Curtis P Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 have to use one when cutting out guitar bodies? or will a jig saw/scroll saw work good too? i would plane it down anyways cuz its still to thick and all Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 You don't HAVE to have one but they sure do help. You can cut much closer and save a lot of time removing the material by sanding later. My first one was cut using a Sawzall!!! I freehand routed along my pencil line on the wood and used that for my sawzall guide. It worked but took me forever to clean up with a sander!! I think a jigsaw or scroll saw would be much better than my first attempt since you have a thinner blade and better control. Use what you have and be creative - that's what makes it fun! Just don't cut off any fingers in the process............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 I've used jigsaws such as the one's built by Bosh that worked better than some cheap bandsaws do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarchump Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 you can take the bigger chunks off with the scroll or jigsaw but then i would recomend u make template of your body and get a router bit with a bearing and fallow the template to clean it all up and ur ready to sand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 you can take the bigger chunks off with the scroll or jigsaw but then i would recomend u make template of your body and get a router bit with a bearing and fallow the template to clean it all up and ur ready to sand That's what I like to do, but I use a band saw to take off most of the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 Just like they said.. First have a great template with almost no imperfections. Then after you have your body blank ready, lay the template down on it and trace it out. Now cut about 1/8" outside of the template drawing all the way around it, if you use a bandsaw, if using a jig saw you'd want to stay away a bit farther simply because they won't cut straight into the wood they will slant some. So maybe around 1/2" if using anything other than a bandsaw. Next, using doublestick tape place the template back on the guitar body so that it lines up with the lines you drew before. Finally, take a long flush trim bit with a roller bearing on top, and align it so that the bearing rides along the template as a guide while routing it out. Keep plunging down until the whole guitar body is done. You should have a great guitar body that won't need very much sanding. It sure beats the way I cut out my first guitar... lol.. I like to never got the edges smooth. I ended up using a drum sander to get it right. Believe me, it's alot easier with the router and good template.. It's better to use a bandsaw, but you can use a jigsaw untill you can buy one later on. Good luck.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 Keep plunging down until the whole guitar body is done. I do the whole body at once with a 2" long flush trim bit. Watch out in certain areas, like the tips of the horns, and area where you are going agianst the grain, the bit can "chatter" and bust out chunks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 Sorry to say, but yes that will happen if you don't plunge down a little each time with a plunge router. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 If you didnt do full plunge with a bit like that the baring would not run against your template, therefore making it impossible to cut accurately. Its just a case of being careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 you jerks with your bandsaws lol i really want one!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 a shaper would be pefect for that...or a table router with a bearing bit at least 2" long,like lex said.....both are really the same thing. i now use a spindle sander.messy though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 If you didnt do full plunge with a bit like that the baring would not run against your template, therefore making it impossible to cut accurately. Its just a case of being careful. buy a smaller bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 touché Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 The idea is to plunge down and make sure the bearing rides against the wood you've already cut. Your body will act as the template as you keep plunging.. It's real simple really.. Ask Krazy D.. he's the router king.. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 lol, "router king"..... .... well you can to it both ways provided you prepare and do it properly, not saying anyone here does it the wrong way, just saying there's many correct methods, some "trickier" then others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 Or you do it like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 yup that's a hudge bit, you must cut really close to the line on your bandsaw, i'd even sand in a bit more, so that the router would just be putting the finishing line on the shape, not acutaly creating the shape from ruff, i find the less material the router has to remove the less chatter, and the cleaner the line you'll get. Speaking of bandsaws though, i was just at a friends work shop, and he's talking about upgrading his 18" bandsaw to a 20 or 24" so he can to resawing, so i might be getting a 18" bandsaw with a couple of blades, 2hp, and a couple sets of those bushing things for 500$CA (373$US) !!!!!!!!!! he said he'll probably order it around may, so i got a bit of time to throw the money together, but that's better then most of the deals i've found, localy... and on the internet(after you factor in shipping and duties) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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