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What's On Your Workbench?

#5,801
This is what the end of a router’s life cycle looks like:
70553671917__C71F0448-258F-45BD-ACC8-8AD1C15D03E3.jpeg

Truthfully, it could be repaired easily enough; the motor is still in decent shape and the castings are all intact but the bearings are roached and the chuck is not very happy. It’s also missing a handle.

Normally I prefer to repair things rather than fill up a landfill somewhere but this time it’s just false economy. Sure , I could track down the right bearings (not too hard), I could improvise a tool to press the new bearings in without damaging the aluminum castings, I could track down a replacement chuck (very hard) and I could make or find a replacement side handle (left-hand thread of course). I would be into it for several hours of work and about $40.

I could do all those things and what would I end up with? A VERY underpowered Craftsman router from the early 1970s that only takes 1/4” bits. A router worth about $25 at a typical yard sale. I’ve read that Ryobi made these for Sears and they were well made units that were very nice medium-duty routers for their time but all good things must come to an end. This little guy just isn’t worth saving. I have two similar Craftsman routers in perfect working order and any modern palm router could outperform them without even trying.
 
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#5,804
IMG_20230514_220635.jpg

Today I completed my first bass body template. First I put an actual P-bass on a sheet of paper, then I drew the outline in pencil, then I cut the shape out. I laid that shape on 1/4" MDF, drew a pencil line around it, and took it to the band saw. After that, files and sandpaper.

This whole approach is of course very inexact and yields not "the P-bass" but rather "my P-ish bass". Works for me.

As with every new thing I achieve, I'm proud.

Now here's a question: I think someone said that 1/4" MDF is too thin for the purpose. Why is this?
I have 3/4" MDF in stock, so I suppose I could make a new template, using the old one as a template, with the router. If necessary.
 
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#5,805
Flamingo21 said:
View attachment 5062481

Today I completed my first bass body template. First I put an actual P-bass on a sheet of paper, then I drew the outline in pencil, then I cut the shape out. I laid that shape on 1/4" MDF, drew a pencil line around it, and took it to the band saw. After that, files and sandpaper.

This whole approach is of course very inexact and yields not "the P-bass" but rather "my P-ish bass". Works for me.

As with every new thing I achieve, I'm proud.

Now here's a question: I think someone said that 1/4" MDF is too thin for the purpose. Why is this?
I have 3/4" MDF in stock, so I suppose I could make a new template, using the old one as a template, with the router. If necessary.
Click to expand...

1/4" MDF can work just fine. It really comes down to what router bits you have available (assuming you're going to use some sort of pattern bit to follow your template).

Where it really tends to get you is for pickup and control cavity routing. It's nice to have that extra thickness on the template to give yourself some vertical "wiggle room" with your router bits. For these cases, I really like to use mortise router bits which are used for making the pockets for door hinges. You can get them with a 1/4" cutter height and really work well in those cases.
 
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#5,807
I agree on the CA glue on the edges.

I've used 1/2" and 3/4" for templates. Like mentioned, I think it just depends on the bits you have, the bearing size on those bits and how long the bit cutting length is. Longer bits, it can be nice to have extra thickness to "remove" some of that length of the bit when routing things you don't want going all the way through, like pickup cavities. But I have a few bits that are shorter and often the 3/4" thickness of the template is too much and can be frustrating. But ultimately, if it works for you, then it works!
 
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#5,811
Flamingo21 said:
Now here's a question: I think someone said that 1/4" MDF is too thin for the purpose. Why is this?
Click to expand...

The big reason is: Depth of cut, using a bearing bit.

For most routing operations, you should do the routing in 1/8" deep passes. First pass 1/8" deep, second 1/4" deep, third 3/8" deep, etc. Most top-bearing router bits have 3/8" or more of cutter down below the line of the bearing. So, if you clamp a 1/4" thick template on top of the body, with the bearing riding on the template, the first pass is going to be 3/8" deep. That's dangerous, particularly in a plunged cavity like a pickup cavity. Plunging 3/8" deep with a small router is how things go flying and people get hurt.

The best way to do pattern routing with bearing bits is to use a 3/4" thick template and two bearing bits. One 3/8" or 1/2" long and the other 1" long. Clamp the template on top of the body. Start with the shorter bit, adjust it for the first cut 1/8" deep, the bearing riding around the top of the template thickness. Work down in 1/8" passes until the bearing is down at the bottom of the template thickness. Then switch to the longer bit, keeping the template right where it is. Finish up the routing in 1/8" deep passes.
 
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#5,812
Thanks Bruce. My plan for the body outline was to cut it very close on the bandsaw, so the pattern bit won't be taking away that much wood even at full plunge depth. For the pickup templates I've already switched to 3/4" MDF.

I just measured my pattern bit, it is 1" long. I will definitely look into shorter ones. Also, I may yet use that thin body template to make a thick one.
 
#5,813
Flamingo21 said:
I just measured my pattern bit, it is 1" long. I will definitely look into shorter ones. Also, I may yet use that thin body template to make a thick one.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's the best approach to doing template routing. If you buy a thin template, use it to make up a thick template that you actually rout with. Save the thin template as the reference to make new routing templates if you need them. Get two top-bearing Pattern bits, one 3/8" or 1/2" long, and the other 1" long.
 
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#5,814
Beej said:
Posting on the internet is definitely the best way to keep something quiet. :D

Looks absolutely amazeballs btw. :drool:
Click to expand...
I know right?... lol.
I don't care, cuz you cats are family.
... & thanks. :smug:
How many people actually lurk in a sub-forum of the LC anyways??
Soon it won't matter. But this transitional period is a grey area of ... um... semi-disclosure?
I'm still building "my" stuff...ATM.
& Nobody knows where I am. :whistle:
 
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#5,815
Rôckhewer said:
I know right?... lol.
I don't care, cuz you cats are family.
... & thanks. :smug:
How many people actually lurk in a sub-forum of the LC anyways??
Soon it won't matter. But this transitional period is a grey area of ... um... semi-disclosure?
I'm still building "my" stuff...ATM.
& Nobody knows where I am. :whistle:
Click to expand...

How do we know it's actually you... wherever you are? :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
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#5,817
Rôckhewer said:
I know right?... lol.
I don't care, cuz you cats are family.
... & thanks. :smug:
How many people actually lurk in a sub-forum of the LC anyways??
Soon it won't matter. But this transitional period is a grey area of ... um... semi-disclosure?
I'm still building "my" stuff...ATM.
& Nobody knows where I am. :whistle:
Click to expand...
I wouldn't say "nobody" knows. :smug:
 
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