Post 2: Designing my own "Art Lap Steel"

    When I saw Randy's beautifully finished Lap Steel, I immediately thought: looks like something I would build, except for the fine anodized finish and the shiny chrome parts. I loved the simplicity of the design and the fine finish, but that's not my look, and my craftsman skills are diminished anyway because of arthritis and nerve damage, to the point where my left hand can't hardly do anything but hold, and the right one has lost dexterity and feeling.

    I felt could make my own as longs as I keep things a little rough. I just sand the aluminum with a 3" pneumatic disk sander to create random swirls, and prototypes are never perfect... I could already see all slotted brass screws, a wooden bridge, other brass details, and a more curvaceous shape. I happened to already have a piece of rough hewn ebony, which I planed to a thickness of about 3/8", perfect for a fretboard. I also had a sheet of 1/8" aluminium, various pieces 1/4 " thick, extruded square tubes 1"x1" and 1.25" x 1.25,  channels, angles, etc... I  quickly drew the shape and made a mockup:

    I drew a detailed a full scale template with side view on a piece of poster board and cut it out:

    After transfering the outline to a piece of aluminium twice,  and after taping the two,  I cut two matching body panels together on the bandsaw,  and finished the edges on a belt sander:

The holes for the two pickups were cut in the front panel, the holes drilled all around, the spacers cut drilled and tapped. The front and back were attached to two 1"x1"x36" pieces of aluminium square tubing with oval head 10-32 x 1/2" brass machine screws:

 The pickups were fitted,  attached, and wired with the switch and potentiometers. Everything is grounded to the metal body. The image clearly shows the assembly with 1.25" x1.25" square tubing spacers and a thin aluminium skin following the curve. Lots of screws increase the rigidity of the assembled body, which basically acts as an I-beam:

   I cut a 1/4" spacer for the head, a trapezoidal aluminium tailpiece with three large holes to attach the strings. I fashioned a basic trapezoidal ebony bridge, attached the tuners with small 6-32 brass screws, stuck the fretboard in place temporarily, and wound the strings for a test. I had to use screws and washers to angle the strings towards the fanned tuners. The nut is a scored rod of brass.

   It's rough and unfinished, but already looking pretty good! And it works too!

     My friend Randy came by with his Lap Steel to test mine and compare. There are some adjustments to be made to be sure, but it's close enough to make me happy...

     In fact, I was so excited my mind was already designing the nextinstrument!