Finally I got to spend a whole weekend in the shop (A good part of it anyway). First day of spring so first up, cleaning and organizing too then down to work. The best part of today being the first day of spring, I get the garage bay back. Once the snow begins to fly, the wife gets the garage (that's our deal) Moving her car out doubles the size of my workshop. So I moved the bigger stuff into the bay and am ready to build all the instruments I designed in Cad over the winter. Next up, a bunch of neck blanks.
I've had my version of the thin pickup both on the drawing board and work bench for the last couple of weeks. They really ended up sounding pretty good but needed a little something for appeal. So I've been mulling over some kind of way to fashion covers that wouldn't require deep press forming. I don't have a press nor the ability or money to have press forms made. Besides, I wanted to be able to come up with a system that allows me to make more than one size. This meets that goal.
So this is the method I outline on my profile blog page at Pickup Covers
Here is the first non-prototype build.
I've got nickel silver on the way for covers but also picked up some brass sheet stock to work out the bending details. I ordered a small box pan brake that came in on Friday which I used for this one. Still the first couple early prototypes I bent using Vice Grip sheet metal pliers and got results that were fairly decent. The cover below I hand formed with pliers This is even before filing, sanding and polishing and it looks pretty good.
Don
Replies
That is a good question. I had considered it with previous designs I've done for 3 and 4 string pickups but decided not to. My other designs included this tele inspired pickup
With this one I have 3 different design sizes (with a fourth in the works) and string spacing isn't an issue. I also don't need a separate pickup for 3 and 4 string instruments. Still I don't know how much the "market" is willing to spend and if it would be enough to gear up past the handful I need for my own work. The covers are also a fair amount of hand work to form, file, sand, solder and polish. The pickup coil itself is not too bad other than without the solder ferule, they are a pain to wire a lead to. I've totally ruined a few by just the slightest slip.
Right now, I am working on voicing the first three designs and figuring where each ones sound fits with what I build. I have a few instruments going from drawing board to build that are going to use these. Once I have a better handle on the sound and performance, I will have a better sense of what to tell people about where they fit from a tone perspective. This is something I am fussy about and will fiddle with it till I like what I hear.
I am also looking to beta test with a few players I know and maybe a couple from this community. After all of this, if there seems to be enough interest, I might be convinced to make a limited run and see how they are received.
Don
Hi Don,
To silver solder, you just need some flux, some silver solder and some carefully applied heat.Your small torch solution should be just fine, just keep the heat low. You are just melting solder until it runs into the joint, not welding or brazing. You don't need to bring the material to a red heat.
You don't need the type of heat you would use to weld or braze to silver solder something. Especially if you use a lower temperature silver solder. Just use a silver solder that runs at a lower temperature than the melting point of your nickle silver and keep the heat in a small area. Only solder one joint at a time.
For flux, I prefer some mule team borax mixed with water to a paste for flux. Apply some flux with a small brush, then heat it till it bubbles. Add a small piece of solder to the area you want to solder with some tweezers and apply heat until it runs and seals the joint closed. Do this one corner at a time with heat only used in the area you want the solder to go. You will have to clean up the excess flux and buff out the fire scale.
With real silver, I pickle it while it is still hot from the freshly soldered joint to help clean up the flux and the fire scale. You can also pickle nickel silver, but you need to use a pickling solution specific to nickel silver, such as "Nickel-Pickle." You will want a heated pot for your pickle. Just drop your freshly soldered piece into the pickle each time you finish a joint corner. You will need enough pickling solution to completely cover the piece you are working on. This will make final buffing much easier and quicker.
If you do a google search for "how to silver solder nickel silver", you will find several websites that describe the process.
Also, if you solder the corner joints shut, you shouldn't need the overlapping flap at the corners. Just make sure they meet flush and square with a small file; also be sure there are not any gaps between the edges.
Hope this helps.
Brian Hunt.
Brian Hunt said:
If you know how to silver solder, nickel silver can be silver soldered at your joints and buffed so you can't even see the joint. I have done so with nickel silver when making fittings for knives and swords.
Brian Hunt.
I'm impressed with what you can do with pliers!!! That looks home made but also really good.
Don, That's fricken art.;
also Don