I hacked out two channels in my guitar body. I'll insert plastic straws before gluing the top on. The straws will prevent glue from squeezing into the wire channels.
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using plastic straws for wire tunnels
- Thread starter Lappy
- Start date
Good idea. Even better, if you used thinwall brass tube. It can be grounded, and you would have a nicely shielded conduit for the pickup wires.
Now, there's a terrific idea! Thanks Bill!
That's a great idea. I suppose you could wrap them in copper foil too. I've been painting wire channels with MG Supershield, but then having to run little "tabs" of copper shielding foil into them anyway to get continuity. Totally stealing this idea. 
Good question!Just playing Devil's Advocate, but..... What happens if glue gets in the end and plugs the end of the tube tho?
I extended the straw's end well into the area where I'm going to chisel out the pocket for the pickup. The chisel will remove the end that is plugged with glue.
I drilled a 3/4 inch hole through the top where the tailpiece ground wire will stick up. There I can swab out the glue while it's still wet.
I have small copper tubing I considered using on the last build. I think I skipped it because I was rushing, but might try it on the next one.
I like the straw idea. You could always wrap it in copper foil tape.
I like the straw idea. You could always wrap it in copper foil tape.
Also, if you use shielded wire, it's not 100% necessary to shield the channel.
The tubing is still a good idea to keep the channel open and clear of glue squeeze out though.
The tubing is still a good idea to keep the channel open and clear of glue squeeze out though.
I had the same thought on copper tubing, the 1/4" diameter tube they sell to connect refrigerator ice makers looks just about right, or maybe the copper tube on a junked window air conditioner. I meant to grab one at the dump, but they have a strict "No trash Picking" rule. They run a lively business under the table selling the stuff the dump employees poach out of the piles, like $2000 stainless Webber grilles that only need a $25 burner element to fix. I don't begrudge them too much, it's a crappy job, but they are little TOO zealous enforcing it.
At least they are recycling! I used to love the "dump shop" in Darwin. I'm not so sure about the "under the table" bit they have a contract to do the job and the rubbish is (now) theirs to do with as they see fit.
I used to buy thin walled tubing at hobby shops that sold RC cars and planes. They had some really nice thin walled stuff in different diameters and it was pretty cheap.
I made a guitar body out of fiberglass once. I used the cardboard bottoms of coat hangers to form wire channels - as the body material was waterproof, once the resin had set, I put the body in the bathtub and filled it with water. The cardboard softened, and I used a bicycle spoke to pull the cardboard out. Worked great. It was a bit odd putting a guitar body underwater, but other than that, the technique was solid.
Another idea is to keep the straws long and sticking out of the control cavity. Later you can run the wire through them and then pull the straws out. This assumes the glue you are using doesn't stick well to the plastic straw material though.
It's been about 50 years since I've been at a dump that allowed you to rummage around. Probably a liability/safety issue.
Hmmmmm...except the aforementioned stuff like stainless Weber grilles never makes it to the metal recycling pile... Somehow. Thats cool, job has to have a few perks anyway. They charge for almost anything that isnt basic recyclables, so its a money maker for the Town.
We get charged extra when we put big stuff like washers, dryers, fridges in the garbage……so I bust them up . I strip all the usable stuff like wiring, nuts and bolts, screws, hinges, handles and tempered glass. Then I bust and hacksaw the rest up into pieces small enough to fit in my garbage bin. Not only do I avoid the extra charge but I get a lot of usable stuff…and my wife doesn't complain!
Neither does mine! Everything I do is just fine.
And I'm pretty sure she's been slowly poisoning me.
Every region has its own little rules and quirks. All the bone yards and scrap/recycling places I've been to around here are privately owned/operated and it's a mixed bag as to how they run them. Many of the auto scrap yards will pull valuable parts and sell them, even have the nicer stuff in their store front, like a used auto parts store. Some will only do that and customers aren't allowed in the yard. There used to be a few that pulled valuable parts and sold them for more, or, you could bring tools and go pull your own parts for less $. Not sure if those yards still operate that way. Recently, I found a scrap yard about an hour out in the sticks that had some campers and trailers. Normally, they pull the valuable parts and sell them separate from the scrap, but the guy let me venture out back with a bag of tools and pull a few windows and misc parts. I was converting my van into a camper/road trip vehicle and I think he thought that was cool. And also figured I was competent enough to pull the parts and not the type to sue if I stubbed my toe.
It was a smaller yard and very organized. I'm sure I could've wandered around and found other neat trinkets, like tubing, etc.
The yard that's close to work, where we take all our scrap is more busy and all the local scrappers take all their stuff. They're usually busy and there's no wandering around, looking for trinkets. You pull in, get weighed, someone directs you to where to dump your crap, you get weighed on the way out, park and go get your money. But I do see things piled off to the side and near the main building that employees salvage. But they don't sell anything. So, there's all types of yards, if they're privately run. It's worth checking your area for them. Never know what you'll find. And bring cash.
