What to do about a truss rod that is too long?

[Hopkins]

As far as inexpensive bits go with a pretty decent selection. I have had good luck with the Woodriver bits that Woodcraft sells. They are green as well, so I wouldn't doubt that they are the same bits as @HaMMerHeD mentioned from Grizzly.

 

[HaMMerHeD]

As far as inexpensive bits go with a pretty decent selection. I have had good luck with the Woodriver bits that Woodcraft sells. They are green as well, so I wouldn't doubt that they are the same bits as @HaMMerHeD mentioned from Grizzly.

Well, I'm not sure. The color of green is very different. The Grizzly green is a very bright lime green. Woodcraft's Woodriver green is a hunter green color. Now, it's possible that they are still the same bits from the same factory, but I can't say for sure.

I also have a Woodriver 1/2" roundover bit from Woodcraft, and it works fine.

 

[Hopkins]

Well, I'm not sure. The color of green is very different. The Grizzly green is a very bright lime green. Woodcraft's Woodriver green is a hunter green color. Now, it's possible that they are still the same bits from the same factory, but I can't say for sure.

I also have a Woodriver 1/2" roundover bit from Woodcraft, and it works fine.

Yeah, I just read green and assumed. I just checked out the Grizzly website and it was immediately obvious that my assumption was wrong

 

[PDX Mathias]

I use an Ammana 3/16" x 1/2" x 1/4" shank flush trim bit and don't have to worry about making an over sized template to use the collar.
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To make that rod work, he would have to buy a standard and reverse thread die, cut the rod down and rethread it. It would probably cost more than just buying a rod that will already work with a standard sized router bit.

Nice, I should get one of those bits. Perfect for pickup routes.
Are you sure about having to rethread the rod? It looks like there is plenty of thread for the amount of shortening needed (it would be shortened 50/50 from each end). Of course, that's would be easy to try out when you have the rod in hand.

 

[Hopkins]

Nice, I should get one of those bits. Perfect for pickup routes.
Are you sure about having to rethread the rod? It looks like there is plenty of thread for the amount of shortening needed (it would be shortened 50/50 from each end). Of course, that's would be easy to try out when you have the rod in hand.

It would work on the top rod, but you would seriously cut into the adjustable range if you only shortened the threads on the bottom rod. The top rod is static, the bottom rod is the one that does the adjusting.

 

[PDX Mathias]

It would work on the top rod, but you would seriously cut into the adjustable range if you only shortened the threads on the bottom rod. The top rod is static, the bottom rod is the one that does the adjusting.

The top rod is static after it's been installed, but before installation you can easily lengthen and shorten the distance between the brass blocks by spinning both rods together (I do this before installation, to fine tune it to the slot length). If you shorten it a whole bunch, the threaded rods will stick out on both sides, which you could then cut off, to be able to install the truss rod assembly in a shorter slot. Well, you can cut off three of the protruding ends, because the fourth end has the adjustment nut, but you can shorten that a little bit as well.
The amount you can shorten the truss rod is of course limited by how far the two rods have been threaded, but judging from the pictures, there's enough there to do the job. You don't need a ton of available thread left over for adjustment, you just need enough for a few turns.

It's a bit hard to describe in words, so perhaps we are talking about two different things.

 

[Hopkins]

The top rod is static after it's been installed, but before installation you can easily lengthen and shorten the distance between the brass blocks by spinning both rods together (I do this before installation, to fine tune it to the slot length). If you shorten it a whole bunch, the threaded rods will stick out on both sides, which you could then cut off, to be able to install the truss rod assembly in a shorter slot. Well, you can cut off three of the protruding ends, because the fourth end has the adjustment nut, but you can shorten that a little bit as well.
The amount you can shorten the truss rod is of course limited by how far the two rods have been threaded, but judging from the pictures, there's enough there to do the job. You don't need a ton of available thread left over for adjustment, you just need enough for a few turns.

It's a bit hard to describe in words, so perhaps we are talking about two different things.

We are talking about the same thing, but I just wouldn't want to take the amount of adjustment of the rod that it would take to shorten it enough. It looks like he is going to need a good 3/4 of an inch taken off the rod. It may work fine, I just wouldn't want to do it.

 

[Wasted4440]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I did end up buying a Grizzly rod and a 1/4" Freud spiral bit. I plan on keeping the 7/32 bit and Stewmac trussrod, as I can use them on a project in the future. I figured I'd inquire about using the router bit itself as a bearing, and it was very interesting to see the results! I think however that for actually cutting the pickup cavities, I'll make my templates and use a drill bit of the correct diameter to cut out the holes, then rout the rest of the cavity.

 

[PDX Mathias]

I think however that for actually cutting the pickup cavities, I'll make my templates and use a drill bit of the correct diameter to cut out the holes, then rout the rest of the cavity.

Ah yes, I should have mentioned that option.
You can get tighter corners by (very precisely) drilling the four corners of the cavity with the right size drill (corner radius x2) before routing with a 1/2" bit (hogging out most of the material first with a large drill bit). Is that what you meant that you will do?

Is the neck you are building shorter than a typical Jazz bass/P bass neck? Hence the too-long truss rod?