DIY Scratchplates: Tips/Tricks/Easy Fix?

[Skybone]

Has anyone ever had a go at making their own scratchplates?

I had a couple of mirror scratchplates made for my 2 Faker's last year, but then I managed to break one when adjusting the neck pickup. Swapped the broken one with the good one, then put the original 'plate back on No.2.

I did some searching for replacement 'plates, but no one seems to do a proper pearl 'plate for a Faker. While trawling eBay, I found some sheets of pearl plastic for a reasonable price, so I thought I'd take the plunge and order some.

Has one ever tried making their own 'plates from scratch?

What tools did you use? (saws / files / etc.)

[yorks5stringer]

I made a couple from the pearl plastic years ago and used a router: not to be advised if you have no experience with them! Used the original as template with a bearing bit. The pickup cutouts are more problematic unless you have a dremel type tool or just old fashioned files and a drill. Expect there's a youtube video showing you how to do it somewhere...

[Skybone]

I forgot about using the Dremel, good job I've got one too. Great tip, thanks!

I don't have a router, just saws, files & a drill (and the forgotten about Dremel). The plan was to use the old scratchplate as the template & cut from the back of the sheet. use the drill to do the corners of the pickup cut out & use a hacksaw to cut the rough hole out, then finish with files. Using the cutting disc on the Dremel will make doing that, and the TRC that bit easier.

Edited June 28, 2017 by Skybone

[yorks5stringer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJE0_x8ug4s

[squire5]

I've re-covered a couple of old ones with adhesive vinyl.Providing you use a craft knife,you can get a pretty professional finish round the edges,and usually come out bubble-free if you take your time.There are loads of different finishes.I've recently done 2 matt black ones.

[ahpook]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1498673057' post='3326279']
[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJE0_x8ug4s"]https://www.youtube....h?v=vJE0_x8ug4s[/url]
[/quote]

I watched that whilst eating my tea - very restful, thank you.

[hamfist]

Yup, done loads. A Dremel is my tool of choice.

- First, mark out (or trace) your outline on the back of the blank.

- then cut out the shape with a few mm clearance using the dremel circular cutting tool

- Then use the abrasive grit cylinder attchments to gently take the material back nearly to the level you want.

- I always find it easier to finish off with various grades of sandpaper/ wet'n'dry paper. Something like 100-200 grit to get the basic shape (including the bevel) and then something like 400 then 600 to finish it off.

- I have a large but fine toothed square-edged metal file which is very useful for finishing off the shape off non-bevelled bits like pickup holes and the neck slots.

- For pickup holes when I'm "freestyling" it, I cut one hole in the scratchplate where I'm damned sure the pickup is, and then slowly, slowly enlarge the hole with the dremel, continually matching it up to the bass, until I've got a decent fit for the pickup, finishing up those edges with my big file. It all takes a while, but don't rush it and you will have something unique and special !

[mcnach]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1498705239' post='3326456']
Yup, done loads. A Dremel is my tool of choice.

- First, mark out (or trace) your outline on the back of the blank.

- then cut out the shape with a few mm clearance using the dremel circular cutting tool

- Then use the abrasive grit cylinder attchments to gently take the material back nearly to the level you want.

- I always find it easier to finish off with various grades of sandpaper/ wet'n'dry paper. Something like 100-200 grit to get the basic shape (including the bevel) and then something like 400 then 600 to finish it off.

- I have a large but fine toothed square-edged metal file which is very useful for finishing off the shape off non-bevelled bits like pickup holes and the neck slots.

- For pickup holes when I'm "freestyling" it, I cut one hole in the scratchplate where I'm damned sure the pickup is, and then slowly, slowly enlarge the hole with the dremel, continually matching it up to the bass, until I've got a decent fit for the pickup, finishing up those edges with my big file. It all takes a while, but don't rush it and you will have something unique and special !
[/quote]

That was very useful, thank you. I'm planning to make one in the near future (got the blank and tools, just looking for the time and will to colocalise ) and that was reassuring. I didn't want to go all the way to make a template etc. I figured that with a dremel, slowly and carefully I should be able to do it.
How did you manage to do the bevel edge?

"carefully", I guess

[Skybone]

Great tips hamfist, that was basically the plan, though I was considering dusting the jigsaw off to cut out the basic shape.

No bevelling for me thankfully.

[Bassassin]

Done a few scratchplates, plus a few other bits & pieces, with results I'm entirely happy with. Which is a rarity, when you're me.

[url="https://postimg.org/image/y95mdkq7f/"][/url]

[url="https://postimg.org/image/vaffkcdx7/"][/url]

[url="https://postimg.org/image/eiosqjztn/"][/url]

I have a jigsaw & a Dremel-type tool but not found these ideal for cutting the material accurately. The rather long-winded method I've devised is this:

Find a piece of wood slightly larger than the dimensions of the plate you want to make. Place your blank on the wood, then using the original as a template, accurately mark the screwhole positions. Carefully drill the screwholes, and then screw both the original & blank together, onto the wood. You now have a fixed template that won't move.

Next, trace around the template, including any pickup & control holes, then remove the original.

Screw the blank back onto the board & then (this is the boring, fiddly bit) using a small-ish drill (3mm or thereabouts), go around the edges of the design, as close to the tracing as you can get without going over the line, and spacing the holes as tightly as you can.

Several years later you'll have a thing like a giant scratchplate-sized plastic postage stamp - and you'll be able to remove the excess just by breaking it off, leaving you with a rough-edged scratchplate. Fortunately the material is really easy to file and shape so smoothing it back to the line is reasonably painless - I have a couple of different sizes of half-round file that seem to work well on the curves.

The only thing I can't do is a proper 45 degree bevel, but it's possible to round over the top edge a bit to make the plys more obvious.

The good thing about doing a Faker or Rick scratchplate is that you have the opportunity to try & do something a bit more interesting than the ugly afterthought that Rickenbacker decided was good enough...

Edited August 6, 2017 by Bassassin

[hamfist]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1498725108' post='3326531']

How did you manage to do the bevel edge?

"carefully", I guess
[/quote]

Yes, carefully, but by just using a wood block with sandpaper held at an angle. Really close up you can see that it is nowhere near as perfect as a machine produced edge, but its pretty good, and good enough for me. No-one would ever tell the difference from a yard away.

[mcnach]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1498808818' post='3327127']
Yes, carefully, but by just using a wood block with sandpaper held at an angle. Really close up you can see that it is nowhere near as perfect as a machine produced edge, but its pretty good, and good enough for me. No-one would ever tell the difference from a yard away.
[/quote]

Sanding will be then
Thanks again!

[el borracho]

I've done a Stingray one with a hand jigsaw, hand drill, files and sandpaper - none of this modern electric stuff!

Took ages but was quite satisfying - until I rushed the screw holes and drilled 3 of them in the wrong place - they still don't have screws in but nobody has ever noticed

[alyctes]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1498808818' post='3327127']
Yes, carefully, but by just using a wood block with sandpaper held at an angle. Really close up you can see that it is nowhere near as perfect as a machine produced edge, but its pretty good, and good enough for me. No-one would ever tell the difference from a yard away.
[/quote]

Having seen (and bought) the results, I can vouch for this.

[alyctes]

[quote name='el borracho' timestamp='1498852579' post='3327619']
I've done a Stingray one with a hand jigsaw, hand drill, files and sandpaper - none of this modern electric stuff!

Took ages but was quite satisfying - until I rushed the screw holes and drilled 3 of them in the wrong place - they still don't have screws in but nobody has ever noticed
[/quote]

You could saw the heads off some screws and glue them in place

[el borracho]

I thought of that but I've just never got round to it. There's always something more important to do isn't there?!!

[Skybone]

The sheets have turned up, haven't had the chance to measure them up with the scratchplates yet though, might be another few weeks before I get the chance (itching to make a start though! ).

[tommorichards]

Basically all of the above, and take your time.

I used a dremel to remove most of the material, but i find my method leaves a bumpy adge, so i use a rough file to smooth the shape, the a smooth file to smooth, then 400 grit wet/dry (used dry) to give it a good finish. Lining up the screw holes is a bastard, but if you leave it to last, and have a pickguard as a template, then just be very careful when you drill them. I only ended up with 1 out enough to warrant a new hole being drilled.

If you're good with a file, then a bevel is no issue. Have the edge over a table, then position your hand at 45', and go for it. As long as you keep your movements the same, at roughly the same angle, it works.

Funnily enough, i've just finished making a rick scratchplate. Took about an hour. The reason i did a bevel is because it was a BWB sheet, and its pointless having it without the bevel. If you have skill, or patience, it can look machine done.

And just because i want to show it off, heres mine.

[Bassassin]

Damn. My pics have been BotoPhucketed!

[KingBollock]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1498629815' post='3325927']
I forgot about using the Dremel, good job I've got one too. Great tip, thanks!

I don't have a router, just saws, files & a drill (and the forgotten about Dremel). The plan was to use the old scratchplate as the template & cut from the back of the sheet. use the drill to do the corners of the pickup cut out & use a hacksaw to cut the rough hole out, then finish with files. Using the cutting disc on the Dremel will make doing that, and the TRC that bit easier.
[/quote]
You can get a plunge router attachment for Dremel tools.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-26150335JA-Plunge-Router-Attachment/dp/B0009EQ5QA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1500395331&sr=8-3&keywords=Dremel+router

A cheaper version is just a cutting kit. You can still use router bits with it, it just doesn't plunge, so you can still cut around a template, but it's no good for cutting cavities, unless the cavity just happens to be the depth of the bit you're using.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-2615056532-Multipurpose-Cutting-Kit/dp/B0002SMN8M/ref=pd_sbs_328_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TRT4MZ4JPHQ7B0RGX1DJ

[Skybone]

So my first attempt is only half way through, I cut out the rough shape of the 'plate & TRC using the Dremel cutting disc. Took ages, and the plastic bobbled up around the cuts. In hindsight, I think it would have been quicker & easier to use the jigsaw instead. Going to try that next time anyway & see what happens.

Got to finish the first attempt off when I get some time. The Dremel sanding attachment looks like a very good option rather than doing it by hand for the larger bits, hand finish for the trickier parts.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1500445603' post='3337736']
So my first attempt is only half way through, I cut out the rough shape of the 'plate & TRC using the Dremel cutting disc. Took ages, and the plastic bobbled up around the cuts. In hindsight, I think it would have been quicker & easier to use the jigsaw instead. Going to try that next time anyway & see what happens.

Got to finish the first attempt off when I get some time. The Dremel sanding attachment looks like a very good option rather than doing it by hand for the larger bits, hand finish for the trickier parts.
[/quote]

if you can take pictures of the process and post them here as you go along, I'm sure there's a few of us who would appreciate it.
The experts post their lovely results, but they know what they're doing I'd love to hear the issues a total novice just like me encounters

[Skybone]

Right, you wanted pics...

The first two are the post cutting, pre-sanding stage. I traced the original scrachplate on the back of the sheet, then used a Dremel 3000 with the cutting disc attachment. I took my time, but it still didn't take too long, but created a lot of smoke, dust, and molten plastic "snots". A set of cheap popular DIY store own brand plastic clamps were very useful at this stage. Quite pleased with the results, but I think next time I'll use the old B&D jigsaw & see how that compares. As you can see from pic #2, it's a black pearl plastic (insert pirate jokes here).

Finally had the chance to get back in the garage earlier today, so got the sanding tool out for the Dremel, and took off the excess plastic around the outline (pic #3). For the pickup hole, I used the Dremel as much as I could, but then had to dig out the old hand files. Sanding down didn't take too long at all, so I drilled the holes and countersunk the front screwholes as well.

A trial fitting showed that the pickup hole is a tad too small, but too big for the hand files (and lack of a work surface, didn't want to break it at this stage!), so I'll have another shot with the Dremel another time & tidy up with the hand files.

[Skybone]

Well, that first one ended up to be too small, thanks to some very dodgy sanding and a dreadful pickup hole. So, decided to have a second shot at it, this time using the jigsaw. Cutting out the shape was fine, much quicker than using the Dremel, though I thoroughly managed to make a complete and utter mess of the pickup hole again. Back to the drawing board I think. Maybe invest in the Dremel Router attachment?

[tommorichards]

not a bad idea, and not too expensive. Id get the dremel sander bit and a tiny router bit