What Can I Use Instead Of A Router For Cutting The Body?

[PunkRockerLuke]

What can I use instead of a router for cutting the body of a solid body electric guitar?

Could I use a hand drill for cutting the body of a solid body electric guitar?

[Marzocchi705]

Umm, you mean cutting the outline or routing the cavitys ect?

If its cavitys, drill out the majority then clean up the cavity with a chisel.

[PunkRockerLuke]

No I mean cutting out the body shape from the wood.

[Ben]

You could use a jigsaw if you have one or a coping saw if you are a masochist.

Guessing that if you dont have a router you wont have a bandsaw!

I actually cut out a guitar top with a drill and chisel. I started by drilling loads and loads of holes next to each other all around the outline, then got bored and drilled them further apart and chiseled the bits inbetween.

It worked... sort of... I split the wood and had to glue it a few times. Invisible afterwards, but it was a pain. Took AGES to clean up the edge too.

You would be better with some sort of saw.

[PunkRockerLuke]

I have none of the saws you mentioned..

[jay5]

Well youre gonna need some sort of cutting tool. A coping saw is about $5 if you want to use one of those. A

drill does you no good cutting out a body.

[Marzocchi705]

No place where you could rent a tool or borrow one for a few hours? Have you asked local schools or colleges?

[radrobgray]

home depot rents out tools...

[thegarehanman]

No, no, no. He can't drive anywhere or spend any money . At least that's what I assume when someone says they won't drive 25 miles to buy a book that will save them a lot of headaches...

[AlGeeEater]

I use a jigsaw, works fine for what I need it for. Takes me maybe 45 minutes tops to cut out a body with it, but I don't mind. I don't need to rush it or anything. Just make sure you leave a bit of wood around the body because the blade will wander and bend sometimes.

You can also use a hand saw, if you want to look like Popeye at the end of your 2 hour cutting period

Edited April 17, 2006 by AlGeeEater

[egdeltar]

Does this guy not have any common sense? Either that or he is 8 years old....

[Guitarfrenzy]

Believe it or not, your going to have to have some tools to build a guitar, it's just that simple. Now if you don't have any of the tools mentioned above.. Jigsaw, coping saw, router, bandsaw, scroll saw, etc., please reconsider putting off your build until you do have or have access to some tools. Handmade doesn't mean carving out a neck and guitar body with karate type chops to the wood, your going to have to use tools.

[marksound]

Believe it or not, your going to have to have some tools to build a guitar, it's just that simple. Now if you don't have any of the tools mentioned above.. Jigsaw, coping saw, router, bandsaw, scroll saw, etc., please reconsider putting off your build until you do have or have access to some tools. Handmade doesn't mean carving out a neck and guitar body with karate type chops to the wood, your going to have to use tools.

You mean I can't install the frets in my new neck with a tunafish sandwich?

[AlGeeEater]

You mean I can't install the frets in my new neck with a tunafish sandwich?

Why couldnt you?

[PunkRockerLuke]

I'm 13 and I cant drive yet. isn't a coping saw usually all metal? All metal frame that is. If so my dad might have one. My school has a scroll saw so I might take it to school and have it cut there.

Edited April 17, 2006 by PunkRockerLuke

[Marzocchi705]

How big is this scroll saw? I know Drac uses a scroll saw (trumpets blare DELTA!!) But when i tryed to use one it didnt go quite to plan, alot of blade snapage. But it can be done. How thick is your body blank?

One more peice of advise, go slow, dont try and rush it. My first project is nearly 2 years old, and its not finished yet, i have a second project going aswell, thats taken me about 7 months to get the body ready for routing cavitys neck pockets. And by the sound of things i have access to alot more tools than you. Im not much older than you either.

PRACTICE ON SCRAP!! MEASURE 1000000000000times CUT ONCE!! <--- live by thoes rules and youl do great.

[PunkRockerLuke]

body is 1 3/4" (scrap wood)

It is Delta scroll saw. (there are more than 1 of them)

If my dad has coping saw he will help me cut it if not I'll get it cut at school.

[truerussian558]

I used a scroll saw to cut my first guitar body (the second was done by rough cutting the shape, and then using a router and a template to get it to size), turned out ok, needed a bit of sanding though. You might need to do some manuvering to get it to fit in the neck (why the hell cant they make a scroll saw that lets you put the blade sideways) of the scrollsaw, but this is only a big problem with neckthrough necks. and as long as you go slow. you should be fine as far as blades go (they're cheap anyways).

If your school has scroll saws, I'm sure there is a bandsaw. Just ask the shop teacher to cut it, on a bandsaw it will take at most 20 minutes to cut the body shape, on a scroll saw, it will take 1-2 hours. Also while your there, check if they have a belt sander and a spindle sander. Those will help you alot later on (like when your evening out those cuts from the scroll saw). If I had those tools I would have saved myself days of work, since my darn school has no woodshop class (no metal shop and autoshop either)

Edited April 20, 2006 by truerussian558

[PunkRockerLuke]

There is no bandsaw that I have seen but I will ask and see if there is one.

[WezV]

If you can do it at school use the bandsaw as first choice, scroll saw as second. You need to take it slow which ever saw you use but especially on the scroll saw because theblade will break very easily. I have done quite a few guitars without templates so i am used to cutting them freehand on a saw and cleaning up with a rasp/drum sander. you can still do this without the power tools but you has better be committed to the project. I did my first guitar with a coping saw and hand sanding and it HURT, enough to never do it that way again anyhow.