New wood sides for Tascam 388

[flyingace]

I just made some new wood sides out of some black walnut sourced from our property today. Took a while to let the wood cure since I didn’t have a kiln but I had some old stock on hand. The figuring is nice, can’t wait to get a finish on it. I’m thinking I want something more like an oil finish, not glossy or matte poly. I’ll post pics when I get the finished product. here is the unfinished wood installed for fit. It’s a nice and fitting upgrade for such a grand old lady! I love my Tascam 388!

 

[famous beagle]

Beautiful work! Nicely done! Looks amazing.

 

[sweetbeats]

Yeah that looks really nice!

I did the same thing with my early 80s Tascam prototype console…we had to fell a hybrid English/black walnut tree on our property that had recently died. I hauled the logs to a small local mill…made rough cut boards that were kiln dried and then I had a buddy with an awesome 12” planar and a really nice table saw. I used a wipe on poly finish, sanded down to 2000 grit and then 000 steel wool.



the grain on your wood looks super clear. Looks really nice…

 

[altruistica]

WOW....both units look absolutely gorgeous. What a talented bunch reside here.

 

[famous beagle]

Yeah that looks really nice!

I did the same thing with my early 80s Tascam prototype console…we had to fell a hybrid English/black walnut tree on our property that had recently died. I hauled the logs to a small local mill…made rough cut boards that were kiln dried and then I had a buddy with an awesome 12” planar and a really nice table saw. I used a wipe on poly finish, sanded down to 2000 grit and then 000 steel wool.View attachment 110581

View attachment 110584

the grain on your wood looks super clear. Looks really nice…

Beautiful work, Cory! I love it.

 

[sweetbeats]

@flyingace what did you use to cut the pieces? You used the originals as templates? The meter bridge caps would be a challenge I’m thinking with the curves. I’ve been staring at it more…looks really nice. Yeah I’ve used a lot of tung oil for custom drums I’ve made, solid body guitar refinishes, etc. but I switched to using a wipe on poly for the quick dry and the ability to define the gloss. I like both, but I wanted a little more shine on my console than I can get with the oil.

 

[flyingace]

@flyingace what did you use to cut the pieces? You used the originals as templates? The meter bridge caps would be a challenge I’m thinking with the curves. I’ve been staring at it more…looks really nice. Yeah I’ve used a lot of tung oil for custom drums I’ve made, solid body guitar refinishes, etc. but I switched to using a wipe on poly for the quick dry and the ability to define the gloss. I like both, but I wanted a little more shine on my console than I can get with the oil.

Sweetbeats, yes, I used the originals as the templates. Originally, I just outlined the originals and cut them close with a circular track saw, then used a belt sander to “carve” them. it worked great for the small pieces and I was able to create them easily but for the bigger pieces, I actually screwed the old to the new wood, cut close with the track saw, then used a router to trim them exact to the originals. Then I used the belt sander to get them evened out, then palm sander, then hand sanding down to 220. They are all ready for a wipe on poly finish. I was going to use a catalyzed finish like Rubio Monocoat, but I really think the easiest is to use a wipe on poly and finish with 2000 then 0000 steel wool. I have all the original pieces and might start using them, if more walnut presents itself, to make some more and sell them online. We’ll see. Probably not a lot of people willing to pay for that much work!