One step at a time.5/28/2020 The video is underway and being planned. The cello is being frustrating. It's getting closer and closer to being finished, but this just isn't really where I thought I would be right now. I am working on fiberglassing the sides but the weather is dictating a lot of my timeline. While working yesterday, my resin literally just heated up to a point where it started smoking and solidified. In honesty, it looks kind of like a cello, but doesn't really look how I wanted it to. I am beginning to just reflect on all the things I could have done differently that would have made my life easier or would have pushed the project further along, but they're all only things I learned by making mistakes first hand, so I guess I can't really even be upset about them. I don't know. I'll keep working. We'll see what happens. In terms of steps, the next thing is to keep working on fiberglassing the sides and carefully getting the neck attached. I was able to salvedge my original neck and straighten it out, so that's good. After that, the whole thing will probably get one more layer before f holes and hardware get put on. The video will be done on time, but I don't know about the cello. Like I said, I'll keep working, and we'll see what happens.
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Changes!5/21/2020 Things are certainly progressing...slowly. It seems like for every one piece of progress I make, something in the bigger picture changes. I now have two cello-shaped pieces: a front and a back. Hopefully today, I will be trimming those pieces down to final (and matching) shape. Then, soon, I will be fiberglassing the sides together. Then, I will be redoing the neck and scroll piece. Then, I will probably want to put one more layer over the whole thing to kind of bind it, but we'll see. Though I was considering the option to use my first stuck piece and dig the middle foam out, the shape/size discrepancy is too big to remedied very easily, and it is just so thoroughly full of very stubborn foam. I have just reached the halfway point with how much of my resin I have used, so I am not too nervous about it. On the plus side, I am getting pretty efficient with fiberglassing. This is the plan for now, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see it change soon.
As for my video, I have gone through all my time lapse clips and put them in order and labeled them so that I can begin compiling them into the "Part 2/How to" portion of my video. I have yet to start a script of sorts, but that's on this weekend's agenda as well. Thanks are in order5/21/2020 First, I must thank Tom, the dude who posts encouraging comments on my YouTube videos. I can't ever reply to him because I post through my school account which restricts comments, but if you ever stumble across this website, I see u. Appreciate u. Thx G.
Second, Bott, if you're reading this, every time you tweet the link to this website I get 4-5 times the normal amount of weekly visits, so if I ever get famous, it's on you. In reflection5/14/2020 So at this point my first bout with fiberglass is complete and the back and sides have set and hardened. I won't lie, it was pretty difficult. The curves and complex shapes probably didn't help my case, but I think I managed to do a decent job and one that will work for my needs. However, I haven't been able to get the mold out of the fiberglass piece. In many ways, I did everything I could to avoid this, but I still kind of anticipated this happening. I need to figure out a way to get that off without damaging the top of the mold. At this point, I have fiberglassed the neck but have not done the scroll yet because its a complex closed shape and I want to get it right, so it can come later. My next steps lie as follows...
1. Get the back and sides off the mold. 2. Trim away the excess material. 3. Fiberglass the front piece, get that off the mold, trim away the excess there. 4. Think about making some f holes, but this can come later. 5. Match up the edges of the two pieces and fiberglass the sides to attach them. Afterthoughts5/7/2020 Alright that was really difficult, but I think it went well. This was objectively the hardest part too; the top will be easier. It is still drying, so we'll see how that goes. A new video and a few new pictures are posted in the Photos & Videos page.
It's happening!5/7/2020 Today is the day. We are going to be fiberglassing the back and sides. I have dry fitted all the layers I think I will be needing, so the plan is as follows:
I am going to double check everything and make sure I don't need to make ny additional cuts to the base layers and that they fit properly and snugly everywhere. I also need to double check there aren't any unfortunate corners that the fiberglass won't want to go around. Then, I will put one final layer of wax on the back and sides so I can be extra comfortable that it won't get any sticking. The scroll is going to be weirds, and if all goes well with the fiberglassing, I may elect to simply cut off that part of the mold and leave it inside the scroll because it is a closed shape that will be subject to a lot of tension. Then, I'll be moving my operation outside, putting on the first layer dry, soaking it, rolling out any bubbles, tucking any corners, and applying all the other layers. I feel good about this, so hopefully all goes well. I feel like I have prepared about as much as I can, so I think that will pay off. You'll see a video later today. Preparations and Concerns woo!4/29/2020 After doing some research I have decided these are my next steps:
1. Seal my mold: For this step, I am exploring using flexible sealer (Plasti-Dip) because it would by far be the easiest way to get all the weird shapes of the body sealed. I am testing this on a piece of foam to see how it reacts. If it works and is able to keep out water, I will spray the whole mold this way. If it does not work, waxpaper is going to be the avenue. 2. Wax: I need to make sure that the hardened fiberglass/epoxy unit will not stick to the mold. This is pretty straightforward. Two to three coats of wax. 3. Dry lay-up: This is where I will be taking dry cloth and marking it/cutting it so that once I start thinking about going for the epoxy, everything will go quickly and smoothly. I will be considering cuts that ensure the fabric will lay without bubbles. 4. Lay-up: This is it. Mix epoxy, lay fabric, brush on, roll out bubbles, lay extra/get rid of excess epoxy. Concerns: The only real concerns I have at this point is that I will run out of epoxy or that the mold will get stuck when I epoxy. These can be avoided with some simple planning though, so I'll be careful. Getting ready4/23/2020 After having browsed the interwebs, the following two websites are the ones I will be using for information as I begin to prepare for fiberglassing:
https://www.wikihow.com/Fiberglass (gotta like WikiHow) https://feltmagnet.com/crafts/How-to-Fiberglass-like-a-Pro I am also taking some time to watch videos and prepare myself for problems that may arise in the process. I know I have enough FRP to do the whole cello; I am just hoping I have enough epoxy resin. My next steps will be to tape or waxpaper my mold, apply mold release, and then go from there. This may actually work! Who would've thought. Alas, Fiberglass.4/16/2020 'Tis a day I long awaited
Ne'er thought I she'd come. With foam and sand was baited I, but nonetheless moved on. Today I may look forward though, To a future free from despair. My cello can be wrapped right up and for fiberglass prepared. Though I know without a doubt A plan will need to form For me to learn the ins and outs Of all fiberglass norms. I shall research deep as e'er I have to know the pinnacle route-- The method, location, timing, and tricks-- every detail of what to do. Alas, I say, it is the day for my journey's moving on. Without a tear, I assure you all, Soon we'll see what to improve upon. |