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| Show me your bridge slotting jigs. http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=40936 |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Now that I've sold my milling machine I need to build a jig for bridge slotting. I would like to use the drill press but could also use a laminate trimmer. So I'm looking for ideas - thanks! |
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| Author: | johnparchem [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
I often use a cross vice with a drill press and the right size end mill. |
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| Author: | guitarjtb [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
I have one that works great and is simple to build. I will get pictures loaded later today. James |
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| Author: | Beth Mayer [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
I obviously do mine off the body. Got this idea from Robbie O'Brien. Works really great! |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
John, I've thought about picking up a cross-slide vise but was concerned that the cheaper ones might have too much play to get a good clean saddle slot. What type of vise are you using? James - thanks, I'll look for it later. Beth - that's something like what I was thinking of when I thought of using a router. Looks like it would be relatively easy to build. Todd - that's nice. Kind of hard to see but is that a round bearing/linear shaft arrangement you're using on the base? |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 2:52 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Yeah Todd, did you buy or make that base? All cool jigs shown by the way. |
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| Author: | James Ringelspaugh [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Simple and effective... clamps down adjacent to the top of the bridge and the slots on the upper ledge allow for precise slot location and angles. A router/lam trimmer/Dremmel (I use a plunge base on a Foredom) rides on the ledge using the top as a fence. The bottom has leather attached to protect finishes when done on a guitar where the bridge is already attached. |
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| Author: | johnparchem [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
SteveSmith wrote: John, I've thought about picking up a cross-slide vise but was concerned that the cheaper ones might have too much play to get a good clean saddle slot. What type of vise are you using? Mine is one of the cheaper ones about $110 I will try to find what brand. I am sure it would horrify a machinist, but I have gotten clean slots. |
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| Author: | John Killin [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Steve, I built mine after seeing a picture of Beth's but also built a "track" platform so it could be used on the drill press. Just clamp the white platform down to the drill press, line it up with where the bridge slot should go, set some stops, and slide the carriage under the bit. Attachment: Bridge Slotting Jig.jpg Attachment: Bridge Slotting Jig 2.jpg
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| Author: | guitarjtb [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Steve, The easiest way for me to show it is setting up a dummy page on my firestripe website. Hope this helps: http://www.firestripepickguards.com/?page_id=915 I use this for slotting bridges on the guitar. However, It can also be used by fixing the bridge to a board and mounting the jig above it if want to slot the bridge before it is installed. I have always slotted my bridges before they were installed. If I had known how easy and accurate this was, I would have changed over years ago. James |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:04 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Where do the parts come from? |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Some great ideas. The on-the-guitar jig from James gives me some ideas for a jig that could be used on or off the guitar like his. Thanks all. |
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| Author: | guitarjtb [ Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
I forgot to mention that I add stops at each end of the jig if I am not cutting a through slot saddle. A plunge laminate trimmer helps out with this also. I am trying to decide which brand of plunge router is best for me in the laminate trimmer size. |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:08 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Todd Stock wrote: eBay...lots of suitable linear inits Thanks. Filippo Morelli wrote: I envy Todd's setup. Used it before. Wish I thought I actually had the chops to recreate one ... Filippo Right?? I originally looked at it on my phone, but now on a big screen, it looks more harderer to make. Lucky for me, I don't need to slot my saddles any longer, but if I ever go back to doing it myself.... |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:10 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
I think Todd's setup would be hard to beat for slotting bridges on the bench. I think I will build a version of James' setup so that I can slot bridges on the bench or on the guitar. |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 9:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Filippo Morelli wrote: Tony_in_NYC wrote: Filippo Morelli wrote: I envy Todd's setup. Used it before. Wish I thought I actually had the chops to recreate one ... Filippo Right?? I originally looked at it on my phone, but now on a big screen, it looks more harderer to make. Lucky for me, I don't need to slot my saddles any longer, but if I ever go back to doing it myself.... Some days I hate engineers.  Filippo Our wives love us because we can fix everything 
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| Author: | Alex Kleon [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 2:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
SteveSmith wrote: Our wives love us because we can fix everything Not the engineers that I worked with at G.M.  Alex |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
It is true that not all engineers are created equal
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| Author: | Rodger Knox [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
SteveSmith wrote: It is true that not all engineers are created equal Some of us are Civil 
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Mon Jul 22, 2013 5:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Me too |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Todd Stock wrote: SteveSmith wrote: I think Todd's setup would be hard to beat for slotting bridges on the bench. I think I will build a version of James' setup so that I can slot bridges on the bench or on the guitar. The base comes off and the rig clamps to the guitar for in situ slotting... I like the way you did the index-able stops. You said optical components - is this made from part of an old enlarger? Also do you have a photo of it in use on a guitar- I can see using that with maybe a piece of lexan to index it into the correct position? |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Tue Jul 23, 2013 7:11 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Filippo Morelli wrote: Todd Stock wrote: SteveSmith wrote: I think Todd's setup would be hard to beat for slotting bridges on the bench. I think I will build a version of James' setup so that I can slot bridges on the bench or on the guitar. The base comes off and the rig clamps to the guitar for in situ slotting... See what did I tell you? What he hasn't told you yet is that it can bolt on to a snake for remote roto rooting of drain pipes. There is also an arduino unit that allows him to connect it his wireless network so he can rout bridge saddles over his iPhone while in traffic. You know not all that this can do. Filippo Wow, I didn't see the blue tooth unit 
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| Author: | guitarjtb [ Tue Jul 23, 2013 2:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Todd Stock wrote: David Collin's saddle mill is the best approach to the job that I've seen, but the links to his pics are broken, so not much to which to point you towards for ideas. Will snap one when I rout the saddle on a J-50 Deluxe conversion later today. The vertical bearing is from an optical bench - usually somewhere around 1.25" to 1.5" Is this the one? He uses a laser to show him the routing path. A little more sophisticated than my spruce stick.  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1 Very nice tool. James |
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| Author: | theguitarwhisperer [ Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
Here's mine, knocked together out five dollar's worth of plywood in about 5 minutes for a specific job. It's a piece of plywood with the correct bridge slot angle sanded into the front, glued to a plywood base, for the router edge guide to bear against. There's another piece of plywood behind the bridge to support the back of the router, the surfaces that the router rides on were sanded flat after the glue dried to assure a perfectly flat saddle slot bottom. The center line is marked, and little wood stops were glued onto the top to mark the boundaries of the slot length. I had to fine tune them a little after I cut this bridge slot, but no biggie. I use double stick to hold the bridge down, and then I use the two wedges to hold it firmly in place immoveable while the slot is cut. All I gotta do is mark the center of the slot on the blank and the jig automatically cuts the slot the right length and the right angle. The bridge is held firmly in place and CANNOT MOVE, whilst the bottom of the slot is cut perfectlt flat and works well with UST's. If I'm making a replacement bridge for a guitar I make the holes first, use those to hold the bridge in place on the guitar while I mark the front edge of the bridge parallel to the first fret, and then the location of the saddle, then I pop it into the jig, cut the slot, shape the rest of the bridge, and glue it down. I don't like cutting the slots on the guitar simply because the foam rests aren't conducive to perfectly flat saddle slots in my opinion, so I remove the bridges from guitars to re-cut slots on existing bridges. |
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| Author: | SteveSmith [ Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Show me your bridge slotting jigs. |
James Burkett wrote: Todd Stock wrote: David Collin's saddle mill is the best approach to the job that I've seen, but the links to his pics are broken, so not much to which to point you towards for ideas. Will snap one when I rout the saddle on a J-50 Deluxe conversion later today. The vertical bearing is from an optical bench - usually somewhere around 1.25" to 1.5" Is this the one? He uses a laser to show him the routing path. A little more sophisticated than my spruce stick. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1 Very nice tool. James Wow, that is nice! |
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