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my current build has a slotted headstock. ive shaped the head stock, drilled the tuner shaft holes, routed the slots and installed the tuner bushings. however, i have not installed the head plate. i can see now how it would have been easier to install the head plate before i routed the slots.

after i get the head plate on, what method would you use to route a matching slot? i dont want to use the template because im afraid i wont get it lined up just right with the existing slots in the head stock. im also afraid to just use a flush cut bit riding on the slots themselves because i think the bit will also hit the bushings that are already installed. should i just get it close and finish by hand?

what do you think?

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sweat the small stuff.

What Todd said...

If a router isn't an option, you could carefully drill out some of the bulk and then clean it up with some sharp chisels.

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Jim Hansen

Be careful that the bearing on the router bit does not drop into the post holes.

bingo. with the bearing riding on the bottom side of the slot, the bit is going to hit the bushings. this might not be a big deal, but ive never done it, so im not sure. with the bearing riding in the middle of the slot, its going to dip into the tuner holes. i dont think there is enough room to run the bearing on the top side of the slot.

i know how ill do it next time, but im a bit nervous about how ill get it done this time.

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sweat the small stuff.

ill give it a shot with the flush trim bit and check back in with the results. thanks for the help, everyone.

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sweat the small stuff.

So?
What happened?

So?
What happened?

well, lifes been busy, but i finally got around to glueing the headstock veneer on and trimming it up to match the headstock. all went well, except that i blew out one of the tuner bushings that i preemptively installed. i had the order of operations all goofed up on this one and i really payed for it. i learned a fair amount, which ill be able to apply to future builds, of course. i really like the slotted headstock and i think ill do a few more in the near future. well, heres some photos of how it turned out. any ideas on how to fix it?

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sweat the small stuff.

I was about to offer an opinion... Drill holes on both sides and then use a scroll saw or a small hand saw to cut out the slots in the veneer.... Leave them a bit proud and then sand them to match the profile of the slots with a sanding stick....

Since it's done - it looks pretty good.... Lucky you didn't smash the heck out of that router bit when it hit metal and send shards flying everywhere....

Next time - pull out the metal pieces before routing... You are *VERY* lucky there wasn't an incident...

Thanks

any ideas on how to repair the tear out in the mahogany around the tuner bushing? its just the one and its on the treble side, so not terribly visible. i know mahogany makes for kind of a hard hide. epoxy and dust? it will all be finished in KTM-SV over z poxy. the guitar is a freebee for a friend. thanks.

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sweat the small stuff.

i did four tests with epoxy and mahogany, epoxy alone, CA and mahogany and LMI white and mahogany. none of them looked great, but the epoxy alone was the best of the bunch. i was using z poxy and im not sure if that is the proper kind of epoxy to use. any help?

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sweat the small stuff.

thanks, todd. im still not really sure what im going to do, but thanks for the suggestions!

one last question - i mentioned earlier that the fill with z poxy looked the best; however, it never really seemed to get hard. is that just the nature of a thick coat? should i try another kind of epoxy?

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sweat the small stuff.