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How many of you shape their heads by sticking a template to the blank with two sided tape and following it around on a table mounted router? I thought I'd give that a try and I have to say I found the tests a little scary. Perhaps it was because my test wood was pine but I found that the router ripped out big pieces when I was doing end grain or when I got close to the flared area near near the bottom. It could also be my lack of experience with a router. Anyway, unless I can feel safer, I'll stick to my drill press drum sander or try Robbie's filed filed drill bit-as-a-router method. Any advice?

Thanks,
Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

I don't know of a safe way to use a router for the headstock. You could probably shape most of it with a router, but cutting the end or any place there's end grain is going to cause problems. I cut mind close with a band saw, the use a robo sander in my drill press.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Pat,
The most important part of routing is routing downhill. I would cut as close as possible to the line then route like the drawing. A sharp bit always helps too.

Band saw and robo sander for me as well. You could do it with a pin router. I am a big fan of the robo sander. Most of use are not production shops so we do not need the production capacity of a pin router.

Close with the band saw, Robo Sander, then finish off with the router.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I do mine on the router table all the time ... the secret ???? I use a template that is bolted thru two tuner holes, and then using a template guide in the table top (3/8), route away slowly taking only 1/16 at a time in height. The bit I use is actually a 4 flute 1/4 inch bull nose end mill. All cuts are climb cuts, except the 'downhill' side of the top end of the headplate.

I tried using this template with a full height bearing bit once .. blew out wood left and right.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Like Tony says- bolt thru tuner holes. I use a spiral flush trim bit and a firm hand.
-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

Thanks for the response guys. I didn't know what either a robo sander or a pin router were. I think I'll be ordering a robo sander.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

So far, I don't use templates for this (except to trace the shape onto the wood). Band saw and then sand to the line on the belt, disc, and spindle sanders. Goes pretty fast. No set-up, no significant danger of messing it up.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I use a bandsaw most of the time. If straight angles like a martin you can use a table saw. I use a spindle sander or my robo sanders to clean up the bandsaw cuts. Nothing worse then a a near finished neck and tearout caused by a router. I have found that spiral carbide bits are best for preventing tearout. I have a bit like this for template routing fender style electric necks. I buy them at MLCS.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/

I shape using a router, as pointed out By Tony & Chas, I cut close with a bandsaw so that there's minimal work for the router to do (essentially just cleaning up, maybe between 1/32 & a 1/16th) then screw a template to the headstock, picking up on positions later taken out by tuners or slots. Follow the cutting pattern Edward raised and it should be fast and clean with nice square edges
Headstock cleaned up and you can see the two screw holes


Which later disappear when the slots (or tuner shafts) are machined.


The pockets you can see around the tuner slots are routed using a bullnose bit and template that is double sided taped to the headstock. I'm only taking small depth cuts so the tape does this part of the operation just fine.I wouldn't rely on it for 'hogging' out big cuts.

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Nick Oliver

http://www.oliver-guitars.com

So for you guys using a router table for this, are you using an UpCut or Downcut Spiral Flush Trim Router Bits? Thanks, Peter

I’m with Todd Rose. I end up sanding the edge after using the router anyhow so now I just skip that step.

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Rich S

"The inconvenience of poor quality will linger long after the thrill of a bargain has been forgotten"

Upcut will pull the wood into the table "Good"

Downcut will push the wood away from the table "Bad"

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Rich S

"The inconvenience of poor quality will linger long after the thrill of a bargain has been forgotten"

Mine is an upcut .... but in taking small bites in height, i doubt it matters. Its not a flush trim .. I use a template guide in the table insert.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I use a template attached with double sided tape. I hold the neck in a vise and use my laminate trimmer with a straight pattern cutting bit. Though I have a big router mounted in a router table, I like the higher RPMs of the laminate trimmer for this. I use a bandsaw to cut within a 1/16" of the pattern, then follow up with the laminate trimmer. As others have mentioned, the cut has to be shallow and do climb cuts to avoid tearout.

Pat, you might have better success with a laminate trimmer.



Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com