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Topic: Cast Aluminum "Beer-Belly" |
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 4:29 pm |
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Here she is ... fresh outta the oiled sand ...
Solid A356 Aluminum Alloy ...
22.25" scale ...
Integrated Nut ...
Integrated Bridge ...
Integrated Frets ...
String Thru Body ...
Right now she's 12 lbs ... but that'll come down when I mill out the control bay and clean her up some ...
She's still to hot to handle 
------------------
www.horseshoemagnets.com |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 4:38 pm
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I'd like to take my place in line right here, right now!
The bridge, the nut and the frets came out amazing, especially the bridge.
Just too cool, Rick! It's been very enlightening watching the process. Thanks for sharing.[This message was edited by Mike Neer on 29 June 2004 at 05:41 PM.] |
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Ron Bednar
From:
Rancho Cordova, California, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 5:59 pm
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Wow Rick, I applaud your craftmanship! I am very impressed with your first effort. I know a little, very little, about what it takes to do casting like that...just a superb job right out the shute! Can't wait for more as the project moves on.
Whats the back look like?[This message was edited by Ron Bednar on 29 June 2004 at 07:00 PM.] |
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John Pelz
From:
Kettering, Ohio, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 6:20 pm
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Way cool! Congratulations, Rick. Mike already said it, but I certainly agree: it's been extremely interesting (to say the least) to watch your project progress.  Keep up the good work, and keep us posted![Dang spelling! -- 29 June 2004 at 07:21 PM.] [This message was edited by John Pelz on 29 June 2004 at 07:22 PM.] |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 6:22 pm
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This is history in the making, or maybe history repeating itself.
"The Rick Magnetotone"
Great work and innovation. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 6:45 pm
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I did an open cast on this one ... so the back is rounded and crystallized where the cool wind was hitting it ... very cool lookin'.
A stress-free solidification ... 
I'm gonna shape it more like a tear-drop ... clean up the neck/head ... level the back ... and put in the controls and pickup.
I was just "pinging" it with my fingernail ... moving up and around ... I think this is a good 'un |
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Jesse Pearson
From:
San Diego , CA
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Posted 29 Jun 2004 6:50 pm
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Rick, your amazing! As always, way cool.
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 3:53 am
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Mr. Sandman...
Very cool. It's going to be fun to watch this baby progress to finished form.
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Donald Ruetenik
From:
Pleasant Hill, California, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 5:31 am
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Super, Rick!
Is that going to be the 'mother' after you mill it? |
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Jay Fagerlie
From:
Lotus, California, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 6:11 am
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Nice job Rick, can't wait to see and hear the completed product.
And where does that line start?
Put me down!
Jay |
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Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 6:30 am
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| Beautiful, Rick! Any idea what the selling price may be? I always like to plan ahead. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 6:34 am
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Donald, I had all kinds of trouble with "Shrinkage" ... no, not like the Seinfeld episode  ...
As is, it went from a 22.5" scale to a 22.25" (same as my A22). It all shrinks proportionally, so the frets remain true ...
I first made a polymer "mother" ... too much shrinkage ....
Then a plaster "mother" ... plaster expands when it sets up ... so I thought I'd be in good shape .... but it lost too much detail .... copy of a copy "thang" ...
So I'll just use the original, over and over ... the Petrobond was very "kind" ... no scratches, etc ...
Had to opt for the open mold/direct pour. ... the cope/drag was enormous .... 250+ lbs ...
... and the sprue/runners/gates used up too much Al ... exceeded my crucibles capacity.
It was quite a sight ... flames leaping up from the oiled sand ... liquid aluminum shimmering in the breeze ...
Gonna do a yellow brass one too ... lots of options 
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 7:10 am
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Rick,
What do your neighbors say when they look over the fence at what you're doing?
Your "hobbies" are not standard issue.
------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 7:31 am
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Rick,
What do your neighbors say when they look over the fence at what you're doing?
Tom Waits
What's He Building?
What's he building in there?
What the hell is he building
In there?
He has subscriptions to those
Magazines... He never
Waves when he goes by
He's hiding something from
The rest of us... He's all
To himself... I think I know
Why... He took down the
Tire swing from the Peppertree
He has no children of his
Own you see... He has no dog
And he has no friends and
His lawn is dying... and
What about all those packages
He sends. What's he building in there?
With that hook light
On the stairs. What's he building
In there... I'll tell you one thing
He's not building a playhouse for
The children what's he building
In there?
Now what's that sound from under the door?
He's pounding nails into a
Hardwood floor... and I
Swear to god I heard someone
Moaning low... and I keep
Seeing the blue light of a
T.V. show...
He has a router
And a table saw... and you
Won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw
There's poison underneath the sink
Of course... But there's also
Enough formaldehyde to choke
A horse... What's he building
In there. What the hell is he
Building in there? I heard he
Has an ex-wife in some place
Called Mayors Income, Tennessee
And he used to have a
consulting business in Indonesia...
but what is he building in there?
What the hell is building in there?
He has no friends
But he gets a lot of mail
I'll bet he spent a little
Time in jail...
I heard he was up on the
Roof last night
Signaling with a flashlight
And what's that tune he's
Always whistling...
What's he building in there?
What's he building in there?
We have a right to know...
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 8:01 am
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Thanks y'all ... I'll know more about price ... when I finish this one off.
I'm getting a nut file set and some Grover "mini" Rotomatics ...
Gotta make up a set of H-Shoes for it ... and come up with a adjustable mounting system ... I don't want to use the standard Ricky thumbscrew type ... more like an "underneath system" like my '38 D7 has.
As far as the neighbors ... the cows did do a "double take" when I started the furnace up ...
I was warned that it would sound like a jet engine starting up ... and boy were they right ...
Tim the Toolman would love it !!!! |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 8:36 am
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| Quote: |
| Gonna do a yellow brass one too |
May I suggest, not brass, but silicon bronze. A more musical alloy. |
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Terry Farmer
From:
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 8:53 am
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| Chas, I picked up some 1/2" Bronze round stock to try for a bridge. I'm looking for some 1/4" x 1" or 1-1/4" flat bar stock. My question for you is what Silicon Bronze alloy would be best for bridge material? If I have to order it, I may as well get the optimum alloy. Rick, that baby is beautiful. I can't wait to hear it! You'll probably have to invest in some casters if you cast one out of brass or bronze, though! |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 10:22 am
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Thanks Chas ... BCS offers Silicon Bronze C873 ingots
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 10:43 am
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Terry, I hear ya about the weight ...
Thats what happened to the "upper bouts" ... weight reduction
I keep thinkin' about folks sayin' the earliest "solid neck" frypans had the best tone (I've never seen one) ...
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Terry Farmer
From:
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 12:00 pm
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| Ahaaaaaaaa! So that's how you came up with that design. ;o) |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 1:09 pm
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I don't care for the reduction of upper bouts....
don't like it when they cut their hair short either |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2004 8:33 pm
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Terry, I don't know, off hand. The SiB I get is welding rods. What I think, and it may just be personal opinion, of which I have no shortage, is that when silicon is part of the alloy, to make it more weldable, as opposed to zinc, which makes brass and aluminum, in particular, more machineable, is that the alloy is more musical. So SiB and 6061 al, seem to be the most musical.
I've been using titanium, ti 6,4, both as a solid piece or round bar into machined billet, for nuts and bridges, with alot of success. It's very unfriendly to work with, though.
Btw, aluminum is .098 #/ cubic inch, bronze is about the same as steel, which is .283 #/ inch3. You might need to get a forklift. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2004 4:24 am
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All Silicon Bronze "Bellys" will come standard with ...
Now thats a "Frypan Stand"  |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 1 Jul 2004 4:35 am
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Great project Rick!!! I envy you for having the time for such a project.
How big is the new foundry building going to be?
I wondered about using 6061T6 aluminum billet for a guitar project, but a casting may be better. The CNC mill could hack out a shape from a billet. What's your opinion about billet stock?
I wouldn't sweat the weight of your project too much. Have you ever carried a Fender quad?
Like some of the guys here have said, WAY COOL !!!!
Bill |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2004 5:25 am
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Bill, my wife has this crazy idea about using these few acres for a "horse pasture" ...
So in the immortal words of George Thorogood ... "I'm outdoors ... ya' know"
So my foundry consist of a steel flatbed dolly ... a couple stepping stones ... and one seriously hot furnace.
I have been using our "Mother-In-Law cabin (left in pic) ... for my chroming tanks ... but got evicted this summer.
Better than havin' them (In-Laws) in the house ... I quess |
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