Best Tool For Cutting Cavity And Trem Covers?

[stratoskier]

Hi,

I ordered some pickguard material (2.0 mm thick) from Stew-Mac to make some replacement control cavity and trem covers for various guitars. Could someone suggest the best way to get clean cuts on this stuff? I was thinking of using the router (with templates) to do it, but I wondered whether the material would melt. If a router is the best option, perhaps someone could recommend a suitable bit for this use. Also, will this destroy the bits for future wood work?

BTW -- I don't have access to any fancy shop tools. I'm pretty much a router, dremel, drill and saber saw operation.

Thanks,

Bert

[MrValentine]

try using a BRAND NEW x-acto knife...thats what i use.

Good Luck

[stratoskier]

Really? The stuff I got is 2mm (.082") which seems really thick to cut with an x-acto. They had 3 thicknesses, but the thickest seemed closest to most of the cavity covers.

[MrValentine]

You just need a sharp blade and a bit of force...thats what my local guitar/luthier-shop guy told me to use

[Southpa]

I always use a jeweller's saw and then shape and bevel with files, coarse to fine sanding then polish.

Edited March 27, 2010 by Southpa

[MrValentine]

I agree with the above...less chance of cutting fingers... x-acto's tend to slip on plastic sheet for pickguards

[killemall8]

It wont melt with a router. A sharp but will just make a bunch of little plastic bits being flung across the room though.

[stratoskier]

I always use a jeweller's saw and then shape and bevel with files, coarse to fine sanding then polish.

I might try this first. BTW -- is there a difference between a jeweller's saw and a coping saw? They appear very similar in the images I found, and I have a coping saw. Is the difference just in the blade type (wood vs metal cutting teeth)?

Thanks to all for your advice.

Bert

[avengers63]

A template, double-stick tape, and the router.

[ihocky2]

Jewelers and coping saws are basically the same thing. The design is the same, except jewelers saws usually have one arm that moves up and down to accomodate different blade lengths.

That said, I wouldn't use a jewelers blade in a coping saw, I would be afraid the coping saw will have too much tension and breake the blades. Jewelers blades are VERY fine toothed and anywhere from thin to EXTREMELY thin.

[Moth]

I use a dremel

[Samba Pa Ti]

I use a dremel

which bit on a dremel ?

cut off wheel, router attachment, sanding wheel ?

ive had bad experiences making pickguards with dremel : (

[sam_c]

I made a thick template and used a brand new stanley knife (is it called a box cutter in the US?) and got through 2mm plastic in 3-4 passes and it gave a really nice crisp edge. Not much force needed at all. That was on rectangular trem back plates though and if I were doing circular/amorphous shapes Id use a jewelers saw.

A router seems a bit excessive, but I guess if you had to do a few covers in one go then you could pack the 2mm plastic together and it would save alot of time.

[stratoskier]

A router seems a bit excessive, but I guess if you had to do a few covers in one go then you could pack the 2mm plastic together and it would save alot of time.

Hmm... I hadn't thought of that, but I do have 3 of one kind to make. The other 2 are one-offs. Where the heck do all these covers disappear to, anyway? (I guess I should know, given that I have a zip-lock full of them myself, none of which belong to any guitars I currently own!)

Bert

[Tim37]

i have made a few and the router seems to give me the best results yeah its time consuming but once your template is made you zip it out and have a really nice peice. the ones that i cut by hand just never seemed to fit or look as nice as i wanted them too.

[Moth]

I use a dremel

which bit on a dremel ?

cut off wheel, router attachment, sanding wheel ?

ive had bad experiences making pickguards with dremel : (

I use the spiral cut bits. I guess a rotozip is meant for the job, but they work perfectly well in the dremel with the small router bass attachment

http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6339857.jpg

I do all my cuts a little bit outside the lines, and then I clean it up with sandpaper. Works like a dream!