Making An Aluminium(sp) Scratchplate...

[Thoughtless 7]

How hard would it be for me to make on of these? Also, how much would the material cost?

Any ideas are always welcome!

Cheers,

Rudder

[suregork]

My friend just built one out of a piece of aluminium he found somewhere. It looks quite nice, but his piece is quite thin so it is quite 'fragile'.

[thedoctor]

Aluminum is really nice to work with in gauge thickness. You can cut the lighter stuff with a band saw (feed it slow) or a coping saw (my chioce) or plasma. Routing is frustrating but can be done. After you get it shaped, the finishing possibilities are endless! You can sand it to a satin, polish it to chrome or acid-etch it pitch black. Beware the alloys. The softer 300 series are REAL soft. The 4043/5356 alloys are harder and finish better. 6061 in a high T temper is my favorite because it tools just like steel. It is also cheap. Wax it when you get the look you want because the surface will oxidize in a few weeks.

[splorge]

i made one out of aluminium checkerplate from a boat building place it was .5metre square and about 3.5mm thick and it cost me 10nzd (bout 6-7 usd) i just grabbed it out of the scrap bin and he reckoned $5 but i only had a $10 note so we went to the office for change and the boss made me pay $10 damnit. but ive got enough for at least 2 more scratchplates so it wasnt too bad

i used a metal blade on a jigsaw to cut it.

i just traced the original pick guard on then cut it out roughly then filed it to exact shape. drilled the holes and put it on.it took bout an hour. easy as well worth doing