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Don't be afraid to make your own pickguards

#21
Bruce Johnson said:
The Dremels are a little underpowered for my taste, but they'll work. A small trim router from Harbor Freight is less expensive than a Dremel... I'm just sayin'. Making the MDF templates requires a few more tools, but not too many. You know, you could also consider having the MDF routing templates made for you by some woodworking shop, working from your paper/cardboard templates. Then you make the actual pickguards. Also, if you invest in a few of these tools, and spend a little time learning the technique, you could start a little side business making custom pickguards for people. Maybe specialize just in custom pickguards for Ukes? There is a constant demand of people looking to have custom one-off pickguards made. Most of us Luthiers know how, but don't want to do it. And it's tough to operate a full business doing it. But as a little hobby side business, you could make it work. Think about it.
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I prefer battery tools, plus I already had a 12v Dremel and a Milwaukee. I got another Dremel from Amazon, refurb with battery, charger and warranty for $71. Templates won't work because each of the pickguards is a one off, there's a difference in size between them after Eric adds the bridge and tailpiece. Since retiring over 10 years ago, I'm very content and occupied playing with my uke group, have a good income from apartment rentals, and I wouldn't want the pressure or responsibility of making these for someone else.
 
#22
I'm currently in process on 3 basses modeled on the original Stingray, with 19mm bridge spacing.
Two of them are going to have translucent pickguards made from acrylic, so I made this template to allow for the increase in neck and pickup width. The holes marked "no" are where the neck pocket and pickup templates were mounted and one that didn't need to be drilled (screw location for original 4 string pickup).
20230506_165844.jpg
 
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#23
I ended up buying two of the Dremel 8220 refurbs so all three workstations will have a Dremel, and will use the Milwaukee upstairs in my music/workroom. Just now I was down in my garage storage/workroom fishing through my Dremel bits and found a really thin straight router bit. Tested it cutting the pickguard blank and it does a much faster smoother job than the regular cutting bit. Next I'm going to search for a Dremel reverse 45° routing bit, if such a thing exits. Oh, and I also received the countersink bit, but the drill part seems a too fat for pickguard screws.

Thin bit.jpg
Thin bit cut.jpg
 
#24
Just came across this possibility, a table top scroll saw that has a 45° tilt surface, 1600 strokes per minute (is that fast enough), $125 at Home Depot. It fits my shelf, 24" deep, 16" cut space, one tool to do two jobs, cut then bevel. Hmmmm... only one way for me to find out, try it. I can easily return the Dremel tools to Amazon at my local Whole Foods.

When 45°.png
When scroll 45°.png
 
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#25
KohanMike said:
Templates won't work because each of the pickguards is a one off, there's a difference in size between them after Eric adds the bridge and tailpiece.
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??? If they are all different, you make up a template for every one of them. That's the standard process. The whole idea is that you spend the careful time shaping the template, making it fit and look just right. If you make a mistake and cut it too far, you can glue on a scrap of wood and continue. Or toss it in the trash and start a new one. Take your time making the template.

When the template is just right, then it's a quick job to stick on the pickguard material, rout it, and finish it. An exact copy of the template.

When the pickguard is finished, label the template and store it away for future use.

When you have a small collection of templates stashed away, it's easier to make new templates, which may be a small variation on one of them. Using the router and bearing bit, you can copy most of the shape of one template to a new MDF blank, leaving one area blank to be fitted to the different shape. It becomes much faster to make the new variant template.

The template is really a hard-form drawing of that one particular pickguard shape. If you are going to put the effort into hand fitting a shape for one instrument, do that work in the MDF. Then you've got a hard copy of the file, literally.

That's what templates are all about.
 
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#26
KohanMike said:
Just came across this possibility, a table top scroll saw that has a 45° tilt surface, 1600 strokes per minute (is that fast enough), $125 at Home Depot. It fits my shelf, 24" deep, 16" cut space, one tool to do two jobs, cut then bevel. Hmmmm... only one way for me to find out, try it. I can easily return the Dremel tools to Amazon at my local Whole Foods.

View attachment 5059934 View attachment 5059939
Click to expand...

A small table top scroll saw like that is a very useful tool, if you don't have a bandsaw. It will saw out the rough shape of the pickguard material or an MDF template. The rough shape, a little outside your marked line. You'll still need to use a router or hand files to trim the shape right to the line.

You're not going to bevel the edges of the pickguard by tilting the table of the scroll saw. That would be a frustrating exercise.

A small scroll saw like that is a good investment for a small shop where you are really limited on space. You can also look at the mini-bandsaws that are available. About the same size and price.
 
#27
Bruce Johnson said:
??? If they are all different, you make up a template for every one of them... You're not going to bevel the edges of the pickguard by tilting the table of the scroll saw. That would be a frustrating exercise...
Click to expand...
The more feedback I get like this, the less I'm considering trying to make pickguards myself and just leave them for Eric to make. Thinking about how I would handle the pickguard on a 45° angle to cut the bevel does seem like a futile idea. I can't find a bit for the Dremel router table that would cut a 45° bevel. @bbao, how exactly did you use a Dremel bit to cut the bevel?
 
#28
KohanMike said:
. I can't find a bit for the Dremel router table that would cut a 45° bevel. @bbao, how exactly did you use a Dremel bit to cut the beve?
Click to expand...

Like I said, Mike, it was a process of free-hand dremel use off the table for the most part. I also used the same dremel bits too. To finish it off (if it wasnt 100% to my acceptable range), I then used sand paper to smooth it out if required.

If I had to do it again, I would probably buy a router and use one of the angled grinding bits for a more uniform cut.

The purpose of my original post was mainly to let people know that you don't need such extensive tools to make one-off pickguard designs anyway.
 
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#31
KohanMike said:
After thinking it over, and considering I'm partially handicapped with nerve damage to my neck and shoulders spinal cord, I decided to stop pursuing, return the tools and let Eric make them. Thanks all for your feedback that helped me make this decision.
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I was hoping we'd convince you to give it a try. Making up some pickguards is a relatively simple way to get into Luthier work, adding some visible parts to your Ukes that you can be forever proud of.

Making musical instrument parts in your own shop, with your own brain and hands, is good therapy for getting past medical problems. Many of us regulars here on Luthier's Corner are recovering from serious things. I myself had open heart surgery three years ago, and it's been a long slow recovery. The joy of working in my shop with my machines is what I look forward to. It gives me purpose and satisfaction.
 
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#36
Stumbled upon this thread while doing some research on what I need to make my own pickguard and it seemed like the most recent one out there so figured I'd just bump it rather than starting a new one. Thank you for any help here!

I don't have room for a whole table saw, but do have a small table with clamps where I could hold the material down and use something handheld. I am willing to get a small rotary tool / dremel saw for this project, but I do happen to already own a sawzall, and was wondering if folks think I could use this as a substitute?

Also for the beveling, would a manual handheld tool like this work? Am I going to drive myself crazy trying? Should I just get a rotary tool that has one bit for cutting and one for the beveling?

1725302985552.png
 
#37
PNC7 said:
Stumbled upon this thread while doing some research on what I need to make my own pickguard and it seemed like the most recent one out there so figured I'd just bump it rather than starting a new one. Thank you for any help here!

I don't have room for a whole table saw, but do have a small table with clamps where I could hold the material down and use something handheld. I am willing to get a small rotary tool / dremel saw for this project, but I do happen to already own a sawzall, and was wondering if folks think I could use this as a substitute?

Also for the beveling, would a manual handheld tool like this work? Am I going to drive myself crazy trying? Should I just get a rotary tool that has one bit for cutting and one for the beveling?

View attachment 7020191
Click to expand...
Standard vinyl pickguard material is soft and very easy to cut. You can make a one-off pickguard completely with hand tools, and it doesn't take that long. You don't even need routers or rotary tools. Saw the material out to rough shape using a hand coping saw. Drill the screw holes and countersink them. Test fit it on the body to make sure the screw holes line up. Use files to bring the shape right to your lines. Saw out the pickup openings with the coping saw, and clean them up with files. Also use files to cut the bevel. Take your time and make it nice and even. When the shape all looks good, smooth out the edges with a scraper. Like the blade from a box knife, held up perpendicular. That's it. Don't sand pickguard material; it leaves it rough and dull.

I'm a pro, and I've been making pickguards for decades. But my setup is surprisingly simple. I first make up a template from 3/4" MDF, even for one-offs. I test fit it on the instrument to get the shape, cutouts and screw holes just right, in the template. The vinyl blank is sawn out on a bandsaw a little oversize. Screw holes are located and drilled from the template, then the vinyl blank is attached to the top of the template with pins through the screw holes. One small hand router with a straight bit cuts the perimeter and any openings. A second small router with an angle bit cuts the beveled edges. Both routers have bearings that are following the template. Touch up any spots with a small file, then scrape the edges by hand.

That's the most efficient way I know of to make pickguards. But I've also made plenty of them with hand tools, too. Hand shaped without a template. It's not hard.

Here's a simple tool that you can build for making pickguards: a filing table:

IMG_6737B.jpg


It's a rectangle of plywood with a couple of holes in it.

IMG_6739B.jpg


A maple block is screwed on the underside which clamps in my bench vise. It becomes an extension table surface with the holes.

IMG_6740B.jpg


The idea is to lay the pickguard down flat on the surface, and file down vertically through the holes. This supports the material and allows you to easily see the lines that you are filing to.

In this case, I'm adding a P-pickup opening to an existing pickguard. It was a one-off mod, and I didn't want to take the time to make up a template. I laid down some masking tape, drew the outline of the opening on the tape, and drilled some holes to rough it out. Then went to work with the files. A big round file connects the holes and takes out the center.......

IMG_6742B.jpg


A big square file to get the sides straight......

IMG_6743B.jpg


Check fitted the pickups, cleaned it up with some finer files, and scraped the inside edges. It took about 15 minutes.
 
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#38
Bruce Johnson said:
Standard vinyl pickguard material is soft and very easy to cut. You can make a one-off pickguard completely with hand tools, and it doesn't take that long. You don't even need routers or rotary tools. Saw the material out to rough shape using a hand coping saw. Drill the screw holes and countersink them. Test fit it on the body to make sure the screw holes line up. Use files to bring the shape right to your lines. Saw out the pickup openings with the coping saw, and clean them up with files. Also use files to cut the bevel. Take your time and make it nice and even. When the shape all looks good, smooth out the edges with a scraper. Like the blade from a box knife, held up perpendicular. That's it. Don't sand pickguard material; it leaves it rough and dull.

I'm a pro, and I've been making pickguards for decades. But my setup is surprisingly simple. I first make up a template from 3/4" MDF, even for one-offs. I test fit it on the instrument to get the shape, cutouts and screw holes just right, in the template. The vinyl blank is sawn out on a bandsaw a little oversize. Screw holes are located and drilled from the template, then the vinyl blank is attached to the top of the template with pins through the screw holes. One small hand router with a straight bit cuts the perimeter and any openings. A second small router with an angle bit cuts the beveled edges. Both routers have bearings that are following the template. Touch up any spots with a small file, then scrape the edges by hand.

That's the most efficient way I know of to make pickguards. But I've also made plenty of them with hand tools, too. Hand shaped without a template. It's not hard.

Here's a simple tool that you can build for making pickguards: a filing table:

View attachment 7021581

It's a rectangle of plywood with a couple of holes in it.

View attachment 7021582

A maple block is screwed on the underside which clamps in my bench vise. It becomes an extension table surface with the holes.

View attachment 7021583

The idea is to lay the pickguard down flat on the surface, and file down vertically through the holes. This supports the material and allows you to easily see the lines that you are filing to.

In this case, I'm adding a P-pickup opening to an existing pickguard. It was a one-off mod, and I didn't want to take the time to make up a template. I laid down some masking tape, drew the outline of the opening on the tape, and drilled some holes to rough it out. Then went to work with the files. A big round file connects the holes and takes out the center.......

View attachment 7021584

A big square file to get the sides straight......

View attachment 7021585

Check fitted the pickups, cleaned it up with some finer files, and scraped the inside edges. It took about 15 minutes.
Click to expand...
Amazing info here, thanks! Sounds like a template is helpful, but I can probably get by doing it by hand with a tracing, may just take a healthy and realistic measure of patience?
 
#40
bassdude51 said:
Fantastic pickguard work! WOW!

How in the world are you able to bevel the edges and maintain a smooth flawless edging! Template? WOW! You are GOOD!
Click to expand...

Are you asking me? The perimeter of that pickguard in those pictures was cut by my usual process of a MDF template and two routers. I was cutting that P-pickup opening by hand because it was a one-off special.

But I could have made that whole pickguard by hand, shaping it with files. I've done it many times on custom pickguards. Basic craftsmanship, using files to bring the shape to the lines and make it smooth and even. Looking at it by eye and steering the file to trim the lumps. Keep at it until it looks right. Same with hand filing the bevels.

It's not difficult, and doesn't take as long as you think. You could learn to do it yourself with a bit of practice. I can hand-cut a pickguard of that complexity, working from a paper template, in under 2 hours. That includes the pickup opening and the screw holes. If I make up a hand-cut custom pickguard for a customer, for a bass that's brought in to my shop, it's usually a $100-$125 job.

Note: I don't make custom pickguards any more. I'm way too busy with everything else. So please don't ask me for quotes!
 

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