+1 for the forstner bit and scrap behind the boxtop. That said you did an xcellent job with the spade bit. If I tried it I would have an exploded box on my bench :-)
Ha - I've had a few wobbly helicopters on my drill press!!!! I'm slowly becoming patient enough to slooooooow it down on the bits I knew are going to give me a scare. I need to learn telekinesis to shut it off - work in one hand, hanging on for dear life, and the lever pressed down and afraid to let go of either to shut the darn thing off!!!!
A good way to do it is to make a template and then use a carbide tipped router template bit to cut out the box. If you do many of the same layouts/pickups this can be a big time saver plus you lessen the chances for a boo-boo on the box. Takes a little time to make a template on the front end but makes for more precise work and repeatability. Here's what a template bit looks like. The bearing follows the inside of the template while the bit cuts through your box.
I do it about hte same way Allen, but i use forstner bits cause they dont eat up the box. I also clamp a piece of wood underneithe the lid so it dosent blow the back side of the box out . other than that , its the same for the long cuts i use my dremal with the saw blade and finish with sand paper
Looks good to me. i lack a forstner bit set (for now) and that is how i do em. the only difference is i string it up on my scroll saw for the straight lines. i have razored a few boxes before and it works out fine. keep your spade bit sharp though, if not it could get ugly real quick.
I use a forstner bit for holes when possible since I got a set cheap. They make nicer holes and allow me to go to large sizes like 1" and keep it clean. For lines, I am going to try a knife, as currently I use a small hacksaw blade from a junior hacksaw, with the tip wrapped in tape and nub snipped off. It's very good, but can get tricky if the box is prone to splitting.
My attempts with a spade scared me, I would say that your abilities with one are quite good, and you get nice results. Sometimes doing what works for you is best, as there are a million ways to skin a cigar box guitar ;)
Replies
Beautiful!
+1 for the forstner bit and scrap behind the boxtop. That said you did an xcellent job with the spade bit. If I tried it I would have an exploded box on my bench :-)
Ha - I've had a few wobbly helicopters on my drill press!!!! I'm slowly becoming patient enough to slooooooow it down on the bits I knew are going to give me a scare. I need to learn telekinesis to shut it off - work in one hand, hanging on for dear life, and the lever pressed down and afraid to let go of either to shut the darn thing off!!!!
Hi Allen,
A good way to do it is to make a template and then use a carbide tipped router template bit to cut out the box. If you do many of the same layouts/pickups this can be a big time saver plus you lessen the chances for a boo-boo on the box. Takes a little time to make a template on the front end but makes for more precise work and repeatability. Here's what a template bit looks like. The bearing follows the inside of the template while the bit cuts through your box.
I do it about hte same way Allen, but i use forstner bits cause they dont eat up the box. I also clamp a piece of wood underneithe the lid so it dosent blow the back side of the box out . other than that , its the same for the long cuts i use my dremal with the saw blade and finish with sand paper
Looks good to me. i lack a forstner bit set (for now) and that is how i do em. the only difference is i string it up on my scroll saw for the straight lines. i have razored a few boxes before and it works out fine. keep your spade bit sharp though, if not it could get ugly real quick.
My attempts with a spade scared me, I would say that your abilities with one are quite good, and you get nice results. Sometimes doing what works for you is best, as there are a million ways to skin a cigar box guitar ;)
Looks right to me!
I use a drill, hole saw, coping saw, and sometimes my dremel with a roto-zip like attachment, but it's a little squirrelly...
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next