Carving Top With Router?

[jwj]

a search did not turn up anything on this, but I'm sure this has been discussed.

does anyone use a router bit (panel, thumbnail....) for making a carve top????

[GregP]

Yes, people use routers to help carve tops, but they don't just use a router bit and give'er. What they do is make more or less a "topographical map" and rout "steps" into the guitar's top. Then they use scrapers, orbital sanders, rasps, or whatever else suits the task to smooth out the 'steps'.

Greg

[Nalo1022]

I use a similar method to that. it creates a much more drastic carve . I use a 1/2" cove bit and route along the edge of the guitar body, then i remove most of wood with either rasps, orbital sanders, or just sanding blocks depending on the degree of carve im goin for. I like this method becauseit results in a nice even lip and a sharp carve (wich is what i like).

[jwj]

thanks for the input. I recently saw a picture of bodies a had just finished shaping cutting the binding rabet and had a rough carve which left a flat top with a sharp edge ( like a little island on top) sloping down to the binding.

I have a feeling this was cut on a cnc router, but it made me start thinking...... which is always dangerous