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Hamer DC Restoration
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10137&t=48613
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Author:  SG Lou [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Hamer DC Restoration

I had this thing lying around for a few years and decided it's time to bring it back to life.
I paid $75.00 for it.

This is what it looked like when I got it.

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The kid decided to spray it black with Krylon and than he didn't like it so he sanded the living hell out of it to a point where the top had more waves and dips than the stormy Atlantic Ocean.

First thing was to entirely strip and clean up the remaing paint.
I than had to mill almost a 1/2" off of the top to get it straight and flat.

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In this picture you can see near the end of the neck/FB a small piece of mahogany added. I nicked the edge of the F/B with the milling bit so it had to be fixed/patched.

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New Mahogany top being eyeballed up on the guitar.

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Top glued up and routed flush with the body.

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Da Billet !

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Home Made Re-Saw Fence. ...It worked great !

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Bookmatched 3/16" thick pieces glued up.

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Surfaced Sanded and ready to glue up.

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Got it to fit pretty dang tight to the neck.

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My High Tech Glue Press....LOL ( it worked! )

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Top routed flush with body.

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Pickup cavities opened up.

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Body edge routed for binding.

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I also have the neck edge routed for binding.



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This past weekend I fretted and bound the body and neck.

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Now its time to scrape some binding !


ready for finish work.

I got the binding on both the neck and body done.
What a B*tch it is to do binding nubs for the fret ends but i got it down to doing both sides in about 1 1/2 hours.

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Its finish sanded and I wiped some Naphtha on the top to see what the flame is gonna look like.

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I'll grain fill the body first and seal it before I get started on the top !


Body grain filled with a dark brown filler:

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Raised the grain with water and after it dried I sanded it back to get it good and smooth.

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Mixed up some Stew-Mac Colortone Vintage Amber in water and made it dark. Gave the top 3 coats of stain:

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Let the stain dry, sanded it back and applied another 3 coats of the same satin only in a weaker solution:

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Sprayed 3 coats of Sanding Sealer to the back and neck:

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It's DONE!

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Author:  Chris Pile [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 5:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

You've been a busy guy. I love the use of bricks for clamping power. I used to employ a small granite surface plate.... Gravity is our friend.

Author:  Glen H [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

I like that, really nice. That looks like a git-r-done band saw there too.

Author:  SG Lou [ Tue Nov 29, 2016 7:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

Glen H wrote:
I like that, really nice. That looks like a git-r-done band saw there too.


I got that band saw from my Mother In Law...use to belong to my deceased Father in Law.
It's an OLD Walker Turner 14 in saw. Haven't been able to pin down the exact year but I'm assuming its late 40's maybe early 50's.
I did upgrade it with new Urethane Tires and upper and lower guide bearings !
Runs like a champ [:Y:]

Author:  SteveSmith [ Thu Dec 01, 2016 10:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

Nice job and I like the photos that show the process. I enjoy seeing the finished product (new or restored) but I am much more interested in seeing how it got there.

Author:  jfmckenna [ Fri Dec 09, 2016 11:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

Nice job! I like your resaw fence.

Is the bridge riser block a part of the original Hamer design or was that a necessary part of the new design?

Author:  SG Lou [ Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

jfmckenna wrote:

Is the bridge riser block a part of the original Hamer design or was that a necessary part of the new design?


It is part of the original design. Hamer referred to it as a "Sustain Block" which is nothing more then a piece of rosewood. laughing6-hehe

Author:  Clinchriver [ Sat Dec 10, 2016 1:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

"Mixed up some Stew-Mac Colortone Vintage Amber in water and made it dark. Gave the top 3 coats of stain:"

Lou great job, and nice guitar. Did you add any other color to the Vintage Amber?

Author:  SG Lou [ Tue Dec 13, 2016 1:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Hamer DC Restoration

Clinchriver wrote:
"Mixed up some Stew-Mac Colortone Vintage Amber in water and made it dark. Gave the top 3 coats of stain:"

Lou great job, and nice guitar. Did you add any other color to the Vintage Amber?


No Sir.

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