Who here has made their own guitar from a body blank?

[Patriot54]

I did a search for body blanks but only found 2 projects. If anyone else has made their own guitar from a Warmoth blank or any other company, please post pics or a link.

I have several projects I want to do, but making my own custom shape would be the cheapest one and would keep me busy for a while. A slab of swamp ash from Warmoth with the pickup and bridge routs already done is about $143. I don't have the equipment or patience to do a guitar from scratch so I think the body blank will be perfect for me where I only have to cut the shape, drill control holes, and sand.

I'll post pics of my photoshop mockup soon.

 

[Cagey]

I learned my lesson about doing that back when I was a grasshopper, and thankfully it's one that stuck with me so I haven't had to repeat it. Seems like a good idea at the outset, but cutting a shape out of a blank isn't as trivial as it looks. Warmoth can save you a lot of anguish by routing out cavities, since all the tricky measurement stuff is already done and you can trust their dimensions and accuracy. You still need a router, though, or the willingness, patience and financial resources to do one helluva lotta sanding. On the plus side, you get to have a shape that may not otherwise be available.

There have been more than a few on this board who've done it, but I can't remember what the thread titles are or subject matter was, so it's tough to search them out. For example, one was an amoeba-shaped thing that I think was some sort of ZZ Top piece, and recently somebody did a couple Les Pauls. Perhaps the guilty will see this thread and speak up. You may not want those shapes, but the trials and tribulations involved apply to any shape.

 

[line6man]

I've done it.

Trace your body shape onto the wood, cut it out with a bandsaw, clean up the cut with a spindle sander, then do your roundovers. A table router is preferable to a handheld. The most time-consuming thing is the contouring. I use a microplane tool with a flat blade. http://us.microplane.com/320008snap-inwcoarseflat.aspx

 

[OzziePete]

I learned my lesson about doing that back when I was a grasshopper, and thankfully it's one that stuck with me so I haven't had to repeat it. Seems like a good idea at the outset, but cutting a shape out of a blank isn't as trivial as it looks. Warmoth can save you a lot of anguish by routing out cavities, since all the tricky measurement stuff is already done and you can trust their dimensions and accuracy. You still need a router, though, or the willingness, patience and financial resources to do one helluva lotta sanding. On the plus side, you get to have a shape that may not otherwise be available.

There have been more than a few on this board who've done it, but I can't remember what the thread titles are or subject matter was, so it's tough to search them out. For example, one was an amoeba-shaped thing that I think was some sort of ZZ Top piece, and recently somebody did a couple Les Pauls. Perhaps the guilty will see this thread and speak up. You may not want those shapes, but the trials and tribulations involved apply to any shape.

Dangerous R6 did a Billy Bo shape, but I'm not sure if that was a Warmoth blank....

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=12383.0

Then there was the RD type project...

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=13358.0

And this one...
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=15592.0

Just check out the Misc. Guitars section of the Gallery.......there's probably some more there back in the pages.

 

[DesmoDog]

I made one last spring for the TDPRI Build Challenge. It wasn't entirely successful but that had nothing to do with cutting the body out.

The one on the left is the Warmoth Strat I put together. the one on the right is my TDPRI build.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/2011-tdpri-tele-build-challenge/263817-desmodogs-2011-tdpri-build-challenge-thread.html

 

[Cagey]

Nice Strat. That Tele's a curious thing. What are the mechanics involved with that?

 

[bagman67]

Nice Strat. That Tele's a curious thing. What are the mechanics involved with that?

The TDPRI thread spells it out in detail, but to summarize the answer to your question, he used cable housings route the strings from the bridge to the tuners.  Pretty nifty project, DesmoDog.

 

[Patriot54]

Thanks for the advice - here's a rough drawing of what I want to build, maybe as a baritone. It will have a 5-way switch too but I didn't draw it yet.

 

[DesmoDog]

Nice Strat. That Tele's a curious thing. What are the mechanics involved with that?

The TDPRI thread spells it out in detail, but to summarize the answer to your question, he used cable housings route the strings from the bridge to the tuners.  Pretty nifty project, DesmoDog.

Yeah, what he said. The cable housing idea turned out to be a FAIL, which wasn't shocking, but I thought I'd try it. It can be made to work but it's finicky as hell and just not worth the hassle. I already have the parts to convert it over to more "tradtional"(?) rollers to route the strings but it may be a while before I have time to work on it. Too many other projects including a bike I HAVE to get done before October.

Oh, and not to be captain Obvious or anything but for those who are confused it's a Travel Tele and the things next to the strings are the tuners. (I get asked that somewhat often)

I'm thinking next year's build is going to be a Tele with two P-90s. Probably a Thinline...

 

[SkuttleFunk]

OP - what tools do you have (or have access to), and what is your skills level with them?

a bandsaw and a router would be the minimum tools you'd need access to. forget trying to use a jigsaw - while it can be done, the results are less than satisfactory and only cause you more additional clean-up work than it's worth.

if you don't have experience with a router, find a friend who can show you how to safely use it and what bits you'll need to do each operation. I'd also recommend passing on the router table until you have a solid foundation of tool skills to rely on ... unlike a hand-held router, one careless lapse of concentration can easily result in a missing chunk of body wood combined with a mangled finger (or worse!)

you're also going to need a woodworking rasp (as a minimum) to carve the gut-cut and forearm contours. a stationary belt and/or drum sander makes this a whole lot easier to do (once you've practice and have the repeatable feel for it)

use a sanding block when sanding the top and back faces. once of these pads will make smoothing the perimeter contour quite a bit easier

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Hand-Sander-2-1-2-x-5-1-2-/H3840

a unique body design is doable with the right tools and shop skills. if you don have the tools, it might be cheaper for you to have W (or a local luthier) cut the body for you

all the best,

R

 

[Patriot54]

OP - what tools do you have (or have access to), and what is your skills level with them?

a bandsaw and a router would be the minimum tools you'd need access to. forget trying to use a jigsaw - while it can be done, the results are less than satisfactory and only cause you more additional clean-up work than it's worth.

if you don't have experience with a router, find a friend who can show you how to safely use it and what bits you'll need to do each operation. I'd also recommend passing on the router table until you have a solid foundation of tool skills to rely on ... unlike a hand-held router, one careless lapse of concentration can easily result in a missing chunk of body wood combined with a mangled finger (or worse!)

you're also going to need a woodworking rasp (as a minimum) to carve the gut-cut and forearm contours. a stationary belt and/or drum sander makes this a whole lot easier to do (once you've practice and have the repeatable feel for it)

use a sanding block when sanding the top and back faces. once of these pads will make smoothing the perimeter contour quite a bit easier

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Hand-Sander-2-1-2-x-5-1-2-/H3840

a unique body design is doable with the right tools and shop skills. if you don have the tools, it might be cheaper for you to have W (or a local luthier) cut the body for you

all the best,

R

:icon_scratch:

All I have is a jigsaw and rotary sander, but some of my friends have better tool. What do I need the router for?

 

[line6man]

What do I need the router for?

Use a roundover bit in your choice of size to do the roundovers on the perimeter of the body.

If the body is not pre-routed, use 1/4" and 1/2" pattern follower bits to do the neck pocket, pickups, control cavity and possibly the bridge, depending on the type you use.

 

[line6man]

Also, note that if you don't have a bandsaw, there is a second way to do the body. If you can create a template for the body shape, you can use a pattern follower bit to cut around the perimeter of the body. This method leaves you prone to tearouts, however.

 

[Cagey]

Ron Kirn builds guitars from the tree up, and in this tutorial you can see how indispensable a router is, as well as how it's used.

Incidentally, tearout is usually only a problem with certain woods, maple being the most famous for it. Typical guitar body woods such as ash, alder, mahogany, etc. don't have that problem, although you can bring it on with a sloppy old router or dull bits. Also, you want to cut so you're pulling with the grain, rather than going against it. When you cut against the grain, you have a greater tendency to delaminate the wood fibers.

 

[line6man]

Ron Kirn builds guitars from the tree up, and in this tutorial you can see how indispensable a router is, as well as how it's used.

Incidentally, tearout is usually only a problem with certain woods, maple being the most famous for it. Typical guitar body woods such as ash, alder, mahogany, etc. don't have that problem, although you can bring it on with a sloppy old router or dull bits. Also, you want to cut so you're pulling with the grain, rather than going against it. When you cut against the grain, you have a greater tendency to delaminate the wood fibers.

The OP never mentioned what wood he would be using, and we don't know whether or not his bits are sharp. We also do not know how well he can use a router.

All it takes is a tiny bit of tearout, and you've potentially ruined your body, unless it's getting a solid finish to cover up the wood filler.

 

[Cagey]

The OP never mentioned what wood he would be using, and we don't know whether or not his bits are sharp. We also do not know how well he can use a router.

All it takes is a tiny bit of tearout, and you've potentially ruined your body, unless it's getting a solid finish to cover up the wood filler.

All true, of course. I was just playing the odds. He did say he doesn't even own a router or bits, though. Then, bodies are rarely made of maple (other than tops), and bits are often dull. You're right in that a tearout would wreck your day, but having to grind/sand to shape would wreck your week, and isn't likely to produce as good a result. Short a CNC machine, the pattern follower chucked into a router or shaper is the way to go.

 

[line6man]

Short a CNC machine, the pattern follower chucked into a router or shaper is the way to go.

No, a bandsaw is the best way to go, depending on whether or not the OP can gain access to one.

The nice thing with the bandsaw is that it won't matter what size or how clean the cut.
Most bandsaws can handle 2 inch thick wood, and the cut can be as sloppy as you want, it will get cleaned up with a spindle sander. It only takes 15 minutes or so to shape the perimeter of the body with a spindle sander after cutting the shape out with a bandsaw.

 

[Cagey]

Short a CNC machine, the pattern follower chucked into a router or shaper is the way to go.

No, a bandsaw is the best way to go, depending on whether or not the OP can gain access to one.

Of course. I was assuming the basic shape was already cut. The follower bit is to finalize the shape after that, so he doesn't have to spend a week grinding/sanding on the thing. Then the spindle sander can be brought to bear for getting rid of tool marks.

 

[line6man]

Short a CNC machine, the pattern follower chucked into a router or shaper is the way to go.

No, a bandsaw is the best way to go, depending on whether or not the OP can gain access to one.

Of course. I was assuming the basic shape was already cut. The follower bit is to finalize the shape after that, so he doesn't have to spend a week grinding/sanding on the thing. Then the spindle sander can be brought to bear for getting rid of tool marks.

So you think the OP should cut out the shape with a bandsaw, clean up the cuts with a pattern follower bit, and then clean up the pattern follower bit with a spindle sander??
That's adding extra steps! Draw your shape on the blank, cut it with a bandsaw just outside the line, and then sand down to the line with a spindle sander.
There is no need for any routing. It's a few minutes worth of work cutting the body with a bandsaw, and about 15 minutes of work on the spindle sander.

How exactly would you use a pattern follower bit on something that was cut with a bandsaw? Unless you have a template on hand, there is no clean edge for the bearing to roll against. And if you do have a template, why not cut the shape out with the pattern follower bit to begin with, to avoid having to try to find a bandsaw to use?

 

[baskruit]

Short a CNC machine, the pattern follower chucked into a router or shaper is the way to go.

No, a bandsaw is the best way to go, depending on whether or not the OP can gain access to one.

Of course. I was assuming the basic shape was already cut. The follower bit is to finalize the shape after that, so he doesn't have to spend a week grinding/sanding on the thing. Then the spindle sander can be brought to bear for getting rid of tool marks.

So you think the OP should cut out the shape with a bandsaw, clean up the cuts with a pattern follower bit, and then clean up the pattern follower bit with a spindle sander??
That's adding extra steps! Draw your shape on the blank, cut it with a bandsaw just outside the line, and then sand down to the line with a spindle sander.
There is no need for any routing. It's a few minutes worth of work cutting the body with a bandsaw, and about 15 minutes of work on the spindle sander.

How exactly would you use a pattern follower bit on something that was cut with a bandsaw? Unless you have a template on hand, there is no clean edge for the bearing to roll against. And if you do have a template, why not cut the shape out with the pattern follower bit to begin with, to avoid having to try to find a bandsaw to use?

You can't just cut through 2'' of wood with a router. That's a disaster waiting to happen. It's in fact downright dangerous. It's exactly how I'd do it, in fact have done it last year: Bandsaw/jigsaw -> then router + template following bit (and a template of course) -> spindle sander. IMHO working with a template will get a more accurate result so I wouldn't omit that step either.

My project: http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=12109.0