
I am on Facebook as Innovative Guitars. Photos of all my work in photo album. I no longer make lap steels, but still make tone bars. |
|
|
|
Mike A Holland
From:
United Kingdom
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 8:10 am
|
|
| It may not be aluminium but that Vmuse guitar looks the business! |
|
|
|
Terry VunCannon
From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 8:49 am
|
|
Thanks Mike...I am having fun with them. The custom Brantley Rewinds VM-P90 soapbar pickup really seals the deal & makes the sound.
 |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 13 Nov 2017 3:24 pm
|
|
I just watched Marc's videos !! WOW !! Really interesting !! Nice playing too Marc !!
Don't think I'm up to do any casting at my age though !!  |
|
|
|
Ron Simpson
From:
Illinois, USA
|
Posted 14 Nov 2017 8:50 am Sanft Pan
|
|
This is a frypan I purchased some time ago on Ebay. The purchase was for the body only, and said to be made by Dick Sanft. I added tuners, and a pickup as well as a bridge and nut. The back plate is a piece of pickguard material I had laying around.
The seller indicated that it was made by Dick Sanft, and this seems to be the case.
 |
|
|
|
Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 15 Nov 2017 3:32 am
|
|
I made a couple, some years ago. One was made of Ash, 8-string, for Duke Ching. It was the first one that I built a horseshoe pickup for.
The second one was made of Corian, slotted head stock, 7 string, & horse shoe pickup. I haven't thought about building any more, but I may get a brain fart & build another one, out of...something !
Folks who like to build these, like me, are always looking for some different material, to use for the body etc... |
|
|
|
