Cutting a pickguard?

[newey]

I went through all the posts under the Luthier subboard and didn't see where anyone had previously addressed this problem, which is surprising since it's a problem I run into regularly. How can one best modify a pickguard getting a good clean cut (without buying some sort of expensive tool)?

I've had to cut pickguards to fit bridge mods, neck pockets, and for different pups, tried a bunch of different ways without much success. My parts drawer is littered with the failures. Tried using a grinding wheel as well as a cutting wheel on my mototool, ended up just chewing things up. I once tried a hot knife (desperation, I know . . ) but just made a toxic-smelling mess. In cutting a guard to fit a HB, the HB mounting ring covered some minor sins, but the edges of the cut were ugly.

Anyone have success with some method? I know I could always have a custom one done, but on some of my rebuilds the pickguard would then be the most expensive item on the project.

[ccso8462]

I'm not real high-tech, so I would probably try using a jewelers hand saw (similar to a coping saw, but for finer work) to make the cut (inside the scribed lines) and then finish it off with an assortment of files. I think that using a motorized blade like a Dremel tool could work, but it cuts so quickly it is easy to make a mistake. If you use a jewelers saw the thing to remember is to support the work very closely to where the saw is cutting so vibration of the pick guard is minimized and saw blade life is maximized. I would choose a fairly coarse blade for the work also, which will speed up the cutting and be more difficult to break.

Carl

HTH

[gfxbss]

well, expensive tools depends on what tools you already have. ;D
ive personally used a dremel w/ the sander bit, but it was kinda rough as well. however, i have heard of people using a router with a beveled bit. this would give you that nice slant on the edges and what not....


Tyler

[newey]

Tyler & Carl-

Thanks for the prompt replies and suggestions;

Besides the usual collection of hand tools, I do have a Dremel, but no router bit, I believe there is a router table you can buy for the Dremel, haven't looked at the price on that. I can see where the router bit would do ok cutting a new hole for a pickguard, but I would think on an edge cut, say to enlarge the cutaway for the bridge, the router bit might "skip" along the edge, scalloping it.

I was thinking maybe that, but also to screw the guard down to a piece of scrap wood first, and maybe some rubber cement in the middle to keep it flush to the board, keeping the edge where you're cutting from vibrating.

As far as a jeweler's saw, never used one. Might be a solution though. Anyone have any experiences with these, or with the router bit?

Paul

[ccso8462]

Newey,
Are you familiar with a coping saw? It looks like a short hack saw with a much higher bow to the frame, and a much shorter frame. A jewelers saw is nothing more than a lighter weight version of the same.

If you are making an inside cut, that is, there is no access to attack from an edge, you would simply unhook the blade from one end of the frame, insert it into the hole you wish to enlarge, and re-attach it.

Again, the biggest problem is when the material flexes, so it should lay on a flat surface and the cut should be made as close to the edge of the support as possible, thus reducing the up-and-down flex of the pick guard.

A hardware store would have a coping saw, and a jewelers' supply house would have the jewelers' saw. The biggest difference between the two is the "robust-ness" of the saw frame and the blades. Choose a thin to medium coping saw blade or a heavy jewelers blade. Buy several, they will break as you get used to them. As far as tensioning the blade in the frame, you should get it pretty tight, testing it by "twanging" it with your finger. The blade should not flex and should produce a nice twang.

HTH

Carl

[newey]

I don't have a coping saw but I do know what they are. Lowe's is right down the street so maybe I'll give that a try. I have plenty "chunks 'o guard" on which to practice.

Thanks for the tip.

[sumgai]

newey,

Take a look at this Dremel router bit, then chug down to Lowes and step up to the counter......

Dremel Chamfer Router Bit (dremel.com)

How would I use that? I'd trace the outline of my pickguard onto a piece of scrap 3/8" (or thicker) plywood, particle board, what-have-you. Then I'd cut out that scrap very carefully - it's going to become the jig for your pickguard. Mount your p'guard to that scrap piece with screws through the pickup holes. Make sure all the edges match, or that what you're about to carve away is what you want gone.

With the bit mounted into the Dremel tool, hunch up close for a good view of the action, and go to it. The lower end of the bit will ride the jig (the scrapwood you just cut out), thus the cutter won't bite in where it shouldn't. Be sure to hold the pickguard down to the wood with your fingers as close as you feel comfortable (a few inches should suffice). At 25,000 RPM, the cut should be smoother than a babie's derierre.

Note that on Dremel's webpage there some other bits for straight cutting. Unfortunately, I don't see another bit like this one, that has a non-cutting edge below the cutting blade(s). However, there are other ways to make a jig, so that's not an insurmountable problem. ;D

BTW, piloted bits of all shapes exist for the big-boy routers, and some of them will fit a Dremel just fine (¼" shank). Just be sure that you don't spin them any quicker than their rated top speed, usually about 25,000 RPM. Double-check that figure, to avoid future tears.

HTH



sumgai

[newey]

Thanks sumgai-

That sounds like the hot setup. I was already thinking along the lines of a scrap-wood form, just hadn't thought how that would work along an edge. Assuming I can do it by (steady!) hand that saves the need for a router table of some sort.

Clearly, the guard has to be mounted face-side out for the champfer to be correct. Would it be a good idea to mask the area just adjacent to the cut, to avoid chipping/gouging? Or, if it's a new guard, maybe just leaving the plastic shipping film on it when routing?

[sumgai]

newey,

At speeds greater than 10 or 15 thousand RPM, I don't think that any kind of "protector" over the visible surface is gonna give you any benefit. It'd be just so much tissue paper, comparatively speaking.

The key here is two-fold: move against the direction of rotation, and move fairly quickly. Don't race, but if you move too slowly, you risk burning the plastic edge. That also can't be prevented by merely covering the main surface with some kind of filmy substance. If you suspect heat build-up, then back off and check with your fingers. The surface you just cut might be a bit warm to the touch, but it shouldn't be warm for more than 2 inches back. Likewise, the heat shouldn't seep forward of your stopping point at all (well, maybe a millimeter, but no more). It should be completely cooled down within half a minute. If these guidelines were exceeded, then it's probably already too late, burn marks are already showing. But they are just guidelines, different companies use different kinds of plastic (and different levels of quality), so use your judgement here.

If you do have a heat problem, either take it in stages, or move the tool more quickly along the path. Keep the rotational speed fast enough to leave a smooth surface after the cut, but again, don't exceed the listed rating for the bit.

Pickguards are relatively cheap. Practice on a junker first, if you can locate one (or more) of them. Also, you may actually like the effect of using one of the other Dremel bits, either the 612 or the 615. Unusual shapes, to be sure, but they just might be the ticket for making people look twice, and wonder aloud "what the....". ;D

HTH


sumgai

[newey]

Thanks=

Plenty of pickguard scraps around here to practice on, that was the reason for the post in the first place!

[ChrisK]

Depending on the guitars, if the mods fall under the "standard" things such as a Strat, Tele, Jag, Jazz, Mustang and the like, many companies will cut a new pickguard for not a lot of money.

While not cheap, they're cheaper than having to do it a few times to get close.


If you want to do it yourself:

If you can trace an existing pickguard to 0.1" graph paper (don't forget to also "trace" the body cavities by using carbon paper against the back of the graph paper and pressing the pickguard down around the edges of such), you can then determine where to add pickup routing.

I've found it helpful to locate the center of all radii and drill a small thru hole followed by a Forstner bit going slow. These cut very fine edges and solve the hardest problem which is the edges of curves.

I capture aftermarket bodies and pickguards into AutoCAD and use it to locate centers. I then plot the resulting layouts and use it as a drilling template (with CAD, you CAN scale a drawing!).

If you scroll down to the bottom of this post, you'll see CAD-based designs like this.

The last set of Forestner bits I bought at Lowes for about $15 for 1/4" thru 1".

[newey]

Thanks Chris!

Drawing up a CAD file is a pretty stout plan but I lack both the software and the computer "oomph" to run it. But I will check out those Forstner bits. Sumgai's router bit plan also looks good.

The whole genesis of this thread is that I picked up a junker P bass clone off Ebay. Never owned a bass before, don't play bass, but thought it would be fun to have around the house for those impromptu jams. Anyway, this project is next in line, but there's going to be a good deal of luthier work before I get to the pickguard- the neck will need to be replaced and the pink ( !) finish has to go.

But my thought was to put a Gibson-style bass humbucker in a neck position along with the std split-coil. Didn't see where anyone made such a guard so I'm thinking DIY. I'll practice on some scrap, try it for real on the P bass guard I have, and if I screw it up Warmoth is only a phone call away.