Routing pickguards

[simso]

Does anyone have a decent jig for routing the edges of there pick guards

I use a router upside down and screw my pick guard to a 6mm mdf template, use a 90 degree template tracing bit and it usually works really good, been doing it that way for at least 15yrs

But I was flustered the other day and make a bloody pick guard 4 times, because I kept stuffing the bevelled edge up.

I put it down to being tired and rushed and just wanting to get it done.

But makes me think there must be a better idiot proof way of doing it, this idiot ruined 4 pick guard sheets on one job.

Steve

[demonx]

Ouch... Sounds like an expensive day.

I've never actually made a pickguard, but strangely enough I just drew up the CAD for one the other day as I'm going to try something different.

My plan is to CNC the profile using a angled cutter and then run around the silhouette with a straight fluted bit.

Not sure that really helps, but it's all I've got for you.

[simso]

Cnc works well, have done a few on that as well.

I much prefer however doing some stuff by hand, and pickguards were one of those things, maybe not for much longer

[demonx]

You've got one, may as well use it

[simso]

How did your plan go ??

I have decided to just simply cnc them from now on, I much prefer by hand, but cost of screw ups on my behalf have to be accounted for.

The dude that rushed me to get it done, that afternoon, (4 screwed up sheets later), did not pick it up until a week later.

I blame it completely on being tired and rushed, but it identified a flaw in my "manufacturing", so time to address it.

Steve

[demonx]

How did your plan go ??

I have decided to just simply cnc them from now on...

Steve

I've drawn the CAD & CAM, I'm just waiting on material to arrive. Being I don't use pickguard it's not something I keep in stock. In saying that though I probably should spit out a test one in MDF first before chewing up expensive plastic

[demonx]

Looks like it'll do the trick:

[old_picker]

on a router table cutting and beveling a pick guard is a few minutes work
i use an mdf template and a straight flute pattern follower to cut the shape
a 45deg bevel pattern follower to cut the bevel
the most time consuming part is setting the bevel bit at the correct hieght

[simso]

Yep, I found the thing that took the longest was setting the bevel, and occasionally it would lift the pick guard up whilst cutting as I was using an overhead router, I think If I was to continue doing them by hand, I would have to do them upside down and make a dedicated under router bench just for them, so I didnt scratch them up..

In the end it is safer and less wastage to just screw them down on the cnc and cut

[kiwigeo]

A router table makes alot of jobs alot easier....and safer.

[demonx]

A router table makes alot of jobs alot easier....and safer.

Before I had CNC the router table was invaluable. Mostly used for truss rod slots and cavity covers.

Router tables can also give you unwanted surprises. I've had more than one guitar body ripped from my hands and thrown across the workshop.

I even had a 1/2" bit break on the router table once and it flew about 15 meters across the workshop. Didn't hit me and I'd be afraid to know the damage if it had.

My router table is in retirement now after the addition of CNC. It's covered in dusty rags and other junk!

[kiwigeo]

A router table makes alot of jobs alot easier....and safer.

Before I had CNC the router table was invaluable. Mostly used for truss rod slots and cavity covers.

Router tables can also give you unwanted surprises. I've had more than one guitar body ripped from my hands and thrown across the workshop.

I even had a 1/2" bit break on the router table once and it flew about 15 meters across the workshop. Didn't hit me and I'd be afraid to know the damage if it had.

My router table is in retirement now after the addition of CNC. It's covered in dusty rags and other junk!

We can't all justify or afford CNC......for me a router table is much more useful and cost effective.

What's the bet you were doing a climbing cut when that guitar body got spat out by your router table. Using a router table is like using any power equipment....you identify and mitigate the risks.

[simso]

I love using my router tables, but I find when the router is underneath, you have a few problems with doing pickguards, hence the overhead router I had just for them.

The first, is you scratch the upper surface of the pick guard as it slides over the table.

The second if you affix it to a mdf backing board with double sided tape, it occasionally shifts, and if the double sided tape is too good it breaks your pick guard during removal

I also experimented with screwing it to the mdf template, issue was the screws do not go low enough into the pick guard and end up raising sections of the job from the works surface, this gave uneven bevels.

With all the above, I went to an overhead pin style setup. Basically a router supported in the normal position and I would run the mdf template around the cutter, issues I found here "when rushing" was the mdf and pick guard had a tendency to get pulled up into the router on occasions and again give uneven bevels.

Lots of processes, hence I was hoping someone may have a better process as I do like doing them by hand.

I have now made the last 7 via the cnc, works fine, but I do not feel like a luthier on these occasions, as its the hand shaping and feeling of the job I enjoy

Steve

[demonx]

I have now made the last 7 via the cnc, works fine, but I do not feel like a luthier on these occasions, as its the hand shaping and feeling of the job I enjoy

Steve

The cnc is just a router table and the CAD/CAM is just a template.

[GregL]

Hi Steve,

I wonder if you could sandwich the scratchplate material between 2 templates? The top template could be 6mm mdf, which you could countersink and use countersunk screws to hold the scratchplate, and then invert the sandwich and use a normal router table?

Thanks,
GregL.

[old_picker]

i rout them with the material on top of the template. how can it get scratched?
dont use too much ds tape - some ds tapes grab harder than others

[simso]

i rout them with the material on top of the template. how can it get scratched?
dont use too much ds tape - some ds tapes grab harder than others

How do you manage to route the bevel, when the material is affixed to the top, do you have photos of your router tracing bit.

I overhead mounted my router to achieve the same result, so pickguard was mounted to upper surface of template, but other issues still came into play.

Steve

[simso]

Hi Steve,

I wonder if you could sandwich the scratchplate material between 2 templates? The top template could be 6mm mdf, which you could countersink and use countersunk screws to hold the scratchplate, and then invert the sandwich and use a normal router table?

Thanks,
GregL.

Actually have done that greg, and yes that does work well, but very time consuming, but clean edges, nice cuts.

Steve

[kiwigeo]

i rout them with the material on top of the template. how can it get scratched?
dont use too much ds tape - some ds tapes grab harder than others

How do you manage to route the bevel, when the material is affixed to the top, do you have photos of your router tracing bit.

I overhead mounted my router to achieve the same result, so pickguard was mounted to upper surface of template, but other issues still came into play.

Steve

One of these would do the trick:

routerbit.jpg (2.84 KiB) Viewed 15586 times

[simso]

yes, but they are not that available

[Hank]

Haven't done pickguards on the CNC yet, Got in cutters so we could play with acrylic, that was a learning curve

I'm thinking maybe drill and countersink holes in the first step then screw it down using the holes to do the cut and bevel

the bevel is the killer

hang on, don't you guys have vacuum beds?

[simso]

For cnc, you dont always need vacuum. Like you referenced, that is how its done

I actually run the program as two files.

The first, I simply stick the pickguard down to a sacrificial mdf board (with a small piece of double sided tape) and run a drill program that drills the pick guard mounting holes

Then I actually use these holes and screw the pickguard blank down to the mdf board

I then run the next program which does the straight cuts and bevelled edges

Steve