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I've been putting off work on my current build for a while now, trying to figure out if I need to make/use templates to continue. I have the body cut and the tooth marks from the bandsaw smoothed out, but it's still pretty uneven all around. I just worked on it with some 80 grit and it's a bit better, but my hand won't be able to keep up at this rate, and work is very slow.

I bought a big sheet of MDF last week, intending to make a body template to route from. Is that how a lot of you do it? Template first, route from that? Or is it common to just bandsaw and smooth by hand? Also, for those of you using templates, how thick should the MDF be? I'm worried the sheet I bought is too thin for a flush trim bit to follow safely.

Templates for routing are the only way to go. You can cut out a template that is 1/2" thick or so, and sand it to the shape you want very easily compared to trying to sand a whole guitar body down to the shape you want. A spindle sander helps either way. Once you have the template though, a couple passes with the router and you are good to go. BTW, I use 1/2" particle board for my templates.

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

Lots of guys use templates and a router to trim the sides square and flush. That is probaably the best way to go, and although I imagine it could be done with a hand held router, I'd bet most of them use a router table and a long bit.
I use a jigsaw to cut my bodies, about 1/8" to 1/16" from the line, and finish up by hand using a surform to hog away most of the material until I get to the line, then I switch to a big 10'' bastard file and use what's known as draw filing to get it smooth, then finish up with sandpaper. Works just fine for me, but I've found that you have to be very conscious of getting a nice, square edge. I stop often, look at it from every angle under natural light(sunlight), and use my hands to feel for any unevenness in the wood. My method probably takes longer, but I'm not running a race here, I'm building something with my two hands, and I like to do things simply and by hand as much as possible.
Not saying hand is better than machine work, just that it's much more enjoyable for me to feel the wood under my hands. Plus, there's much less noise and it feels much more to me like building than it would using more power tools. It's better for me and my enjoyment.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I use 1/4 in luan for my template mdf will work to. Draw the lines on the wood from template. Rough it out with bandsaw. Clamp template to the rough and workbench then use hand held router with bearing guide being VERY careful around the horns and moving clamps as needed. Then let sanding and final hand shaping begin

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Build it cause then you know it's Made in the USA or **insert your country**

I bandsaw it out, then smooth it with an oscillating spindle sander, then I use hard sanding blocks to make it smooth and clean. Works great!

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Thanks for all the suggestions. I've been using a spindle sander after roughing it out on the bandsaw, but it's still pretty uneven. I think the MDF I got will be too thin. Definitely less than 1/2". Probably about 1/8" actually. Maybe I'll glue two pieces (or more) since I already have it.

Next step for me is to figure out a router table situation. I just got a Freud 3 1/4 HP router, but the table I have is too small for it. Any suggestions? I checked out some old threads about it, and it seems like a lot of people build their own router tables. Anyone have a good set of plans? Cheap parts list?

Thanks so much for all the great advice. I've been lurking here for a while and have found all the information and talent around here to be remarkable.

Here's one that might be all you ever need, or at least it'll be a good starting point.

http://www.bobsplans.com/BobsPlans/RouterTable/RouterTable.htm


If that one doesn't work for you, hopefully you can find something you like in these.
http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2007/03/03/toolcribcoms-ultimate-guide-to-free-router-table-plans/

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Aoibeann

hey, thanks lillian!
alan

i have done it both ways, bandsaw and a spindle sander arent to bad, but it you take the time to make a template it is much nicer in my opinion, and much less time consuming.

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~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

Well Gabby

The truth be known, me keep a beaver chained up under my work bench
while strobe flashing pics of the desired shape at him and then throw him a hunk of wood.

He does a really good job. From there on in me just rough sand off his teeth marks on the end of me belt sander.

blessings
be
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Yeah, I'd love to have a Nicholson, but haven't been able to budget it. Hence the surform, which hogs wood away really fast, followed by the bastard file, which actually leaves a pretty smooth surface. Another reason I've avoided slapping the money down for the Nicholson is that I'm not sure I'd get any better results than I'm already getting with what I've got.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

i started out with nothing but a handsaw rasps and planes. PAIN IN THE ARSE. then to bandsaw and beltsander. not precise enough. then onto template and router. OH YES! 14" mdf will do the job. jigsaws have a fishtail effect where the blade bends in a fishtail manner (you dont say) so you will never keep the line square. as little sanding as possible i reckon. a jigsaw would work fine for the template then router. you could set this up for less than £100 and keep it under your bed if space is tight.