Thread: solid bodies on a table mounted router

You might try taking out smaller bites. The first time I tried cutting a neck tenon using my Woolsen jig I tried to take out too much in one go and ended up with serious tear out.

i dont have any experience with a table mounted router, but i got a big 19mm by 50mm bit with a bearing guide that has a down shear. got mine from northwood tool company heres a link to what they have in terms of the pattern router bits http://www.northwoodtools.com.au/categories.asp?cID=174

works well, i always try to get within a few mm of the pattern before going for the final cut, sometimes it takes a few passes before im there. this technique is probably a bit harder to watch it happening in the same way with a table mounted router though.

having the downshear bit might help though. ive got some small 1/4" shank bits which i bought some bearings of the correct size to fit, and loctited them in place.; i use them for smaller things like cavities and such. seems to work well for me. im not that experienced with these things though.

I've given up using the router / template method after I did the exact same thing as you (table router with 2.5 inch long laminate trim bit). It just grabbed the body and took a big chunk out of the horn of the tele body. Now I just take my time when bandsawing the body out and get as close to the line as possible without crossing it, then tidy it up on the belt sander mounted as an edge sander. The roller of the belt sander even gets into the internal curves except near the horn. I tidied up inside that area just with the dremel and came up really nice.

cheers
Archer

Hi ray, I don't have much experience with solid body guitars, but when I do them my solution has been to use two router bits, one with the bearing on the end and the other with the bearing on the shank. That way i can do half the body with the face down with one bit, and half with the other bit face up. That way I never have to cut up against the grain
jack

I have less trouble with tearout when using the router hand held vs the table.

It doesn't sound right. Maybe it is easier to feel the cutting when holding the router.

Most article seem to recommend taking a light cut for the full cutter length.
I find less problems taking shallow depth cuts.

Back cuts seem easier with a hand held router. I often do them at the start of the endgrain cut.

It is a terrible feeling when you hear the crack and see a big lump go flying.

Best of luck

Originally Posted by Archer

I've given up using the router / template method after I did the exact same thing as you (table router with 2.5 inch long laminate trim bit). It just grabbed the body and took a big chunk out of the horn of the tele body.
cheers
Archer

thats where i had 2nd tearout on body 2 - not too serious - bog seeing as its solid colour. the first was catstrophic abd not sure how i did it - came round the horn ok it was going around the bottom bout - seem to remember i was doing something stupid like i slipped a bit and pushed it into the router hard. it was going good up too then

now i think on it i did the earlier ones with a pattern follower - then flush trim - like Jackspira says

btw where did you get ur 2.5" flush trim??

hey man - sweet lookin tele btw

Sorry I just checked, its only a 2 inch. Its just a torquata (green).

Cheers
Archer

What about this as a possibility. Flush trim bit with a bearing on top and on the bottom too.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Rout%2FShape%2FDrill&NameProdHeader=Flush+Trim+Router+Bit+with+Bearings

Use exactly the way Jack Spira uses his two separate bits, but in one.

I use a CMT 2" bearing flush bit for a 1/2" collet. ( Carbatec)
No dramas so far, but now I've said it, it's bound to happen.

cheers, Stu

I use a follower bit and have never had any problems. I cut close to the template on my bandsaw first so the router is not taking too much off and has nothing to grab onto. If you are worried about the horns you can do the rest of the body on the router and finish the horns by hand or on a sander.
Dom

One other method I saw on this website was to use the drill press and a sanding drum, with a larger table installed. On the table there was a disc the same diameter as the drum, and the same height as the template. This disc acted just like a bearing on a router bit. Used on the neck here, but would work on the body too.

http://www.desopolis.com/midwest/Strat2.htm

cheers
Archer

Originally Posted by Archer

One other method I saw on this website was to use the drill press and a sanding drum, with a larger table installed. On the table there was a disc the same diameter as the drum, and the same height as the template. This disc acted just like a bearing on a router bit. Used on the neck here, but would work on the body too.

http://www.desopolis.com/midwest/Strat2.htm

cheers
Archer

i think stewmac sell those and call them a robo sander

stu - that idea of top bottom router bearing bit is a good one - never thought of that,,,,

Originally Posted by oz tradie

What about this as a possibility. Flush trim bit with a bearing on top and on the bottom too.

http://www.lmii.com/CartTwo/thirdproducts.asp?CategoryName=Rout%2FShape%2FDrill&NameProdHeader=Flush+Trim+Router+Bit+with+Bearings

Okay, I have limited experience, as I've only ever cut two bodies and routed them. I did them both on a table mounted router, using a bit just like this one, but it only had one bearing guide on the top (which follows the template on the top of the body). I had no troubles at all, and trimmed a complete Jazzmaster/Jaguar type body on it.

I think the key is to use the router to only lightly trim the body flush with the template, rather than try and use it to cut much timber away.

Everyone is using bandsaws so it seems. I jigsawed mine. Can't afford a bandsaw (not a decent or big enough one anyway).

I have this cool thing for my drill press called a wasp sander.

The pic shows how it goes. It has a flat plate behind the sanding belt and a circle on the end so you can sand most shapes and flats.


Got it from carbatec but they don't seem to have it on their web site.
Dom