Steel Guitar Builder

I've been reading a couple threads elsewhere on folks who have built their own Danelectro-style semi-hollow guitars. It occurs to me that the open-frame-and-masonite approach might make for an interesting-sounding steel guitar, and probably a relatively easy first build for the inexperienced likes of me.

I note that Danelectro themselves never seem to have made a semi-hollow steel to match their fretted guitars, though. Has anyone thought about trying such a build, or seen one with similar construction?