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Hi Everyone;

I want to incorporate sideports in a couple build. I've added the reinforced area to two bodies I'm working on right now.

Do you use a jig that you clamp to the side to guide a router? Do you cut it freehand and then clean it up with a rasp or sand paper on a round block?

I started to build a jig (oval cut in plexiglass) to be clamped to the side, but the cutting plane of the router will not follow the curved plane of the side.

I read Brian Howard's recent post that looked like it was freehand cut with a spiral cutting bit in a router base then cleaned up by sanding. That looked good too.

Tell me/show me what you do!

Thanks

Why on earth does someone else's photo of a top/rosette they are selling show up on my post? I didn't post the pic.

I'll be following this thread as well. I too want to start using them and have only tried one (in my current project). I wanted a small oval and decided that free hand was the way to go. I'm not 100% happy with it because it is not as symmetrical as I would like. I'm probably the only one who would ever notice but I can't help but feel like there is a better way.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I put soundports in almost every one of my guitars. I have done it freehand, but now use a jig. If you are going to ever bind the thing, a jig is necessary. Plus, it makes it a lot easier. Mine (don't have a picture right now) is flat and does not follow the contour of the sides (for binding reason just mentioned) but I have seen them shaped to the sides as well. Just know that if it is shaped to the sides, you have to make a new one for each shape and you have to put it in the same place every time.

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ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com

Somewhere in my old posts I believe is a picture of a sound port I did with a spalted maple backer in the shape of a puppy paw's print. I basically took the dremel and Stew Mac router base I had at the time and using a small down cut bit got my basic shape routed in. I then attached the little sanding drum to it and cleaned up the shape . Turned out ok without using any kind of template but I wish I'd cleaned it up by hand with some sandpaper on a small dowel instead of using the dremel attachment.

Found the post with pics...

download/file.php?id=22290&mode=view

download/file.php?id=22291&mode=view

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Bobby Masten

Al Carruth did a soundport experiment cutting dozens into one guitar. He can speak for himself, but my takeaway was that it took a lot if them to affect the sound, and only a relatively small one to give the player feedback.
For function over aesthetics, I've been simply using a 1-1/4" hole saw.
It doesn't make funny shapes, not lest circular is funny.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Print out the pattern you want to the correct size, then glue it to the side with contact cement.

Then route, cut, file or sand to the line.

Steve

That's what I do too.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That looks really nice Steve.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Same method as Steve and Steve print out glue on and cut/. Works just fine.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Same method as Steve, Steve and Fred.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

ditto

double sided tape instead of glue for the template, then a drywall cutting spiral bit in a dremel to rough out an undersized hole, followed up with various dowels with stickit sandpaper wrapped around them, to clean up to the line

I have no idea Linus.
Maybe a glitch?

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