Official Luthiers Forum!

I am wanting to cut the slot deepr in a stock martin neck , I thought it would be easy enough to get a box core bit 3/8 0r 7/16 and just run the router a few times . but I am unable to find any with the guide bearing top of the cutter, is there another way to do this using basic shop, hand tools . thanks Jody

You can use a very sharp chisel, checking your depth often, or a router plane. Scribe the sides of the channel with a knife to keep the side walls even.

Cheers

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Horton, MI

You can make a reasonably long stick that just fits into the truss rod slot and put sand paper on the bottom. I have done this before. It works well if you only have to remove a little.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

If you have a drill press you could make a fence, set the depth you want and drill a series holes with a fornster bit. You can clean up with a chisel used like a scraper.
You could also find a bit with the bearing on top (they are out there ) that was smaller in dia. than your exsisting slot. (Much safer that way work from one side then the other. ) You would most likely have to clamp a piece of wood the length of the neck to extend the sides of the existing slot for a bearing guide as using the sides of your exsisting slot might not work out for depth if the bit was too long.
You could also use a template guide on your router with a straight bit. again a straight board clamped the right distance from your slot to compensate for the difference between the bit and guide and go from both sides.
A plunge router is safest in all cases but can be done carefuly with a standard router.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

For a 3/8" slot here's the bit. It's called a Dado clean out cutter.
In the olden days the made these without a bearing, so you could get smaller diameters.
http://www.amanatool.com/routerbits/dad ... 475-s.html
-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

Thanks Kirt,Todd,Brock,Link, and Chas, for taking the time to reply , thanks for the many ideas , I should be able to pull it off with one , or a combination of several, thanks Jody