Recessed control pots

[willliam_q]

I’m about to start work on my guitar body In the next few days and am considering slightly recessed control pots, even though it won’t be a carved top.

I have a 6mm thick heavily flamed maple top, is there likely to be issues of tear out?  Any tips?  I will be using a floor standing drill press if that make a difference.

Thanks

[curtisa]

What kind of bit are you going to use?

[ADFinlayson]

I've had very little luck using a drill press. I tend use a 1.75" - 2" round nose router bit (depending on whether I'm doing speed knobs or thinner metal knobs). I clamp the router to the top of the guitar, set the router to the slowest possible speed and use the depth stop - don't use a small 1000w router or it will chatter and tear maple, and take it very slow. I always do a test run on the offcut from the top too because every piece of wood is different 

[Bizman62]

For a top that thin I'd rather use a carving/sanding tool than a drill/router bit.

Take a carriage bolt (rounded head with a square collar) and glue a piece of emery cloth on the top and use that with your drill. Shape the emery board to a flower for curvature. 

Or pay through the nose and buy something specially made for that purpose.

[willliam_q]

Thanks all, I should have elaborated a bit more.  This is for a super strat  project so it will be straight metal knobs, not the prs/Gibson style speed knobs.  

I wasn’t really thinking of a soft recess and more a hard shallow recess that the control knob sits in.  

I will test on off cuts when I produce them, I have a couple of forstner style bits but by the sounds of things that would be a disaster!  Glad I asked first.

[curtisa]

57 minutes ago, willliam_q said:

I have a couple of forstner style bits but by the sounds of things that would be a disaster!

I was actually going to suggest that if you wanted a hard recess rather than a PRS-style soft 'cup', a forstner bit would be exactly what you want. I'd be more concerned about using a router bit in a drill press, as the cutting geometry isn't really suited for the relatively low-RPM that a drill press can produce.

[willliam_q]

Ah ok, I could try that then.  Will test it first as I’m very afraid of tear out on figured maple. 

[Andyjr1515]

26 minutes ago, curtisa said:

I was actually going to suggest that if you wanted a hard recess rather than a PRS-style soft 'cup', a forstner bit would be exactly what you want. I'd be more concerned about using a router bit in a drill press, as the cutting geometry isn't really suited for the relatively low-RPM that a drill press can produce.

Yes.  General rule is to NEVER use a router bit in a drill press.  There is a very high risk of wrecking the piece...and actually a pretty good chance of wrecking your hands.

I also would have used a Forstner bit - but a good one.  The difference between the good ones and bad ones is chalk and cheese.  The Fisch ones with the wave edge (can't remember what they call it) are the best I have personally used.  The periphery of the bit cleanly cuts the outer circle and the inner blades efficiently remove the bulk inside it and very efficiently clears the chipping in a hand-plane like ribbon.  

[Bizman62]

Letting the forstner bit run backwards can be more gentle.

[ScottR]

These days I always make the type of recess for control knobs you are talking about and often in highly figured maple. I use a forstner bit in a drill and have never had a chip out. I have had some chips routing pickup cavities in those same tops and flat will not use a router to cut the perimeter shape to a template.

SR

[mistermikev]

might as well thro my hat in the ring... have done this before using a forstner bit to make a nice hole/template in mdf... then using a router with a bowl bit to follow the hole.  the tricky part being lining up the hole.  Was thinking about this recently... might create a male part for that hole, and add a 3/8 hole in the center of it... slide a dowel thru to line it up, then remove the make insert... voilla.  Something I'll have to try next time I do this but thought I'd pass it on in case it helps.