fidgec94 Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 £21.50 for a humbucker template from wdmusicproducts.co.uk ($30 from .com) -way too pricey approx $5 from stewmac -great price but its either spend $20 on shipping or pay $7 on shipping and wait up to 4 weeks Anyone got another suggestion? I SUCK at making my own, so i either need a template or a idiot proof way of making one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 For me, it's not worht my time to make templates for things like pickup cavities. I do make my own for the top trem routing but I try not to spend time on these things if I can avoid it. I don't have as much time to build as many others here probably do so if I can buy a good quality, accurate template - that's what I do. If I lived in England, I would probably just pay the $20 and get it there quicker (and buy some other stuff that I might need later). If you have time to spend building your own, that's obviously easier on your wallet. How do you go about making yours now? I know you said you're not happy with the results. What I do is screw stop blocks and straight edge guides onto the template stock and rout the cavities with a template bearing bit. It would probably be easier with a router table (and use a flush trim bit) but I don't use it. It usually requires several changes of the stop blocks and edge guides to get one completed but it does end up accurate and clean looking. I use jointed edges of hardwood for my edge guides. Pics would probably help explain the way I do it but I don't have any right now. Let us know how you are currently making yours - maybe we can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 Also given the fact that the exchange rate is near 2 quid to 1 dollar now, you should order a bunch of stuff from stewmac. 10 PBS is cheap for postage if you look at it that way. I would NOT do surface mail. Everything I send that way gets damaged. Go air mail. <edit> Dave, why dont you do all the stop block set up to make a template. You'd do all the hard work once and then be on easy street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 Dave, why dont you do all the stop block set up to make a template. You'd do all the hard work once and then be on easy street. What I do is screw stop blocks and straight edge guides onto the template stock and rout the cavities with a template bearing bit. I guess I didn't word that clearly - all of that was how I make my templates - not how I rout the cavities. Besides, the screw holes from the guides and stop blocks would look horrible!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 What I do is screw stop blocks and straight edge guides onto the template stock and rout the cavities with a template bearing bit. I guess I didn't word that clearly - all of that was how I make my templates - not how I rout the cavities. Besides, the screw holes from the guides and stop blocks would look horrible!!! I think I read that too quickly. I missed the fact that you were routing templates. I feel so silly now. *thinks of diversion* <-------- Oh look! A dancing banana! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidgec94 Posted June 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I had a crack at it the other day on some 6mm mdf, just to see what i could do. I used a coping saw and then some small files for either end where the ears would sit. It was just a trial and i hadnt really thought about it that much....think i try again with my router and some straight edge guides. It should be pretty easy to rout out the basic rectangle, then the ears with a smaller straight bit and then a file or something to round all the edges (i like the look of a humbucker body rout with rounded corners rather than straight, looks less.....robotic if you know what i mean ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott from _actual time_ Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I used a coping saw and then some small files... It was just a trial.... think i try again with my router and some straight edge guides. (i like the look of a humbucker body rout with rounded corners... mdf makes great templates with uniform edges, but i think you'll find the router will give much cleaner results -- a smoother cut, exactly perpendicular edges, and it will automatically leave rounded corners from the radius of the bit, even if your straight-edge guides have square corners. a drill can also be used to make rounded corners, but a drill press is best to get the holes exactly straight. i prefer drilling the holes first, before routing, since even with a press it can be tough to get them to line up really really close, like within a couple 64ths. then i rout between them with the straight-edge. i've used the stew mac templates as straight-edges to rout templates for 7-string humbuckers and single coils. it took a lot of clamping and readjusting, but it worked really well. next i'll have to do the same with 6-string recessed Floyd templates... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fidgec94 Posted June 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 it will automatically leave rounded corners from the radius of the bit, even if your straight-edge guides have square corners. <slaps forehead> of course.....i'll keep the files tucked away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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