Josh, just saw your post. Yes, a Forstner bit would have been much better than the drill bit I used. Drill bits don't have the capability to do flat bottomed holes like forstner bits do. Only thing I had to do the channel was a spade bit :-P. Hated it. Like you said, forstner bits are cleaner cuts and the spade bit chewed the sides up more than I wanted. Plus it started to vibrate causing a bad cut.
But overall not to bad for what its worth and what I had to work with.
Very nice guitars. One way you can do a slotted headstock is as follows: Get a forstner bit where the diameter is equal to the width of the slot that you want. Drill through at the top and the bottom of the slot on a center line. Then, on a jigsaw, cut out the excess wood from the center. Smooth out the sides with a file and carve your exit angle using a half round file. The secret is in the forstner bit. Cuts a very accurate large hole with clean edges and makes all the steps after that point very easy.
The hard part was getting the design within the poplar strip. I could have added in "wings" but decided against it. I dug the channel out with a 1/2" spade bit which was _not_ the best idea. I needed an auger bit but didn't have one. Drilled successive holes down the length then cut out the excess and made flat with a wood rasp. The angle where the strings exit was done with a drum sanding bit (like off a dremel). I really want to do some design on the end. Perhaps wood burning.
Funny thing is, and you can't see it, but I had broken off the two top screws on the tuners (they were cheap brass) and had to dig them out. Fortunately the damage was under the tuner base so you can't see it.
Comments
But overall not to bad for what its worth and what I had to work with.
Thanks!
I don't even know where I got this idea (I'm sure it was here tho), but it seemed to fit the build.
the best,
Sam
The hard part was getting the design within the poplar strip. I could have added in "wings" but decided against it. I dug the channel out with a 1/2" spade bit which was _not_ the best idea. I needed an auger bit but didn't have one. Drilled successive holes down the length then cut out the excess and made flat with a wood rasp. The angle where the strings exit was done with a drum sanding bit (like off a dremel). I really want to do some design on the end. Perhaps wood burning.
Funny thing is, and you can't see it, but I had broken off the two top screws on the tuners (they were cheap brass) and had to dig them out. Fortunately the damage was under the tuner base so you can't see it.