Molten Metal Wood FILLER!? & Ben's Burning Guitars AGAIN.. Of Course!'

[@dirksw1220]

You could also put a small screw in the bottom of the hole. The pewter will flow around the head and that should be 100% secure.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Genius! I love it!! Thank you.. I still have a few to do and will use this 😁

[@AndrewAHayes]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars A brad will achieve much the same result.

[@AndrewAHayes]

What a great idea!

[@gallowaylights]

Implants 😢

[@chriscutress1702]

I was watching and thought of the same thing. Great to see I wasn't the first to think of the screw (or post) solution.

[@bigkahuna100]

Ben, you're an evil genius on your builds, and it's so fun to watch you!!!

[@artosirkia2121]

Evil genius Ben! 👌

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

😈 Thank you

[@hippocrazy4214]

I would love to send you some photos. I have been dealing with mental health issues for quiet some time and I decided to buy an electric guitar, strip it down and get creative. Well.... it snowballed from there and now am building them. It's tough when you dont have a workshop...and very few tools... but am getting there. Even have one made of moose antlers. lol.

[@simonorchard1115]

Now a moose antler guitar I would like to see.

[@hippocrazy4214]

@@simonorchard1115 Wish I could upload photos.

[@tahoemike5828]

I replied to this a couple of days ago, but it seems to have gotten deleted, as I included the link. Crimson has a Discord, and that is the easiest place to post your pics, and interact with the other builders and guitar nuts in the community.

[@hippocrazy4214]

@@tahoemike5828 ty for the info

[@tahoemike5828]

@@hippocrazy4214 Hope it helps, just looked; there is a link in the video description.

[@ianthomson9363]

I love the look of the 'finished' guitar, it's going to look awesome.

[@andrewjackson5741]

Bens back. Here for it. ❤

[@DeeveOnYT]

And we are All better for it😊

[@MichaelSnidaro]

I've always been drawn to your videos by your sheer love for the craft and this one makes no exception. Glad to see you're back at full force, can't wait to see where this path leads (pun half intended) you!

[@rapidfire1400]

Ben, you're a chaotic neutral genius! Fantastic work of course. Also, those pewter filings would make an interesting fleck for a metallic paint.

[@DaHill1998]

Very cool! Thanks for posting.

[@SweetTGuitars]

You know I'm going to have to try something similar to this method. I am sold on the idea for this. Yet another awesome technique brother.✌️&💙

[@billyjones8741]

Soo happy to see the guitar building virtuoso back in the game.

[@sporadicamnesic]

Sh!t it out, sh!t it everywhere, burning sh!t.........this build's got the sh!ts! Loved watching the Sho sugi ban process again

[@mattomon1045]

Ben you are a Fire bug To start with ! you mad scientist!!!! I love you are trying new things!

[@frodedyb4866]

Your studio Looks amazing 😁

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you!! 😁

[@mikeeybass]

Ben Crow. Super Genius

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

You're amazing. Thank you.. Probably more like 'Ben Crowe, thinks sideways' but I'll take it 😎

[@EdGarnham]

That looks like a lot of fun!

[@dirksw1220]

Definitely genius. Undercutting is used in metal on metal inlays, but probably not so good with two different materials.

[@runearntzen6499]

Ben, you are an evil genious... and may I add, much to our liking 🙂

[@hippocrazy4214]

I bought some besmuth a few months ago with a similar idea in mind. It's all about experimentation... and I mostly use things I can find and reuse.

[@jeremyanson8795]

Genius and one of a kind!

[@Silentservice77]

This build looks cool so far can't wait to see what it looks like complete if you recorded taht to show. Also just so happened to encounter Ben earlier today on my walk home.

[@mulgerbill]

Evil Genius was noticed at the beginning of the Complication project. The gleam in the eyes as you described the vision in your mind tells all And still does...

[@X22GJP]

Evil, you’re a Ben genius! Love the idea and look 😊

[@Smegness]

Ben you are endupidly an evil genius with pyromancer tendencies that evidently fill you with such joy, that it is a wonder to behold. You rock, as the vernacular would have it.

[@peterlee440]

Not just evil. Without the beard. Dr Evil! Whooo, ha,ha.

[@ManuelKellermann]

You ARE an evil genius! 😍 I'm also acutely reminded of my dentist appointment...

[@MrShotlighter]

Take a silicone cast of the large section of the side to be filled. Then use the cast as a pattern for a sand casting mould. The shrinkage probably wont be any worse than the enlarging of the hole, cause by burning of the wood from direct casting such a large volume.

[@JoeThornhill]

With the last, long one, I've found it better (with condiments) to move back and forth before it comes out. So when it does, you don't get a big blob, because it's already going in the direction and speed you want it to.

[@cheapskate8656]

Looks good Ben. I wonder, these bugs, beetles, borers or whatever they are. Could you make a silicon mould of some, make them in pewter and disperse them around the missing top section. The maybe resin them in. Or alternatively just use one for the 12th fret.

[@nickfindsgold9788]

I wonder if an induction hot plate would be enough to heat the Pewter in place ? I use an electric induction kiln to process gold and they are very easy to control

[@jaxjackson4100]

Ben, since pewter melts at a high temperature of 230C. You can use a heat gun / wand normally used when heat flow soldering. This might also allow you to push the pewter into some holes easier. Just a thought, from one Evil Guinness to another 👹

[@gallowaylights]

00:08:15 My dentist gets $400.00 per hole like that😂

[@QueenyCrowley]

I have done metal inlays in wood as a teenager a lot .. got my grandpa's burner and some of his pure tin solder (without Pb) then heating it up to a point where it is soft enough that you can push it into a trapezoidal channel in the wood ( I made tons of stuff with futhark rune inlays ) works best with harder wood and smaller sections to fill though . But .. no gaps or burns in the wood ( I used mostly wenge and Zebrawood and some ironwood and some maple ) works with copper too btw back in the day i did everything with chisels but today i would probably use a cnc router to basically write into the wood.. another consideration might be a laser engraver butt preferably one that can tilt the laser to make the trapezoidal channels. The other neat thing is that it greates a sort of cell shading effect with the burned edges (everything you inlay will have a black outer line ;) Let me know if I can help in any way great project All the best PS I would really recommend trying not to meld the metal completely

[@jacobthellamer]

I would love to see a decadent descendant inspired by gilt furniture! Crazy carving, inlay, gold leaf and gemstones. Maybe line the cavities with red velvet.

[@SuperAntz85]

This guitar is going to need a hallmark on it

[@Ducky-face]

Those "worm holes" remind me of what the Emerald Ash boring beetle did to ash trees in Virginia. I lost three really beautiful ones in my yard. The logs looked just like that when I split them. You didn't have a Saint Lawrence to melt down?

[@Slikx666]

Ben. You are somewhere between an evil genius and mad inventor. It's why we love you.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I want to put this on my business card 😎 thank you!

[@Slikx666]

@CrimsonCustomGuitars 😆👍

[@bwpete5568]

Fill the hole with blue tac, pull it out and then you’ll have the volume to compare to the metal to melt, if you can cast with silicone you could also then make your ingots with a silicone mold of the amount of blue tac and have a measured amount for each hole

[@silverbushman]

good reference all pewter is marked pewter I also have aluminum plates now that I can't melt with low temp 😅

[@michael912000]

Ben You are most definitely an "evil" Genius lol. Love this idea. Your guitars are beautiful

[@Teguvas]

Have you thought about Woods Matal that melts at 95C?

[@davepayne164]

I love that my guitar is in the intro these days :)

[@peterkitts8815]

What would happen if you ran a torch over the metal filings? Would they be blown off the guitar or could they melt into the surface of the guitar and look really cool? Maybe.

[@robtoothill]

Ben... you are THE evil genius!... and still a huge inspiration! but, I bet, among the unlikely tools to use in guitar building... you've never had to use a pipe bender 😉😉

[@stephenhursey1506]

Were/are Any of your drill holes comprised by the worm holes and what have you done to prevent your puter from from entering the drill hole for the wires

[@stephenhursey1506]

I can see that your choice of puter was a good idea as it cooled down fast enough to not spread through any worm tunnels you don't need it to this is a fantastic video and a brilliant idea 😅😅

[@victorbeebe8372]

Aloha Dude. Very interesting... EVIL GENIUS

[@slicker1444]

You could have casted the holes and then made a sand cast which would have kept with your bell making ? The rough edge would help them stay in and give something for the glue to hold onto. Then polish the top off !

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

This was the original plan, but I hope to avoid glue as much as possible.. With a bit of hammering most of them didn't actually need glue in the end

[@jasonbeebe2128]

I wonder if partially filling the holes with something like sand or carbon black or metal dust in a Pine Rosen binder could result in a better bond and less charing of the void interior… and less pewter usage. I say Rosen because … flux??? You can treat wood with Borax and Urea for fireproofing. It forms a quick fireproof char layer, or so I’ve been told. Is there a way to squeegee off excess while molten?

[@jonavedian1027]

Have you tried cerrosafe, a bismuth based alloy that melts around 60-70c? I was just looking at some with the thought of similar experiment.

[@heymrguitarman7637]

Honestly I'm not sure about this aesthetic. However I'm usually wrong so looking forward to seeing it finished

[@RJ-qh1iw]

Ben Gotta tell you. Within the Genus of Geniuses You ……. Are an Evil Genius. !

[@rosiehedgehog]

Ben, you are a nefarious polymath. Carry on.

[@frankiechan9651]

Ben, you are an evil genius. Now I have thoughts of somehow encapsulating mercury in the wormholes - so they still move/ flow around when playing. Or those barometer/ weather station trinkets - that have a clear liquid with something dissolved in them, all encapsulated in a bottle. Then depending on the temperature, crystalline "clouds" form or redissolve in the clear liquid. And in upcoming builds - pottery, basket weaving, macrame and crochet will be incorporated into a guitar. (I'm only half joking - there may be something in that) I also can't recall if someone tried hypercolour on a guitar or not.

[@1337million]

Alas poor Philip! I knew him, Ben: A fellow of infinite jest

[@samdetzler3636]

If there's any water in the wood it can steam and shoot the metal back out, so be careful! I guess this is more likely at higher temperature than what you're doing, but may be worth flashing the void with the blowtorch before the metal goes in

[@ZeGlob1]

Ben you’re an evil genius !

[@tahoemike5828]

Halfway through watching, an idea hits... powder the pewter, fill the hole, use a soldering iron to melt it in situ. Is 'Benevolent Evil Genius," a thing?

[@joemcguire5866]

Ben, do you think you could create a similar effect with a cold cast filling the holes? or if different cold cast metals would have any effect on overall tone? or ...wait...can you do the cold cast thing with the sawdust from say ebony or purple heart?

[@joemcguire5866]

also do you think adding color to the resin of a cold cast would have any effect at all? kinda curious about how blue resin and silver would look.

[@misinformationwithrandy]

Does this have any impact on shielding/magnetic fields? I'm pretty ignorant about that stuff.

[@RebelCoderX]

Ohh too bad you're burning it.. I love the discolouration. :)

[@trevorward85043]

Kinda reminds me of the Wile E Coyote where he hands Bugs the card except for you it would read "Ben - Evil Genius" :D

[@Forest_Fifer]

I think i saw those descendants when i was down at Crimson last week. They were defintely raw...

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

raw indeed.. but that's the best way to see them :)

[@y007p3]

Ben, you are an evil genius. Or words to that effect.

[@yasashidoku]

Ben, you're an evil genius :D

[@captainsparky]

I've seen Ben use Solder before for fretboard markers. Pewter is not so far removed from solder really. Have you been to a Leadlight Supply? You can get thick bars of flux free solder.. I think it could create this effect a little easier... maybe. They also have a huge supply of very interesting streaky glass that may interest Ben.

[@captainsparky]

Perhaps not so interesting for a video though.

[@captainsparky]

Second thoughts though... it would probably re-melt too easily when burning.

[@ryanferris7841]

I absolutely hate hate the burnt finish lol it breaks me seeing the grain covered with black soot

[@TomLeg]

There's a 'game' of melting lead and pouring it into water in Germany and eastern European countries. The blobs you get foretell your future for the coming year in an ink-blot kind of way. I can tell you'll be playing that game for a long time.

[@rayrayokmusic]

Evil. Genius. Pick two. ❤

[@brianbarnes1362]

The Dr. Evil of guitar building

[@tho2ea]

This episode was METAL! and EVIL! Ben, you're an evil GENIUS! You're welcome. 🙂

[@waynecarter1863]

Ben you Evil Genius. Looks like a bullet ridden guitar or liquid metal T2 guitar!

[@peterlee440]

Awsome

[@PaulCooksStuff]

I quite liked the holes and the live edge, but I'll trust your evil genius and enjoy the journey 👍 I also hope your house insurer doesn't watch your videos 😂

[@robertnorgren993]

I thought You were gonna say ; "People question my sanity...." 😁😇

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Hell.. I question my sanity 😂

[@bobbyaloma9214]

Ben you’re an evil genius

[@davidjackson8183]

Ben, you're an evil genius 😀

[@alyssa2242]

I've successfully cast Bismuth into wood before. Very heavy and kind of expensive for the volume you get though.

[@hankmarkison3386]

I think that first I'd try epoxy filled with aluminum powder.

[@1066wastrel]

For Darker sections of grain Ben, why not simply bleach them with wood colour lightener? (yes folks, such a substance does exist)!

[@y007p3]

Actually Ben, what if the whole lot was coated in pewter? With the voids showing of course.

[@jlphoto1143]

Is it wrong that I derived a 'wee' bit of pleasure from watching the the bell get melted down ?!! lol

[@philwild5279]

That's more like it - welcome back Ben (even if that rotary tool gave me dentist vibes 😆)

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Oops 😅

[@TomLeg]

Something different to do with those wormholes is to fill them with clear epoxy mixed with sparkly stuff.

[@markgordon4368]

DO IT WITH WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE HOUSE, SO YOU CAN BOTH 🔥🔥🔥🔥 😂😂😂😂😂

[@jefferywarburton2116]

If it were an l.p. shaped thing it would be possible to,... melt Peter to play Paul. Cheers, Here all week.

[@stephenkeen6044]

You're a Creative Experimental Genius, Ben! Sorry, can't bring myself to call you evil 🤷‍♂

[@ianthomson9363]

My thoughts exactly.

[@UphillGardener-ly5sh]

They look like the bullets after the Terminator T2 gets shot

[@shoetree]

Ben, you are a fluffy teddy bear!

[@minimoog4236]

Wouldn't it be better to cut the excess off with a hacksaw blade rather than filing it all off?

[@JoaoVictor-ic3ht]

Crazy scientist genius idea. But since the finishing is alredy burnt, why not melt the metal as lingots over the hole so theres no dropping which can lead to cooling problems and loss of material?

[@JoeThornhill]

Dear god, Ben. What the hell is "Luthier grade" super glue?

[@dominictramonte2687]

Ben, you're an evil genius. The odd thing is you didn't already know. You always have been. You're just using a new technique.

[@Ebbyman413]

Someone out there is having a meltdown over your source of pewter. 🙂

[@johnnyz2378]

Ben, you are an evil genius, and I feel privileged that you’ve allowed us to enter your secret volcano lair……. : )

[@lloydmelsome-smith6629]

When are you going to try your own tooth fillings?

[@amesmilesoff4768]

Now you're cooking with gas 😂

[@neilduty8448]

Ben you are a gevil enious 😂

[@AstronutCymru]

Mwahahahaaaa ! You’re an evil genius, Ben!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

😈 Thank you

[@MrTrilbe]

If this works it could be useful for changing the mass distribution of a guitar, say on a baritone so it's not so head heavy

[@Ryan_F.]

I saw the nose ring and initially had the thought, “did he get some of the metal on his nose??”

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Ouch! 😬😁