Routing a battery box hole into a guitar

[Ed B.]

I'm adding some active electronics into a solid body electric guitar and I need to route a hole into the guitar into which I will put a battery box. I purchased a battery box and template from Stewart Mac, and I have both a Dremel with router bits and router base, and a Ryobi router. I'm not experienced with using routers, but I've tried making some test cuts in scrap wood and they're not coming out very well. My main problem is staying within the template lines. My first problem is how to use the template. It's plexiglass, and I know I can't try and route inside the template because as soon as the router bit hits the plexiglass, it will damage it, so I've just been using the template to draw the shape onto the scrap wood and then trying to route within the lines - not very easy. The other option is to put some kind of bushing or bearing on the router shank and let that hit the template sides, but that only works once you've got the hole deep enough to where the router bit is past the template. I'm thinking there's some easy way to do this that I'm missing. Any help would be appreciated. Here's what the template looks like:

B. [e-mail]

[Swingman]

Almost, but not quite ... You need to use a "router bushing" that screws into the router base plate with the teimplate.

Porter Cable's are generally standard, but be sure to find the ones that fit your router's base plate.

Not recommending the following, just something to give you an idea of what you're missing:

[Bob S.]

Ed,

Sounds like you're not using a collar on the router. The collar, not the router bit, follows (rubs against) the template. As the links shows, use double-back carpet tape to hold the template in-place while you route out the hole.

Bob S.

> Thanks,

[Bob S.]

Forgot to include an example for you to look at how this works. Did a quick search for "router collar" and this was the first of hundreds.....

good source would be Lee Valley or Pat Warner or many other places like Rockler, Highland Hardware etc., etc....

Bob S.

[Doug Miller]

You're almost there, but not quite. You need three things:

1) a guide bushing that attaches to the router base, 2) a router bit that's the same diameter as the bushing, and 3) a starter hole in the middle of the area to be routed out.

Extend the router bit to the full depth of the cut. Drill a starter hole

*larger* than the router bit by at least 1/8", the larger the better. Place the bit in the starter hole before starting the router. Then enlarge the starter hole to the full width and length of the template by nibbling away at the wood around it, until the guide bushing rubs against the template.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

[Kevin Singleton]

Of course, if the template is designed to be used with a template bit, the bushing will leave the routed hole too small by the distance between the bit and the outside of the bushing. Check with Stew-Mac about this, and get a template guided bit, if needed. It will route to the same dimensions as the template.

[xrongor]

good ole stewie mac. if you are simply screwing a plate over the hole (i.e. not making a recess or a lip so the plate is flush with the back of the guitar) when you are done the hole doesnt need to be that pretty.. you should see one of my guitars

but other than that, i think the solution has been well covered already.

randy

> Thanks,

[Doug Miller]

Which is why I said he needs ">> 2) a router bit that's the same diameter as the bushing" so that the routed hole will be the same size as the template.

That works only if the cutting length of the bit is no greater than the required depth of the hole. What if he needs a hole that's only 3/4" deep, for example, and the bit has a 1" cutting length?

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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[Mark Jerde]

Make the template thicker by clamping scrap to the top?

-- Mark

[Kevin Singleton]

A router bit that's the same diameter as the bushing won't go through the bushing, and presents exactly the same limitations as the template bit, of course. And, since the template is 1/4" thick plexi (as is mine, which is exactly the same as his), it would work perfectly, as I suggested.

Thanks for playing, Doug.

Kevin

[Doug Miller]

Gee, and all this time that I *thought* I was using a 1/2" diameter dovetail bit on my Leigh jig with a 7/16" OD bushing in the router, I guess really I was just imagining the whole thing.

The bit is inserted from the bottom, and it doesn't matter at all what diameter the cutter is relative to the bushing -- the *shank* of the bit is the only part that needs to pass through the bushing.

You did get *that* part right, though.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

[Kevin Singleton]

Thanks, Doug. Your recommendation is obviously far superior to mine.