Template Woes For A Semi-hollow

[fyb]

I'm working on a hollowed out sapele/spruce quasi-tele and I just about finished the template out of 1/2" MDF. I got the outer contours just they way I want them and I also routed out the areas that'll be the chambers. The part you see on the left is about 1/2" thick. I noticed that it has a little play in it and I'm worried that when I use my router the template will move too much.

What can I do? Can i use double sided tape to secure it? Will the residue come off? Do you think that part @ 1/2" wide is strong enough to handle the router abutting it? Any help would be appreciated!

[J_48_Johnson]

At this point, double sided tape is your friend, and imho, it will work. I used it to cut my routes and it held fine. Just don't jam your router into it too hard, just use it as a guide like it's intended.

[fyb]

At this point, double sided tape is your friend, and imho, it will work. I used it to cut my routes and it held fine. Just don't jam your router into it too hard, just use it as a guide like it's intended.

What kind of tape? Is it something you can get @ Home Depot or something? Is residue a problem?

[RGman]

Anything double stick is fine, as long is it's not the foamy stuff. I use scotch brand when i use double stick, but i usually use screws for templates.

One thing that could be done in future is to make separate templates for the cavities, as it might be a bit easier to do the routing that way.

[Jon]

Next time you can leave the body blank at full size and make the template a little bigger. For instance, where the body comes in on each side on the template (the waist) you can leave a little room outwards and drill a hole in it for a screw. Then screw the template into the body. This would guarantee it wont go anywhere, although double-stick tape will work fine. I prefer to minimize the probability of accidents.

Do a test run before routing! Make sure your router base is wide enough to do those passes. If it were to tip in, it would do some pretty bad damage that you wouldn't want on the small 1/2" width you have left.

[RGman]

If your router base is too small you could make a larger MDF or Acrylic base and screw it to the router base.

[Rick500]

As far as which double-sided tape... I like 3M Poster Tape. Wal-Mart has it. It has a red label. About $3 a roll.

[ray]

As far as which double-sided tape... I like 3M Poster Tape. Wal-Mart has it. It has a red label. About $3 a roll.

i generally make 2 templates for a chanbered body well 4 actually 2 masters and 2 working copies

the chamber template has a lot of meat [square] on it and the shape only at the pocket and rear. always use centre lines so you can match em up

i would carefully route two more templates from ur master and put it away and dont use it again

one for the outside shape

one for the chambers as descibed above.

then make copies of those

then you can start on ur body

[Mattia]

As far as which double-sided tape... I like 3M Poster Tape. Wal-Mart has it. It has a red label. About $3 a roll.

i generally make 2 templates for a chanbered body well 4 actually 2 masters and 2 working copies

the chamber template has a lot of meat [square] on it and the shape only at the pocket and rear. always use centre lines so you can match em up

i would carefully route two more templates from ur master and put it away and dont use it again

one for the outside shape

one for the chambers as descibed above.

then make copies of those

then you can start on ur body

+1

Exactly how I do it.

[mikevirok]

You could do as I did with my semi-hollow when I had this same problem with my template in keeping the router from tipping off the edge of the template: add a piece of wood that matches the height of the guitar surface + the template and rest that surface close to where the router will hang over from the body. It worked for me.

I also use 3m Carpet Tape to keep my stuff in place.

[brewu22]

At this point, double sided tape is your friend, and imho, it will work. I used it to cut my routes and it held fine. Just don't jam your router into it too hard, just use it as a guide like it's intended.

What kind of tape? Is it something you can get @ Home Depot or something? Is residue a problem?

I use carpet tape from The Home Depot, works good. It sometimes leaves a little residue, but easy to get off.