jay5

Here's my home-made router table. I made the table to rout out neck profiles so the table is larger than most commercially available tables I have see. It comes in at 36"X24". I need to build a better fence but that one is doing the few jobs I se it for well. I broke down and bought a 2.25 HP Bosch 1617EVSrouter and it is awesome! It was the kit and came with the edge guide and both plunge and fixed bases. I mounted the fixed base inthe table where it stays and use the plunge base for everything else. I got it for ~$200 from Amazon.com. For the sheer utility of the router and router table setup I would buy the absolute best you can afford. I would avoid routers limited to 1/4" collets. I think the Bosch or Porter Cable 690(?) are the two best routers out there for general purpose work. Check Amazon.com as they tend to run sales pretty often. They actually have a $25 off thing that I used way back when I got mine. Now to address your idea of using the robosander. I have one of those too. I found, quite by accident I suppose that the course grit sleeves on my robo sander do NOT take it right to the edge of the template. They seem to leave a bit under 1/16" of material. This probably isnt a big deal on a body, but on a neck it can have an impact. My method thus evolved into this; I rough cut the neck, attach my template and then take it to the robosander to bring it down as close as it will go. Then I take it to the router table and with a 3-flute Whiteside template bit I trim it to final shape. I learned early on that the router doesnt like to take off a ton of material. Even 1/16" can cause it to tear out some wood in certain areas where the grain isnt supported. I ruined several neck blanks before I figured out the right recipe. I have had nothing but success with this method. Just an idea Oh, here is my drill press tablefor use with my robosander.

Fender, they did that for you at the Woodcraft in Raleigh? Did they seem irritated when you asked? I always feel like theyre looking at me like im gonna steal somthing when I go there

That will be key. I was going to suggest that. It should give you the best chance of success at least. That would be the strongest neck joint I think you could do in this situation.

Oooooooohhhhhhhhh, don't I look dumb. I thought that sounded a bit off.

Spalted maple might not be the best idea for a fretboard. You would probably have to do a lot of work to get it hard/smooth enough. I will let someone with more experience with spalt correct me......

I will rebutt, thank you very much. I dont have any issue with Perry's tone or his choice to rarely offer any help. He seems to prefer complaining about people's incompitance than anything else. So be it. Anyone can tell someone they need to search for somthing. I will be the first to admit that many times it is indeed waranted. I am not going to say that his post in this case was not informative. My post, which you apparently didnt understand was pointing out to Byron that Perry is generally abrasive and that he shouldnt expect anything other than a short, condecending spat of words. Granted, he did essentially answer the question (this time), I just wanted Byron to be aware that the response wasnt unusally harsh, just typical fare. Wes, you need to come down from the little throne of pretenciousness you have been on recently. Thats interesting that my first warning is also my last. You can come across as somthing without truly being that thing. I have never met you, I dont know you. All I have to go on is what you type here on the board. I have to constantly remind myself that it is exceptionally hard to judge people's personality and emotion on the internet. I think too many people forget that. I have nothing against you. Ass might have been a bit harsh. Consider that statement retracted.

What is involved in a setup that takes this long? Whats the advantage? I dont see the point thus far.

PICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just a thought, but tarnished (rusted) hardware might add to the old barn look.

Ummmmmmmm, maybe Im missing somthing here. Figure you get a generous 23mm after resawing (53mm still wont give you 25mm halves). Now you have a 20-21mm neck as Perry pointed out, thats about 3/4" which is standard fender style heel thickness (not saying thats the rout your going, just making an argument) .That leaves you oh, 5-7mm of wood behind the heel with a modest 5/8" pocket depth. Im no engineer but I imagine the strain on that bit of material might be a bit more than it can handle, especially if you do a bolt on. You would have to set the heel pretty far into the body to give yourself enough area on the sides to support that thin area, no Fender style heel. I just dont think it will work. I would love to be proved wrong, but I think your just trying to go too thin here.

I'd say. No offense, but you didnt notice that as it was happening. For it to be that bad your bearing is either completely seized, or you used the shank of the bit against the template which is going to burn/melt any template material. Why is the ear of the bridge rout look like it has been filled?

Agreed. You dont look like youre using any templates. Im just hoping the neck fits in that pocket ok, its kind of rough. I wouldnt "clean it up" too much before you address how much room you have to work with. Without sounding like an ass, I also dont really understand the use of both spalted maple AND lacewood. Theyre just to different to be on the same guitar IMO.

So Drak, now that the apple tele is no more, can we persuade you to at least snap a few shots of whatever else you have going on in the kingdon o' destruction?

Much better IMO!

Man, Im soooo glad you re-did the binding. I didnt want to say anything, but I could see several of the gaps you were talking about in the pics. Great job on the 2nd try!

I too think that the transition into the recurve is a bit abrupt. I also dont really care for how the upper horn carve just ends and doesnt taper off as Mattia said. Still, I cant wait to see it finished.

Off topic, but ***?

5/8"

So what happened to that mantra?

Relax Wes. What is wrong with asking a question like that? I could give you a list of 5 places I have RESEARCHED in the past to source CF. I was just curious as to where Mattia got his. Calm down a bit. Myka gets his (as have I) from Into the Wind kite making supply. It runs $3.90 for .24 dia. rods and I use a 1/4" roundnose bit for the chanels.

I imagine he routered w/out templates. I would much rather chisel a cavity if I couldnt use a template. Even with my minimal experience with chisels I am sure I would get a MUCH better result than if I went at it with the router. But like I said, if you can cover up the rough spots you will be fine. My worry is that the PUP routs arent on cener.

I dont know, I like the wood and I love teles but those routs are pretty rough. The humbucker routs dont even look like they line up with each other, not to mention they seem like theyre spaced somewhat oddly. I imagine pup rings might clean it up a bit.

Mattia, where do you get your CF?

I like the little blurb at the end of your template auction about conforming to all VERO standards and what not. When I actually get a minute to put my template up I may just copy it verbatim and add it to mine. Wouldnt that piss him off? He would have to know that you arent the only one who isnt taking his crap and are in contact with other sellers. Can I copy that info into my auction BigD?

Cool! Glad to see you back on the board again Hyunsu! It's been a while!