Guitar making tools: Which router?
- Thread starter blaumph2cool
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muttley600
Banned
I have to say I don't like the idea of that. A key principle of a moving hand tool is that you should have your hands on it. A better sled and also dead easy to build is one with a sliding track that that the router moves along similar to the ones I use and you now have.. That one has far too much slop.
muttley600
Banned
For Chile.... Build one of these. Should take no more than an hour or two.
RogerL.
New member
Just a thought, if you buy the right router it will offer the ability to change bases and offer the best of both worlds. Speaking from 40 years experience I own and prefer Porta Cable, that is not to say others don't offer good routers, I just like being able to do quality work with mine.
blaumph2cool
New member
Thanks for the sled idea mutty. can i use MDF or should i just be using hardwood for a base.
muttley600
Banned
Your best bet in cabinet grade ply. I have a load of different top sleds that fit on the bed for different heights and routers so I make them out of what I have to hand. The one in the picture I have top sled and top plates for that allow me to pretty much build a complete telecaster from.. Once you have the bed you can adapt it for quite a few tasks..
A pics to give you some ideas...
The screw holes on the jigs line up on each jig so that the cut ends up in the right place. Ultimately they are covered later by the top and the neck pocket route. The bigger base on the router in one of the pics allows you to route a larger cavity that the existing base safely and is similar to the simple jig chili posted only you are still in control..
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muttley600
Banned
They are interchangeable. As are pretty much all the parts. That gives you the ability to route different height work pieces without plunging the router bit too far from the collet. That is the weakest part of any router fixed or plunge. The cutter tip should always be as close to the collet as you can possibly get it.
I can change the side pieces on that one in half inch steps to give me a range from 1/2" to 3". A good start would be to set it at 2 1/4" as that gives you the right height to route most of the cavities and pickup routes on a standard body thickness for a tele or LP. If you look through the Les Paul build thread you will see how you can also add a wedge shaped rail to route an angled plane as well.
I'll try an put up some drawings later to give you a start point.
Mr. C
New member
Thanks Muttley. After looking at this I remembered that JCH had pics of his router sled and he has it rigged so that what he is routing can be raised or lowered. I'd be a little concerned that putting pressure on what you are routing could cause it to fall, but I'm sure he probably has some type of fail-safe to prevent that from happening.
muttley600
Banned
nah, if you use decent bolts and washers it should be rigid enough. or you could just introduce some sort of locking pin. I just opt to undo 6 screws and put two new height rails on the base. Same thing really.
blaumph2cool
New member
Been looking at some more YT videos and i see alot of routers on benches (router attached upside down on the bottom.)
Is this a necessity to have this? space is going to be an issue so having a workspace and then a routing table might be hard to do for me.
I am still just trying to plan things out...and keep in mind that this will be a hobby for be and i might be doing a couple guitars a year, so i want to go minialist (but quality
Is this a necessity to have this? space is going to be an issue so having a workspace and then a routing table might be hard to do for me.
I am still just trying to plan things out...and keep in mind that this will be a hobby for be and i might be doing a couple guitars a year, so i want to go minialist (but quality
muttley600
Banned
No it isn't necessary but it is resonably easy to build a bench router jig if you do want one and they dont have to be large.
gcolbert
Sonar Fanboi
If you are worried about what router to buy you probably aren't ready to start building your guitar bodies yet. I'm surprise that six pages into replies to your question that no one has pointed out that what router choice you make is not an important initial consideration.
What you need most of all is a solid workbench.
Anyone who has successfully built a wood project will tell you that the most important thing to get right is your joints. To get the joints right the wood MUST BE true and square. You aren't going to find quality pieces of wood at the box hardware store in the mall parking lot (i.e., Home Depot or Lowes). They don't tend to carry mahogany or flame maple or whatever base wood you will want to build a guitar from. You are going to be buying 4/4 and 6/4 lumber from a hardware specialist. This requires a bit of mill work to make it usable.
You need a jointer to make truly square plained edges to properly glue pieces together. Trying to glue together slabs that have not been plained to true will ensure that your guitar bodies fail and warp. True and square is a fundamental of good woodworking and separates it from crap. This needs to be done shortly before gluing and clamping before the wood decides to change shape. Once you have your body glued together you will need to surface plain it to the correct depth. Remember, this is rough wood that you are working with and you are going to need to mill about 1/4 inch off of each side of the body. You will probably want a surface plainer for this (could be done by hand by an expert with nothing better to do with his life).
Clamps. You can never have enough clamps. I paid way more for my clamps than I did for any of my routers.
Router bits (which will determine what collet size your router needs to have). You are going to spend more for your router bits than you are for your router. If any of your bits are more than about an inch in diameter you will want to make sure that your router has variable speed and a soft start. Once you get to 2 inch diameter bits don't even think about using it in a router without variable speed.
I'm not trying to discourage you. You may be able to make friends with someone who has access to a good jointer and a large enough surface plainer to mill a guitar body. This might also be a good source for some additional information on choosing other tools (biscuit cutters, band saws, etc.)
Glen
What you need most of all is a solid workbench.
Anyone who has successfully built a wood project will tell you that the most important thing to get right is your joints. To get the joints right the wood MUST BE true and square. You aren't going to find quality pieces of wood at the box hardware store in the mall parking lot (i.e., Home Depot or Lowes). They don't tend to carry mahogany or flame maple or whatever base wood you will want to build a guitar from. You are going to be buying 4/4 and 6/4 lumber from a hardware specialist. This requires a bit of mill work to make it usable.
You need a jointer to make truly square plained edges to properly glue pieces together. Trying to glue together slabs that have not been plained to true will ensure that your guitar bodies fail and warp. True and square is a fundamental of good woodworking and separates it from crap. This needs to be done shortly before gluing and clamping before the wood decides to change shape. Once you have your body glued together you will need to surface plain it to the correct depth. Remember, this is rough wood that you are working with and you are going to need to mill about 1/4 inch off of each side of the body. You will probably want a surface plainer for this (could be done by hand by an expert with nothing better to do with his life).
Clamps. You can never have enough clamps. I paid way more for my clamps than I did for any of my routers.
Router bits (which will determine what collet size your router needs to have). You are going to spend more for your router bits than you are for your router. If any of your bits are more than about an inch in diameter you will want to make sure that your router has variable speed and a soft start. Once you get to 2 inch diameter bits don't even think about using it in a router without variable speed.
I'm not trying to discourage you. You may be able to make friends with someone who has access to a good jointer and a large enough surface plainer to mill a guitar body. This might also be a good source for some additional information on choosing other tools (biscuit cutters, band saws, etc.)
Glen
blaumph2cool
New member
Thanks Glen for the honest disclosure. I realize that joiners, plainers, Oscillating Spindle Sanders, drill presses, etc all make guitar builder eaiser and perhaps better quality. I need to work with what i can afford and i've seen good results on youtube and guitar making forums. hopefully i can maximize my results with help from my friends. 
I will take the work bench comment to heart. definitely need to make a solid work bench priority.
Looking at this work bench plan now:
Free Woodworking Plans from Getting Started in Woodworking - Fine Woodworking Article
I think i will be going the router sled route (no pun intended)
I will take the work bench comment to heart. definitely need to make a solid work bench priority.
Looking at this work bench plan now:
Free Woodworking Plans from Getting Started in Woodworking - Fine Woodworking Article
I think i will be going the router sled route (no pun intended)
muttley600
Banned
Thanks Glen for the honest disclosure. I realize that joiners, plainers, Oscillating Spindle Sanders, drill presses, etc all make guitar builder eaiser and perhaps better quality. I need to work with what i can afford and i've seen good results on youtube and guitar making forums. hopefully i can maximize my results with help from my friends.
I will take the work bench comment to heart. definitely need to make a solid work bench priority.
Looking at this work bench plan now:
Free Woodworking Plans from Getting Started in Woodworking - Fine Woodworking Article
I think i will be going the router sled route (no pun intended)
You can safely ignore most of what was posted above by gcolbert. It may have been well intentioned but it is wrong. You can cross each bridge as you come to it and make a start on the guitar building path quite simply with a good router and some good functional hand tools. Hell, it is entirely possible with handtools alone. As described earlier I have done it..
gcolbert
Sonar Fanboi
Bull S%$t Muttley. You have just forgotten how important they are because you have access to them. Get rid of your work bench and your joining tools and then let's see how your projects come out. The router wasn't even invented until 1950 or so. Lots of other ways to shape wood, but your workbench and joining tools are vital.
muttley600
Banned
It's not a simple disagreement. gcolbert has pretty much said you need a whole plethora of stuff to build a guitar. You do not. Much of what he hgs stated is wrong. Some people stumbling across it may never have a go. Maybe he should instead do a bit of home work and asses what JCH, myself and others are capable of and hold his piece for a bit. Maybe even encourage those that want to do it to give it a go..
My first response mentioned him being well intentioned but wrong. My second response pointed out why, my third (if required) as usual will be a little more to the point..
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