Official Luthiers Forum!

While at Lowes Home Improvement I looked for a skinny blade for my Jigsaw. Since the bridgepin holes are 3/16 max, what blades should you use in the saw?

Here is a pic, it measures with a ruler slightly larger than 3/16 " but I have no caliper handy. These are 10 tpi blades for a black and decker product.



My guess is you'd have to jam it down in and that worries me? Any ideas or suggestions? TIA

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Grind the back down until it is small enough.  You might also want to check the kerf.  I know Bosch makes some fine cut wood blades that are pretty thin.  I'll check in my shop.  I know I have some .  I'll measure them.  They have that same "T" type top.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I use some sheet metal Vise Grips that have really wide jaws (around 2"-3"). I just grip the jig saw blade (teeth facing you) with the Vise grips) and leave the back exposed a tad and take it to the belt sander. Makes quick and even work of narrowing a blade.

If you are still cuttng slots by hand toss the wooden dowell handled tool and chuck that new thin blade in your jig saw. Makes quick work of slotting the bridge pin holes. I learned this trick from our residant Grumpy guitar builder from way up north ;)

Another trick (of mine) is to take a scrap piece of padded or cushioned Linoleum and cut out a piece large enough to cover your guitar top. Now cut out a hole for the bridge and place this on the top. This will protect the top while you work on the bridge. I also use a piece with a slot cut out for the FB while doing fret work.

_________________
tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Waddy and Tim,
Thanks for the suggestions. I heard Grumpy talking this up way back when. It wasn't until David Collins shared his visuals of actual pins and cross sections that made me think seriously about switching.

Then I looked for a blade that would slip through a 3/16 inch hole and well, it just doesn't seem to exist. Your suggestions are just what I needed guys, thanks.

Tim, I really like the linoleum idea. I may even have some scraps around from when I built my house.

Grumpy, see we do listen sometimes, even if it takes a couple years.   

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Would scroll saw blades be too flexible or too thin?

_________________
Aoibeann

[QUOTE=Jody]

you might want to use a "down cut" blade, blades that
cut on the up stroke tend to chip out, where with a down cut blade the
chip would be inside the guitar .. if it happens   Jody

[/QUOTE]

It may seem counterintuitive, but I favor exactly the opposite. When I
bought a blade already mounted in a handle years back, the first thing I
did was pull it out and reverse it to cut on the up stroke. Chips on the
outside only can be easily taken care of if they happen, while I feel chips
on the inside will be left behind and have a potentially meaningful impact
on the plate. Probably doesn't make much difference though, as long you
just get a fine enough tooth blade.

For the final width and shaping I use some nut files (joint edge files) that
I cut in half lengthwise and ground the back edge to lower their profile. I
don't know If I would have made them just for this, but I had originally
made them for getting at Resonator guitar saddles. Since I had a set
ground like this anyway, I found they work beautifully for cleaning and
ramping the slots, though I usually use my Foredom for the ramping.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Yep, scroll saw blades work dandy.

[QUOTE=Jody]

you might want to use a "down cut" blade, blades that cut on the up stroke tend to chip out, where with a down cut blade the chip would be inside the guitar .. if it happens   Jody

[/QUOTE]

A blade that cuts on the downstroke will tend to chip the bridge plate.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I use a coping saw blade... up strokes when I'm cutting into the bridge plate and down when cutting the bridge. Then down strokes to get a final fit.

long

_________________
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” -Heraclitus of Ephesus

[QUOTE=Howard Klepper] [QUOTE=Jody]

you might want to use a "down cut" blade, blades that cut on the up stroke tend to chip out, where with a down cut blade the chip would be inside the guitar .. if it happens   Jody

[/QUOTE]

A blade that cuts on the downstroke will tend to chip the bridge plate.[/QUOTE]

 

 thanks  I stand corrected...jody

How about a 1/16" downcut bit in a dremel using a stew-mac base? I know a local guy that uses this method, but I've never done it myself. I will on the next few guitars and let you know how it works. He says it takes about 5 min and its perfect. I've seen his work, and it looks like a CNC made the cut.
Tracy

_________________
Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com