Routing question on a finish body

[JetFixxxer]

If I use a router on a finish body to recess the plates will I get a clean cut or will it chip the surrounding finish?

[Cygnus X1]

Yes.

Anything else?






















J/K

I would use a knife and score the intended routing line as deeply as possible to prevent
the wood from ripping up. Then, if you have a good set of chisels, then go a bit deeper along the lines with those. The corners will be the trickiest part, but that's how I do it.

[Budman68]

I've actually done this as well and I did it for a "friend" so I was nervous as hell to begin with. What I did was to have my template affixed to the surface of the body with good quality double faced tape and then I took very light cuts on the surface going counterclockwise so the the bit would not "pull" the material being cut into the bit. I took several passes just getting through the paint itself and then I could gradually take deeper cuts as I went along. If you have a spare body with the same type of paint, please use it for practice-

[Cygnus X1]

Yeah, what he said!

Actually, I don't even have a router.
I use a milling machine with a router bit in the collet.
But, I still score the lines in, and yes, a "climb cut" certainly helps.

[JetFixxxer]

Thank you..

[RobRR]

Ive routed a few finished bodies, and havent had a paint chip yet! Bit sharpness is key though... if your bit is dull, then youre going to get tearout and paint chips.

[Budman68]

Yeah, what he said!


I use a milling machine with a router bit in the collet.

atta-boy!

[Bengal65]

Ive routed a few finished bodies, and havent had a paint chip yet! Bit sharpness is key though... if your bit is dull, then youre going to get tearout and paint chips.

+1 Check out the routing I did on this stock Agile. I turned it into a Schon style with Floyd and Sustainer. No chips. Used StewMac templates, some templates I made from Plexiglas for the battery box and circuit board, double back tape and a sharp router bit and some nerves.



The trick was getting the cb cavity deep enough to get the board mounted Fernandez sustainer toggle switches through and not rout through the carved top. That was tricky.

[JetFixxxer]

Nice.. I need to route a battery cavity for my RR3 now... I will see how this MII Jackson X series goes first . .

I think I will be most nervous drilling the routing channel for the wires from the battery box to the control cavity. .

[Bengal65]

Nice.. I need to route a battery cavity for my RR3 now... I will see how this MII Jackson X series goes first . .

I think I will be most nervous drilling the routing channel for the wires from the battery box to the control cavity. .

Just get an "Aircraft" drill bit. They are 12-18" long and you get get real low on your angles. I use them for drilling the trem screw anchor holes in the trem cavity and for the wire passage holes. I had one guitar body that had no top or back routing. Just a jack hole and a bridge Hum rout. I made my best guess and let her rip. Guess what? I was dead on where I wanted to come out. I just eye balled it Lucky I guess

I guess if you are good a pool playing, you could be good at drilling holes in the body. I'm not much of a pool player myself!