Router vs Dremel

[ChrisBowsman]

I'd like to make my P a PJ. I do not own a router, but I do have a Dremel 3000 with the cone adapter for routing. Need to route a J pickup cavity, and enough room under the pickguard to add a second 9V battery (going 18V for the EMG pickups).

I'd rather not shell out for a router. I'm not intending to get into a lot of routing jobs, and if I can get away with $10 for a router bit for my Dremel, I'd rather do that.

 

[dwizum]

A dremel would take a loooooooonnng time to route a pickup sized cavity. A faster (and potentially more accurate, less aggravating) way to do it would be to hog out a majority of the wood with a forstner bit in a drill, then use a chisel to square it up and bring it to the outline.

If this is all going under a pickguard then at least it doesn't have to be pretty...

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Yeah, that’s going to take a while and probably a few of the bits. You could use a drill press and Forstner bits to clear out most of the wood and clean up the edges with the Dremel.

 

[ChrisBowsman]

If I don't have a drill press, how about being extremely careful with a cordless drill, then cleaning it up with the Dremel & chisels?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

It could work. Try some scrap pieces first. Also, Forstner bits are different from regular drill bits, they leave a flat bottom hole, except for the centering point. If you’re using a hand drill you will probably want to stay in further from the edges then with a drill press where you know the hole isn’t going to be angled. The key with any router, especially a small one is going to be to take little bites.

I don’t know how open things are where you’re at but a used router, a pattern follower bit and a pattern isn’t that expensive. Could be under $50.00 between pawn shops and eBay for the pattern.

 

[MPU]

I have used Dremel to route a couple of pickup cavities. As long as you remember the limits of Dremel ( very, very little power so take it sloooow) it will work. +1 for drilling the most of the cavity, I used Dremel to just clean the edges of cavity.
I used Proxxon router bits which were a huge leap over Dremel bits.

 

[Clark Dark]

OP, you're in Ohio, surely there's a Menards or Ace hardware nearby. They will rent you a router. My $.02.

 

[ChrisBowsman]

OP, you're in Ohio, surely there's a Menards or Ace hardware nearby. They will rent you a router. My $.02.

I've rented big tools like jackhammers before, but never a router. Good call.

 

[Honkey tonk]

If I don't have a drill press, how about being extremely careful with a cordless drill, then cleaning it up with the Dremel & chisels?

You Could tape a screw driver to the top of your drill to hold depth . Looks kinda wierd but works.

 

[rojo412]

I’ve wrecked more wood with a Dremel than almost any other tool I own. And I have the fancy router base for it. That’s why it’s relegated to polishing frets now.

A palm sized router is such a great tool to have, I’d be lost without mine.

But if I didn’t have a router, I’d be more likely to use a drill, a chisel, and sandpaper than a Dremel.

 

[MPU]

When using Dremel for pickup cavities. I make a routing template just like with any router. I tape the top and use strips of plywood and hot glue them to the top so that they form a template. When routing the bit shaft leans on the template for the few last passes. Bit shaft must lean on the template from the solid, non-cutting part of the shaft, not from the cutting part. This way I find it's pretty much impossible to ruin anything but the Dremel (if you don't take it slow and little by little).

 

[La Faro]

I bought a router recently and it's been amazing, so glad I added it to my limited tool set. It's plunge router. In hindsight I think I should have gone for a trim router, smaller and cheaper. Although trim routers can typically only take a 1/4 inch bit, and I did use 1/2 bits a number of times.

Trim router

plunge router

trim router with plunge attacthment

DIY mini router table (trim router)

I do want a dremel though

 

[ChrisBowsman]

You Could tape a screw driver to the top of your drill to hold depth . Looks kinda wierd but works.

That’s my usual method for drilling anything more complicated than a hole in the wall