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Reposted by Scorpion the Bird

Spencer Watson @spencerwatson.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

It's been more than a year since my previous episode dedicated to the shooting in Butler, PA. So when I saw the opportunity to have @scorpionthebird.bsky.social and @quoracthebard.bsky.social on the podcast to discuss it, I jumped at the chance. Ep 212 of Truth Unrestricted (link to follow).

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Reposted by Scorpion the Bird

No Ordinary Rabbit (Dread beast of Caerbannog) @the-horror-rabbit.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Hey everyone - Two friends have been killing it with their new Podcast. They've been taking on the psychotic alt-right menace on Rumble & entertaining us all on the way. I recommend visiting @quoracthebard.bsky.social & @scorpionthebird.bsky.social's new baby is: podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/r...

podcasts.apple.com

Ready to Rumble with Bird & Bard

Politics Podcast · Updated Weekly · Join Quorac the Bard and not-that-kind-of-doctor Scorpion the Bird on a leisurely swim through the sewers of Rumble.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

The headlines this morning did tell That Pope Frankie is feeling unwell If he doesn’t get better At least his successor Will never be Cardinal Pell.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Thank you! Keep an eye out for episode two next week!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

What do you know about the cesspit of conspiracy theories and misinformation that is the video platform Rumble? Find out more with Scorpion the Bird & Quorac the Bard! podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/r...

podcasts.apple.com

Ready to Rumble with Bird & Bard

Technology Podcast · 1 Episodes · Updated Weekly

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

For those of you who are of a less brick-to-the-teeth disposition, the following guide (posted in the show notes of today’s NYGBC episode) may be of use: transequality.org/issues/resou...

transequality.org

Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally | A4TE

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Thank you! Definitely will not be the last!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

As a colour blind person, I may or may not be offended by this joke once someone explains it to me.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Been a bit slack with posting tracks recently, been a bit distracted with guitar building! Today’s punching bag warmup track: open.spotify.com/track/48RCrs...

open.spotify.com

Left Us To Mold

Unida · High Volume: The Stoner Rock Collection · Song · 2005

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Thank you! I absolutely loved doing it & I’m already planning the next one. Stayed tuned for a pastel pink Flying V!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

All in all, it’s still a really nice guitar. It sounds like a Tele, it plays like a Tele, and I’m super happy with the results.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Somehow I managed to leave myself with mismatching screws for the output jack. Again, it’s minor aesthetic stuff, that jack is definitely secure, but still, it’s an error. Not too a little patch to the right that just did not want to be dyed.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

The bridge is the classic two-to-a-saddle Telecaster design, so the action & intonation will always be slightly imperfect. Note how high those screws are on the bass side: that’s how far I had to wind them down to get the action right.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Couple of spots where the staining isn’t perfect, either because I didn’t spread the dye far enough into bits that I didn’t think would show, or because the wood just didn’t take up the dye. Minor aesthetic stuff.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

She’s done! In tune! Intonated! Plays beautifully! And now, as the say in the classics, it’s time for the judges’ critiques…

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Strings are strung, and string trees are installed. Now for final adjustments to action (string height) & intonation

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Okay! Electronics are in & a quick test with the amp tells me they’re working! She’s a guitar, folks!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

It’s a tricky little dance to get the bridge + pickup and the controls installed, because the wires from the bridge need to go into the control cavity at the same time as the earth wire from the controls (poking up just to the right of the bridge) needs to go back through & past the bridge cavity

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

😂 If the Teenage Artist in the house gets their way, the next one will be!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Neck pickup & pick guard installed. One of the screws is not quite the right size but if you can’t figure out which, I’m not going to tell you.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Guitar assembly update: step one, install neck & already my first mistake becomes very obvious. Clearly I underestimated how far down the heel I needed to spread the dye. Fortunately it’s nowhere obvious to the casual observer.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

Guitar assembly update: ready to assemble! Half a dozen coats for Tru Oil is enough, the cavities as shielded & we’re ready to put it together.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Reaching back into the digital crate a bit for a frenetic track from Manic Street Preachers for today’s punching bag warmup track: open.spotify.com/track/6ANzhU...

open.spotify.com

Found That Soul

Manic Street Preachers · Know Your Enemy · Song · 2001

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Guitar assembly update: the first couple of coats of Tru Oil have been applied & she’s looking beautiful. According to the internet experts I’ll need 8 or 9 coats, so there’s a bit of work still to do before final buffing & putting everything together.

Blue stained guitar body & neck, reverse side

Blue stained guitar body & neck, front side

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Thanks! I’m not even mad that some of the panels have dyed up darker than others.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

A new-to-me band, Mutoid Man, for today’s punching bag warmup track: open.spotify.com/track/2pSESZ...

open.spotify.com

Dead Dreams

Mutoid Man · Bleeder · Song · 2015

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

Guitar assembly update: the body has been dyed & I’m super happy with how it looks. Gonna give it a good few days before starting the oiling process.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

I’m learning Japanese from the Owl Who Must Be Obeyed. The current unit is Expressing Yourself at a Concert, and as a an over-40 person, I very much appreciate that the last two lessons were “it’s already 10:30; I’m very tired.”

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 05/01/2025

Guitar assembly update: final test. Three dilutions of blue dye with black around the edges. Next up, the real thing!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 31/12/2024

I’m experimenting right now on a spare piece of timber!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 31/12/2024

Guitar assembly update: the wood dyes have arrived! Exciting times ahead. A little bit more sanding to do, then I’ll experiment with these dyes.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 30/12/2024

In 2003, the band Sleep released the stoner metal classic Dopesmoker, an album with only one song that runs for 73 minutes. Since then, fans of the band have used “Dopesmoker” as a unit of time for any activity that takes a bit over an hour. You were scrolling for a Dopesmoker.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

I’m very excited! If this project works out well, my partner may end up deeply regretting this gift…

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

The other kit I had my eye on was a 12-string Tele, which was unfortunately sold out. But, 12 strings being 12 strings, that may have been the classic blessing in disguise, forcing me to start with a super simple kit.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

So over the next fee days I’ll be sanding the body. I’m waiting for some wood dyes to arrive, then I’ll be attempting a blue burst stain before finishing with oil. Exciting times ahead!

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Finally, the components. If you look closely you’ll see that there are plugs & sockets for all the electrics, so no soldering is required.

Bagged electric guitar components: machine heads, strap buttons, bridge, pickup, switching assembly, strings and screws.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Many kits have a very blocky headstock that you can cut to your own shape, but this one has already been cut into a shape I’m ok with. The reverse side has pre-drilled holes for the machine heads.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

Since it’s my first ever assembly, I’m going with the simplest of all solid body electric guitars, the Tele-style. Fixed bridge, two pickups, bolt-on neck. Nice and easy. Note that all the holes are pre-drilled, making installing the components easier.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 26/12/2024

For Christmas my wonderful & amazing partner got me something I’ve wanted for a long time: an assemble-it-yourself guitar kit. Now that I don’t have the weight of a PhD project on me, nor the attendant guilt of doing anything other than PhD work, I have time for this: Let’s have a look at the kit:

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

Santa brings guitar playing children a Blues Driver, Satan brings guitar playing children a Metal Zone.

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Scorpion the Bird @scorpionthebird.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

In an effort to modernise the playlist, here’s the latest offering from Weapons of Self Destruction (great name) for today’s punching bag warmup track: open.spotify.com/track/07rYMP...

open.spotify.com

Hell and Back

weapons of self destruction · Hell and Back · Song · 2024

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