Straight Edge for Tail Piece

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Guitar Hack
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by Guitar Hack »

I made a straight edge for routing out the tailpiece on a guitar and actually for anything you need a straight edge to.
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deadedith

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by deadedith »

Interesting. How well does it work? No sliding around?
DaveB
Guitar Hack
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by Guitar Hack »

You need to get it good and snug and I usually only use it with my dremel. Works like a charm.
Bruce Dow

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by Bruce Dow »

cool.

I am about to get to that same place, and was wondering how I would do that.

How to you get the top and bottom widths accurate? Maybe add a spacer holding each end at the right distance off centre???
Guitar Hack
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by Guitar Hack »

I generally draw a line for what I want to rout out and put my dremel where I want the bit to start on one end then check it at the other end before tightening fully. Then I put the other side on to make sure it won't move laterally at all. You have to check both ends of the channel before routing. It works pretty well though. Just make sure you clamp it tight so it won't move.
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Last edited by Guitar Hack on Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
naccoachbob
Posts: 477
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2009 9:25 am
Location: Nacogdoches, Tx

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by naccoachbob »

Will both ends of the clamp "seat" properly if you're cutting something at an angle like the end wedge?
Or do you cut your wood at the angle you want and then screw it into the clamp?
I was worried about slippage if you clamped at an angle.
Interesting way to use clamps. And the tail wedge, among other aspects of building, has given me problems.
Thanks
Guitar Hack
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:44 pm

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by Guitar Hack »

You can clamp it at an angle within reason. If you used double stick tape that would probably help with slippage.
kencierp

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by kencierp »

Picture of cut/channel?
Picture of wedge installed?

Are you making a tapered channel? This set up seems to be beyond the capability I have experienced with that style clamp. They move all over the place and are difficult to keep in position vertically and perpendicular to the surface (the bar wants to walk up when pressure is applied). As a matter of fact all of ours were sold on Ebay years ago because of this instability during simple laminate glue ups, instead of applying equal pressure they would cause the boards to slide out of alignment.

Thanks
Last edited by kencierp on Tue Nov 16, 2010 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kencierp

Re: Straight Edge for Tail Piece

Post by kencierp »

Call me old fashion -- but I simply do not make test cuts on a guitar or any other project. The best way I have found to do the end graft is to use a template and a router with a sleeve guide. The template fabrication is very simple -- I've made them by gluing small pieces of wood or Masonite at the desired angle, and then gluing that to a substrate. You have to calculate the offset for the collar (add x amount) but that is simple too. With this little extra step you can test your cut on a piece of scrap -- get the depth right. Then move on to cutting the channel in your "new born labor intense guitar."

Here's some thought starter pictures -- the main idea is a final wedge shape template.

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