Grahambythesea Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I presume professionally produced ones are laser cut but how do you cut your own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 A dremel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BreadBin Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 28 minutes ago, Geek99 said: A dremel ...set at a very low speed to avoid melting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebroad Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I've seen people route them but freeze the blank plastic first to keep it cool. I have routed acrylic at a decent speed before and its not too hard. You just have to move quite quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted April 18, 2019 Author Share Posted April 18, 2019 Thanks guys, I’d never heard of a Drexel, which is probably not a good start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 er, do you mean a Dremel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I'm sure that's what he xeant. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 (edited) A drexel is a university, according to woggle: bit big and awkward to finish pickguards off with. A dremel is a handheld drilly type thingy into the chuck of which you can place various tools, including wirebrushes, sanding bits n similar. It's an ideal way of reducing your project to a useless wobbly edged piece of [insert material], plus a pile of probably semi-burnt stringy sawdust which will get into everything for the next week. Edited April 18, 2019 by lownote12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Last scratchplate I did the only tools were a hacksaw and rasp for the shape,drill + various bits/countersink for the pickups etc. Drew the shape out then cut straight lines as near to the outline as possible. Curves and bevel were done with rasp. Was undecided on pickup at this stage so hid a Warman jazzbar below the scratchplate. About 90 minutes work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I sandwich them between off cuts of ply with the lower being cut to shape to act as the master. Then rout with a bevel bit. You need to be careful to set the depth of the bit obviously but otherwise it’s pretty much foolproof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Which tool/end for the dremmel? @Geek99 i have a hole to cut in a pickguard tomorrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 There is a angled disk I believe - I just use the fat disk and hold a steady angle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Proxxon 28987 Sanding Drum with 10 Sanding Caps https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0017O4DEW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_H7mUCb4VF56QM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 10 minutes ago, Geek99 said: There is a angled disk I believe - I just use the fat disk and hold a steady angle Cool, that was my plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manton Customs Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 This might help. https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/338662-making-a-pickguard-scratchplate/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassalarky Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I use an old electric scroll saw that I got from a mate. Works a treat. I finish the edges with sandpaper on a cork block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 As I live in a flat and have no where to do much work I think some of this is beyond my capabilities. I was thinking as an alternative how about spray painting the one i’ve got, maybe gold to look like an anodised guard. Very Duck Dunn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 4 hours ago, Grahambythesea said: As I live in a flat and have no where to do much work I think some of this is beyond my capabilities. I was thinking as an alternative how about spray painting the one i’ve got, maybe gold to look like an anodised guard. Very Duck Dunn? If you haven't got the space to do some simple cutting of plastic with a Dremel then you certainly haven't got the space to be doing any spray painting. Also IME even if you clear coat over the top, the new paint wears off pretty quickly in any areas where your fingers and pick come in contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted April 26, 2019 Share Posted April 26, 2019 I've just cut one today for a fretless P. Air reciprocating saw a couple of mm bigger than the outline, then a flat and a curved rubbing down block with 80 grit paper, then 120, 180, 320 & 500. I'll scrape the bevel with a single sided razor blade tomorrow and polish the scraped edge with 500 grit. Maybe not conventional but it's the tools I use every day so I'm happiest with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobF Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 This weekend , In preparation for making a pearl one for my telecaster guitar, I used an offcut to replicate my EB0 scratchplate. No problems using a £12 blank from eBay . Scroll saw, files and sanding block. It cut nicely and looked good on the bench. the problem came when I fitted it to the red EB0. Aged white pearl on an EB0 ? Looked horrendous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted April 28, 2019 Share Posted April 28, 2019 2 hours ago, RobF said: This weekend , In preparation for making a pearl one for my telecaster guitar, Shouldn't you knit one pearl one? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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