Pickguard router question.

[NathOBX]

Im going to be cutting out a pickguard for my build. Im going to use a router with variable speed. Two questions. 1- straight bit first then chamfer, or just chamfer? 2- Router speed? Anything else I should know? Here's the link to my build thread:Surfin'bird Fenderbird Build-Now With Poll

 

[Bruce Johnson]

Im going to be cutting out a pickguard for my build. Im going to use a router with variable speed. Two questions. 1- straight bit first then chamfer, or just chamfer? 2- Router speed? Anything else I should know? Here's the link to my build thread:Surfin'bird Fenderbird Build-Now With Poll

You'll want to use a straight bit first to cutout the outline and any internal openings. Remember that some parts of the pickguard don't get chamfered, such as the neck pocket opening.

After going around everything with the straight bit, then chamfer the areas that need to be chamfered. Set the depth of the chamfering bit so it cuts down to 1/2 to 2/3 of the thickness of the material. Don't set it too deep and cut the material to a sharp edge. That will quickly get damaged and look ragged.

I don't think the router speed matters. I cut my pickguards with two small single-speed routers running at 21K or 23K rpm. I don't think there would be any advantage to running it slower.

Beware that routing pickguard vinyl is an incredible mess! Everything gets covered with little plastic particles that stick by static electricity.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

What Bruce said. I’ve only used single speed routers on my pickguards running in the 20,000RPM range. True on the pieces getting everywhere too. The one time I used checkerboard binding I was picking little black and white specs up in the garage for months and that was scraping not routing.