strummer2k Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Does anyone have any experience with the Stewmac pickup templates? The strat or single coil one seems to be about a 1/4 in too large all the way around. I know you need some wiggle room, but do I really want to make a pickup route this big? Also, I have their humbucker and tele bridge pickup templates, but my pickups haven't arrived so I don't know if these will have the same problem. How much bigger than the pickup should a route be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 Does anyone have any experience with the Stewmac pickup templates? The strat or single coil one seems to be about a 1/4 in too large all the way around. I know you need some wiggle room, but do I really want to make a pickup route this big? Also, I have their humbucker and tele bridge pickup templates, but my pickups haven't arrived so I don't know if these will have the same problem. How much bigger than the pickup should a route be? they are rather large.....i have one,i think it is just to make sure that it will fit any pickup brand you wish...the ring covers it up coincidentally my schecter has routs of the same size...but my ibanes guitars are slightly smaller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 I think you'd be surprised how often that extra little bit of wiggle-room comes in handy to help you dead-center your pkps under your strangs. It's helped me out way more than once. (referring pretty much to the strat SC templates) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavnerGuitarWorks Posted June 3, 2004 Report Share Posted June 3, 2004 If you are unhappy with the size of the templates, you could always put tape on the inside edges of the template to make the routed area somewhat smaller. Of course, it would depend on how much tape you used as to how small the hole would be. I do that with my neck pocket routes. I put the tape on the inside of the template edges and do all of the routing and then carefully remove the tape and do the last pass. I find that it helps with tear out. Since I am only knockin' off such a small amount of wood on the last pass. I wanna' say Myka does that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strummer2k Posted June 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 I saw that tip about the tape somewhere else too. Can't remember if it was Myka or not. I will try that. The funny thing is that I got a single coil pickup cover from Stewmac as well(I know they don't make them). The single coil template is even too big for the pup cover - the screw holes don't have anything to bite into. Is any type of tape preferred? I assume you don't want anything that will compress very much as you roll the bearing along it. I have duct tape, masking tape, electrical, scotch...oh, and some binding tape. Drak, I agree the extra wiggle room is probably good, I re-measured and it is about a 1/8 inch extra all around the single (I really exaggerated when I said a 1/4 inch). Still - there would be very little for the pickup screws to bite into. Thanks for the input guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Maybe you're supposed to use a bearing 1/8" larger in diameter than the bit? I just use an old pickguard and a 1/4" flush cut bit for my strat pup routs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Those routing guides are designed for use with a collar in your router. They are actually dead on size if you use a collar, they aren't 1/4" to big, at least not for dimarzio's. Anyway, if you use a 1/4" bit, with a collar, the OD of the collar is 3/8" (approximately 1/16" radius bigger than the bit). This is a FAR better system than using a bearing because your depth is so easily change-able since the bit actually runs inside the guide collar. Anyone who says they aren't accurate hasn't used the properly or hasn't got good guide collars or bits. I have the Stew mac templates and use them often, they are bang on for size if you use the collars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Mine is, other than too big, wrongly shaped. There's some weird twists and turns I really hate. I guess I should've sent it back... Why would Stew Mac sell templates designed for use with a collar, but post this on their web site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Larger bearing on a smaller bit will fix it, or you can use a Collar on your router that is slightly larger than the bit. if you do it that way you may have to open up the corners on the route freehand with a Dremel and a Sanding Drum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaper Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 Is any type of tape preferred? I assume you don't want anything that will compress very much as you roll the bearing along it. I have duct tape, masking tape, electrical, scotch...oh, and some binding tape. Don't use electrical... I tried it, and the bearing tore it off in about 10 seconds (if even that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardtailed Posted June 4, 2004 Report Share Posted June 4, 2004 ... The funny thing is that I got a single coil pickup cover from Stewmac as well(I know they don't make them). The single coil template is even too big for the pup cover - the screw holes don't have anything to bite int ... Wait wait, I'm not getting you here. The hole should clear the pickup cover completely, it will screw inside a pickguard, a mounting ring, or in the bottom of the hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strummer2k Posted June 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Wait wait, I'm not getting you here. The hole should clear the pickup cover completely, it will screw inside a pickguard, a mounting ring, or in the bottom of the hole What I was trying to say was the single coil mounting ring that I bought (also from Stewmac) here at least seems wrong for the template in that the outside screw holes will barely have any wood to bite into using the template as is and using the recommended bit and bearing that Stewmac sells. This is my first project, which is why I am asking so many questions and trying to be careful. Scott, what is a collar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 they're site says for strats and tele's i think they're assuming you're going to use a pickguard over the rout, in which case you might want it a bit bigger (hence using the template bit) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 A collar is a sleeve that attaches to the base of your router so you don't have to use a template bit. I dont think you can use them on Plunge Routers (at least not mine) Only fixed Base Routers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Hi Scott, on my porter cable router I can use a collar on the plunge base, for my body templates this is perfect, I can do all my depths at once as the plunge base has 6 seperate depth stops that I can set and all I have to do is change the dial to the desired stop. With the collar, it means I only need one adjustment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Yeah the rotating turret is the best thing they ever came up with. I still have never used a collar like you guys are talking about, guess I haven't run into those problems since I use ring covers. But then again, I'd much rather have a pin router, but can't afford one.. lol Some say they can build their own, but I haven't found any plans that I like so far. LGM do you know if Dewalt has the same alignment holes as a Porter Cable on the base? I was gonna get a Porter Cable but I had heard they was bought out by some other company and wasn't sure that the quality was as good. I've heard bad stories about some of their products, but I'm sure their routers are still top notch though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Dangerouso Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Hey, I've used both the Stewmac template and the SC mounting ring, and was fine. There isn't a ton of space for the mounting ring screws, but they DO clear. The rings also DO cover the route, but it isn't by a whole lot. I used a regular 1/2" pattern following bit to do my routing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted June 7, 2004 Report Share Posted June 7, 2004 Hi Scott, on my porter cable router I can use a collar on the plunge base, for my body templates this is perfect, I can do all my depths at once as the plunge base has 6 seperate depth stops that I can set and all I have to do is change the dial to the desired stop. With the collar, it means I only need one adjustment I bought my P/C Router with the Fixed Base only. I have a 3 HP Skil (when they were still good) plunge Router that's why I said the colar wouldn't work with mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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