Dare I mention reversing the top bracing ;D
What Would Albert King Do?
I don't know what Albert King would have done ... but here's how I eventually handled the actual routing process of my L to R conversion.
I don't have a well equipped workshop - just some basic tools - and just because I have a router doesn't mean the bits are of a useful size for this task ... so I had to improvise a bit (see diagram below).
In good lighting, I took measurements of the lefty position of the saddle and transferred those measurements to a righty and marked it.
1: I took two pencils (they MUST* be Dixon Ticonderoga HB ... okay, I made that* up) and placed one on either side of the bridge, so that there was about 10" or so between the pencils, and masking taped the pencils down so that there was no chance of movement.
2: Then I took two STEEL rules and carefully positioned my first one on the measurements I had made and taped it down well, and then placed the second rule next to it, and placed the saddle BETWEEN the two rules so that I would have my reference for the width of the saddle, and taped the second rule down well.
It is IMPORTANT to make sure that steel rules are very well taped down - there can be NO MOVEMENT here.I then measured to ensure that the saddle was centred on the bridge from an end-to-end perspective, and made small markings on the rules, so that I did not clear out a longer saddle slot than necessary, and removed the saddle.
3: Then I checked various drill bits for size and eventually found the one that was just smaller than the gap. I then checked to see how deep the drill bit went in at the point where the existing slot was visible between the rules. While it was in there, I put a piece of masking tape around the bit at the point where it was flush with the rules.
I placed the bit in the drill, inserting it deep enough into the drill that ONLY the portion of the end of bit that was NOT covered in masking tape was extending from the drill.
At that point, I had established where my slot was going to be, and at what depth I was going to drill and it was time for a beer.
Okay, now the moment of half-buzzed reckless abandon (okay, there was no alcohol involved ... just reckless abandon).
I began to drill little holes in the predesignated area, each a couple of mm from the last, until I had drilled the length of the intended new saddle slot, and then began to pull the drill sideways using the steel rules as the guide for both direction/straightness and depth.
Eventually it was all "routed" out and then I used an exacto / utility knife to do the fine shaving of the sides in order to have a snug fit of the saddle.
NOTE: I did not pay as close attention to the saddle angle as I should have. I just held the drill vertical, if not angling very slightly away from the headstock ... not the best technique, but so far so good.
D2o
