Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Talk about modding or building your own guitar from scratch.
Post Reply
User avatar
jonnyrocket
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:44 am

Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by jonnyrocket » Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:43 am

Hi, I recently got a Dynamic Vibrato plate for the American Profesional Mustang and I'm hoping to install it on my Kurt Cobain Mustang. What tool would you recommend to make a small route for this to fit on my current guitar. I am including an image of the body of an American Professional Mustang so that you can see about how big is the area I need to route. It seems like it's not that much but I have never routed before so I'm unsure how difficult this would be. The area in question is the rectangular area where the Dynamic Vibrato plate goes.

I have been looking at routers and oratory tools like Dremel and I am unsure if a Dremel would be sufficient for this. I have also read that some poeple use chisels for such small tasks.

I look forward to your suggestions!

Cheers,
Jon

Image

User avatar
HNB
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 13513
Joined: Tue May 10, 2011 7:55 am
Location: Puyallup, Washington
Contact:

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by HNB » Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:20 am

I would just use my router. Tape the square area off to avoid scratching the body up and to use as a shape template. :D Dremel would work but would take me longer than using my router and be less even and clean. Chisel would take the longest for me and also be less even and neat. They do make smaller routers if you are worried a standard one is too big for that job.

You could also use a drill press and a forestner bit if you don't have a router. It is pretty easy to control and you can set the depth to be consistent. A lot of people use that before routing anyways and use the router to neaten it up.
Christopher
Lilith Guitars

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by hexes » Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:09 am

forstner bit on a drill press with a depth stop to knock out most of the wood, then a router with a straight bit with a bearing to clean up the sides and bottom. you'd clamp down some fences onto the guitar to guide the router bearing along for a straight edge.

the issue with routers is that they're very fast and like to grab ahold of wood. using cheaper bits and working too fast without drilling some of that wood out first can scorch the wood and destroy the router bit. I'm with HNB though, I'd just go very slowly with the router over multiple passes (increasing depth more and more each pass).

if you have access to a drill press and router; practice first. it's quite easy as long as you are patient and secure any templates/fences for the router.

User avatar
jonnyrocket
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2012 6:44 am

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by jonnyrocket » Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:46 am

Thanks hexes and HNB for your help!

Since I don't see myself routing nor using it that much in the future, I would like to get the least devices possible. If i were to go the router way, would one that comes with a fixed and a plunge base be sufficient? The only other routing jobs I might have in mind in the near future are to enlarge the trem cavity on my strat to allow for the block to have more movement and a narrow channel around my Jazzmaster pickup cavity to install an Ilitch noiseless system.

Here you can see an image of the narrow cavity needed for the Ilitch system.
Image

For enlarging the strat trem cavity I think I only need to remove a very small amount of wood around the trem block. For some reason the trem block on my strat is not exactly centered and the edges are quite close to the block. Would any of the below routers work as well or would a Dremel attachment like this one be a better solution:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dremel-36-i ... /100019434
I'm assuming a router might not be the best. Are there

I have seen these so far:
Dewalt with both a fixed and a plunge base
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-12-A ... /301664695

Bosch with both a fixed and a plunge base
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-12-Am ... /100341666

Porter Cable with only a plunge base (they sell fixed base separately)
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-Cabl ... /203054726

If i were to get any of these, I should use the plunge base first to remove as much wood as possible with a foster bit correct? Then use the fixed base with a straight bit with a bearing to clean up the sides an bottom right?

Thanks again for all your help!

Jon

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by hexes » Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:33 pm

We have the bosch with fixed and plunge bases at work and they're very serviceable. I have an ancient 1980s black and decker that chugs along beautifully. I haven't used a dremel as a
router before, but there are attachments including a plunging base. I'd just go extremely slow and carefully if you go that rout(e) ha.

With a router alone, you could use a 1/2" straight bit and slowly plunge out the majority of the wood instead of using a forstner drill bit, then clean up with the fixed base, or just use the fixed base on your (taped over) body and just make several passes lowering the bit like 1/16" each time. i'd avoid drill bits in a router, and a drill press isn't totally necessary (just the best bet if you had access to one)

you can freehand if you're very careful the majority of the cavity, then use straight edges for the final outer passes. I've become comfortable free handing with a router to within 1/8" of my cut line, but it's a terrifying tool.
Last edited by hexes on Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
timtam
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2729
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:42 am
Location: Melbourne

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by timtam » Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:43 pm

jonnyrocket wrote:
Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:46 am
... would a Dremel attachment like this one be a better solution:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dremel-36-i ... /100019434
Dremels don't really have the power/bit sizes for deep routing in wood. Their router attachments are more for intricate shallow work like inlays, acoustic bridge saddle slots, etc. I have had those long flex-shaft attachments (in your link) both for real Dremels and cheap Chinese copies. They lose a lot of torque in the transmission. Very handy for drilling small holes at difficult angles or with more precise control (eg pickguard and tuner screw holes), small-scale fine sanding etc, but nothing too strenuous.

Here's a guy doing a simple rout enlargement with a trim router. You can possibly get by without the template if you clamp fences to the top as previously suggested.
https://youtu.be/Be8gV3kKvqg?t=298
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

User avatar
jthomas
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1209
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2013 12:44 pm
Location: Downeast Maine

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by jthomas » Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:58 pm

Harbor Freight sells a little finishing router ($29 on sale as I recall) but you would also have to buy or borrow a bit.

https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-24- ... 62659.html

User avatar
hexes
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 793
Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 3:59 pm

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by hexes » Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:18 pm

jthomas wrote:
Fri Jan 15, 2021 6:58 pm
Harbor Freight sells a little finishing router ($29 on sale as I recall) but you would also have to buy or borrow a bit.

https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-24- ... 62659.html
good suggestion for just a small amount of work. grizzly has one too, but after I 'bought' it; it immediately shows up as discontinued. bummer! they have the updated model for $46.

User avatar
Gordon
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 1510
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:22 am
Location: France/USA/Singapore
Contact:

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by Gordon » Sat Jan 16, 2021 2:16 am

For a small job like this, just get a budget chisel. It may not look like a pretty job ultimately, but it'll be hidden. A Dremel can do to, but you'll need/want extra bits, and it gets costly quickly.
Graphic designer (comics stuff, Doctor Who, Star Wars...): https://www.instagram.com/monsieurgordon/ \o/

User avatar
ThePearDream
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2072
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 6:18 am
Location: Detroit
Contact:

Re: Tool for small route on Cobain Mustang

Post by ThePearDream » Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:14 pm

I agree with Gordon. Get a chisel and some scrap wood to practice on. Your work will be hidden and this isn't a vintage guitar. If you aren't experienced with routers or dremels, things can go wrong fast, but the chisel will let you take your time.

Also, spending $100+ on a tool you don't expect to use again is pretty silly. Spend that on a pedal.
Doug
@dpcannafax

Post Reply