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I just did mine with a needle file. Didn't take too long. Crack open a beer and enjoy yourself.

....OK, if there is a faster way, I'm all ears.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia

Needle files are what I always used, but I recently switched to nut files cut in
half lengthwise. I bought a few sizes of the StewMac joint edge files, cut
them in half and ground them down to about .150" height. I actually made
them for cutting Dobro saddles without pulling the cover, and then found
them to be perfect for bridge slots. That said, I probably wouldn't have made
them for that purpose alone. A set of needle files will do you fine.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I cut the initial slots using a small hand saw. Once done, I enlarge the slot using a hand drill and small bits until the string just fits and the pin just slides in and seats. The drill bit makes them nice and round and polished.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Friend and local luthier Edward Dick told me he uses a dremel with a 1/16" bit. I've never seen him do it, but his slots look so perfect, they look like they came off a factory line. The next one I do I'll have him show me, and maybe I'll do a tutorial.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Terry, at Gibson Montana they use Dremel tools. The benches for this
operation are kinda high and well padded. The guitar is put on the bench,
on its back, in such a way that the neck is pointing down and to the right
(for a right hander) held in place between the arm and the ribs. The Dremel
is held in the right hand and the body is stabilised with both palms and both
forarms resting on the top. The bridge is right up there, not quite eye level
but pretty high (maybe chest level). The Dremel is then used to cut the
string ramps. The bit used is more of a rasp or burr type than a cutting
type. One bit usually does about 100 or more guitars. You can also use the
bit to cut the string groove for the bass strings and although Gibson uses it
to cut the trebles as well, I find it a bit to big and so use a needle file and or
fine tooth coping saw blade. Hope this helps.

I use a handheld dremmel but be carefule cause they cut fast and it's easy to ruin it. It does get the job done quick though.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Tommy, I assume you're referring to the ramps coming up from the holes
rather than a full proper slotting of the bridge itself. Last I checked, Gibson
was still using slotted pins rather than the unslotted pins w/slotted bridge
Terry is referring to.

For the ramps, I actually use my Foredom cutter most of the time, as a file
stroke is kind of limited by the back of the pin hole. For the main bridge
slots themselves however, I still feel better control with a saw blade then
files.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Thats right David. It's mostly the ramps for them but I use it to slot the
bridge for the bass strings as well.

Thanks for that detail from the Gibson factory, Tommy. Always useful to know how they do it, even if we don't want to do the same.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

John, what do you use for a bit? Is it just a standard drill bit, or a cutting bit? If it's a cutting bit, where do you get them?

Home made hand saw from a jig saw blade to start. then final shape with vaious diamond burrs in my Foerdom rotery tool.

[QUOTE=Mark Hanna] John, what do you use for a bit? Is it just a standard drill bit, or a cutting bit? If it's a cutting bit, where do you get them?[/QUOTE]

Mark, I think what I use is called a straight burr. It's a straight cut but not a spiral like you would use for inlay. I get them at a local tool shop were they have a bunch of odd bins with all kinds of bits and such.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.