krazyderek Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I'm trying to come up with a way to make a set of trem recessed route templates, but it seems like there can be 2 or 3 different depths, so do you guys use sets of 2 or 3 templates when making the rescessed rout? pink is usualy 1/8" green ~ 1/4" blue 1/4" or more so depending on how you wanted the depths, blue and green could be one or 2 seperate templates, plus a retangle for the pink/green to get your 1/8" around the posts (props to alex for the trem route pics) so what do you guys do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I'm not big on templates, I've been routing freehand for over a decade and I can't justify the added expense or time buying/making them since most of my stuff is custom. I would only use the same template once or twice. But I will use them periodically, and for a floyd route like that, I would freehand the depth variations. You really only need the template for the outside walls anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 I remember seeing some of your work long ago Frank.(so its been 10 or so years and 3000 miles) So, you would just mark out the lines and follow them freehand, without a guide. Or do you set up guides of some sort? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Yikes! I hope what you saw was good! It's been awhile! If you're talking about me doing the whole thing freehand, I will mark lines, tape straight lines off, and do whatever I need to see where I'm going. I've just always had a steady hand. I can draw a straight line too. Maybe its because I don't drink! But seriously, I know lots of people can't really do that. I've just developed that feel, and I think I was lucky. But if you're talking about this depth variance, the lines are already there, really. Once you do the first depth, then the second follows the line of the block route that's already there. The third follows the lines on either side of the trem, and those are in the template. You're just freehanding the last 1/4-1/2". And for me, anyway, blue and green are almost always the same depth anyway. I just have a 2-depth cavity. So I'd just be freehanding that little area between the sides and the block route area, and you'd never tell. I would be more fearful that between the double stick tape and the router pressure I might not line the second or third template up perfectly with the first. So then you could be kissing off some wood to one side and undercutting the other, and that would have to be blended afterwards. If you leave the outer template on the whole time you know your outside lines are perfect, and that's all that matters. I mean, even if you slipped on the inside and gouged out 1/16" in there by the block cavity, it would go unnoticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syxxstring Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 Thanks Frank. I remember being very impressed with what I saw. I also remember the largest freaking overcomplicated rack rig known to man, and wanting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 I'm not following much of this thread so far. First, are you using templates to guide the depth as well as the outline of the route? Second, Frank, are you saying that you don't use templates to guide the outline of your routing? I never use a template for depth guiding but I try to always use one for outline routing. I use a plunge router with a depth stop and set it up before the cut. Are you using a fixed base router or is there some other reason for needing a template for the depth? Everyone has their own ways of doing things but I would never suggest to anyone getting started to try routing their floyd cavities without a template. I even find ways to screw things up with a template so I'd hate to see what would happen without one. Anyway, is that what you are trying to do with the template - control depth as well as outline? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 18, 2004 Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 I think he's trying to just control the outline, but he wants to make 2 or 3 different templates so when he goes to route the deeper parts, he has an edge guide for them too. I'm saying that if you leave the main template on the whole time, it's not hard to control the router for those little sections where the different depths come together. Even if he cuts those sections a little wavy, they don't matter or show under the trem. If you switch to a different template for each depth you've introduced the possibility of less than perfect line-up. As for what I do, I only use a fixed base router, manually adjusting for each depth pass. And yes, I don't use templates to guide the outside of my routing. I can make a straight line. Plus you only need to do it "once" because then you can use your own side walls as a guide for a pattern cutting bit. But yeah, I can route a straight line. I just need to see it. Sometimes for mahogany or other grainy woods I'll take an exacto knife and scribe it so then you can see exactly when the "curls" come off the endgrain. Most of the time I just mark it or mask it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2004 yes, control depth in the desired location of the rout, i think i figured it out though, i'll just include a spacer that will cover the pink area after the first pass, so that that section won't get routed any longer, in terms of alignment, it's a 2 part template, one with the holes for the studs and the spring block route, then the second part with just the ouline of the bridge that will include a little insert to cover the pink area, the 2 are on the same template and use the same center line along with 2 screw holes that attach the template to the same location when moved... (does that make sense at all?) i'm going to try and get the fabrication done tonight so i'll see if i can post pics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 That sounds good, just make sure your spacer is really secure, you don't want it to come loose and hit the router bit anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 Plus you only need to do it "once" because then you can use your own side walls as a guide for a pattern cutting bit. You must be talking about deeper cavities than the ones Derek is doing then, yes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 19, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 That sounds good, just make sure your spacer is really secure, you don't want it to come loose and hit the router bit anywhere. i was thinking double stick tape along the bottom of it? i got hung up on routing a truss rod channel so i'm not going to be able to get that done tonight though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 You must be talking about deeper cavities than the ones Derek is doing then, yes? Yeah, if you're going to use a pattern cutting bit it would have to be really shallow, but I've seen 1/2" depth pattern cutters. I'm mostly talking about neck and pickup cavities. And I don't actually use a pattern cutting bit per se, but for most of my edges I'm using one of two 1/4" bits I have that only have about 1/2" of cutting depth, but the shank is over 2" long. So although it doesn't have bearings it acts as a pattern cutter against the shaft. For Floyd routs I do them freehand but I just wait until I've reached my final depth to to the final "straight edge." So that means I do the pink part in one pass but I wait on the other part until most of the material is gone before I clean the edges. Anything less than 1/2" deep and I just do the edges in one pass, and use a regular bit. But if I'm going deeper for pickups or neck cavities then I'll get the edge at about 3/8" depth and then just follow it with the pattern bit for the deeper cuts. Also the deeper you go before doing your straight edge the more control you have over the router because the resisitance is greater. I'm not advocating anyone use my method by the way, I recommend templates for the outer edges of any cut. I just never became dependent upon them and so now it's just second nature to mark or scribe and then route away! As far as double stick tape for the filler thats probably fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlexVDL Posted February 19, 2004 Report Share Posted February 19, 2004 I think these 3 templates would work... if anyone needs them, I have a drawing in CAD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2004 That's exactly what i meant alex those are only 6 string versions though aren't they? I just wanted to save a bit of material and time (when routing) here's what i came up with. It's 5/8 thick so don't mind the little chips in the white coating stuff, the insert is exactly 15.8mm (5/8") wide the hole way. I use that black fiber glass looking double stick tap, i'm quite sure it will hold fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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