Cheaper Way To Make Pickguard?

[gibsonsg26]

is there a cheaper way then buying the stew mac bit? i messed up my buddys silvertones pickguard and you cant buy them so i have to make one. What do you guys think?

[Joobsauce]

plastic bin from walmart and an exacto knife. Have fun.

[J_48_Johnson]

What I did with mine is buy a sheet of pickguard material and used a chamfer bit along the edge.

I rough cut the shape I wanted on my bandsaw then made the exact shape of my pickguard on my template material. Double side tape held the template to the pickguard, and I clamped it to my work table template on the bottom.

Just go around cleaning the the rough cut edge on the pickguard until you get the feel of how much you can take off without digging in or melting the pickguard material.

Once you have that figured out, run the bearing on the bit up to the template material. Unclamp the pickguard and move it so you can get to another spot to work with. Keep going until you reach the neck pocket area. I was way careful while I was running up to the opening for the neck because you want the edges there to be flat with no bevel like the rest of it. Take it slow as you are approaching the neck pocket area on the guard so you don't slip and have your bit roll into the opening, just kind of feather it off until you get the corner you're looking for.

[gibsonsg26]

thanks guys

[David Schwab]

is there a cheaper way then buying the stew mac bit? i messed up my buddys silvertones pickguard and you cant buy them so i have to make one. What do you guys think?

Don't buy your bits from Stew-Mac. Get a pattern bit from a woodworking catalog.

You first need to make a pattern. Get some 1/2" plywood and shape that exactly as you want the finished part. Then double stick tape the plastic to the pattern and use the router.

I use the router upside down in a router table, or with a real wide base upside down, clamped in a vice.

Watch your fingers!

[ihocky2]

I use the router upside down in a router table, or with a real wide base upside down, clamped in a vice.

Watch your fingers!

Router in a router table = Very Good Idea

Router upside down, clamped in a vise = EXTREMELY BAD IDEA.

Your fingers would be the least of your worries if that baby comes loose. If you don't want to buy an expensive router table, make a cheap one. A few cheap shelving legs and a piece of 2ft x 2ft melamine should set you back less than $10 and will work just fine. Another couple bucks and you can put a dust hood to hook your shop vac up to. Ohh yeah and about $2 worth of wood screws. So for less the $15 you can have a router table and save yourself a trip to the emergency room.

[billm90]

just an alternative. I have built pickguards out of plexi.

you can paint the back and the paint will be protected.

[SnowGTR]

just an alternative. I have built pickguards out of plexi.

you can paint the back and the paint will be protected.

It does work well, but make sure you use polycarbonate instead of Plexiglas.

[Mickguard]

Another alternative:

I just bought a couple of these No hole pickguards

This way I can route it for my own pickup choice and electronics (I hate the typical strat-style switch, I'm always knocking it with my hand...besides, I stick pretty much to the bridge pickup these days).

I don't know if the shape will work with your silvertone.

I actually bought the single ply version, but the edge is still beveled ( I prefer a straight side). Still, the price is right, if you're in Europe anyway. I don't recall seeing no-hole guards available in the States.

[gibsonsg26]

ya im in the states and i checked a fender guard up against it already of course with my luck it didnt fit. Is it possible to cut it rough with a jigsaw then do the bevel by hand with a file?

[brewu22]

ya im in the states and i checked a fender guard up against it already of course with my luck it didnt fit. Is it possible to cut it rough with a jigsaw then do the bevel by hand with a file?

If you use the right kind of blade for the jigsaw, you should be able to get one for plastic. If you are going to hand bevel, I would do the rough bevel with a dremel, then finish with a file. I have never done this, be it seems possible.

[gibsonsg26]

thanks for all the help guys

[DougK]

I use the router upside down in a router table, or with a real wide base upside down, clamped in a vice.

Watch your fingers!

Router in a router table = Very Good Idea

Router upside down, clamped in a vise = EXTREMELY BAD IDEA.

Your fingers would be the least of your worries if that baby comes loose. If you don't want to buy an expensive router table, make a cheap one. A few cheap shelving legs and a piece of 2ft x 2ft melamine should set you back less than $10 and will work just fine. Another couple bucks and you can put a dust hood to hook your shop vac up to. Ohh yeah and about $2 worth of wood screws. So for less the $15 you can have a router table and save yourself a trip to the emergency room.

Absolutely. Dad lost the tip of his finger when the last guy who used the router table never tightened the bit. He fired it up and the bit came flying out and took the tip of his finger with it. Absolutely dont jimmyrig anything with a router. Build a table and keep clear of it when you turn the thing on.

I on the other hand, :knocks on wood: 10 years and counting and still have all my finger tips.

Edited November 19, 2007 by DougK