Making Flatwork

[Rosscoinc]

I've been hearing formica kicked around.
I haven't tried it.
Is it easily glued with super glue?
Not sure the exact application.
I'm sure it could be used like forbon and the fancy colors on top would look cool.
I make some Strat neck pickups with non standard hole spacing.
With no plastic cover available to fit the pickup, The formica would look cool as a top piece of the bobbin.
T

Hmmm, Formica...Did a little research and so far that looks very interesting. I wonder how it would effect a PUP tonally?

[Joe Gwinn]

Hmmm, Formica...Did a little research and so far that looks very interesting. I wonder how it would effect a PUP tonally?

Gives it that 1950s Kitchen sound.

[Beef Coon]

This is an older, but good, thread so thought I'd just bring it back.

Can anyone recommend
1. a decent routing table / stand that isn't going to break the bank. I'm pretty sure a bench-top table is what I want.
2. Router for table

This will be used exclusively, for now, to make flatwork.
Thanks.

[copperheadroads]

I think those little table top router tables are junk ,I have one & I never use it ,but it should get the job done for flatwork .
My router table for the past few years , has been a 3' x 3' piece of 5/8" MDF screwed to work stand & the router screwed up through the mdf .

[Rick Turner]

The most reasonable way to make vulcanized fiber (one brand name is Forbon) flatwork is to send it out to a place that does CNC laser cutting. The stuff cuts like a dream, tolerances are pretty unbelievable, and it is safe. My son and I just redesigned my humbucker flatwork and we're having the pieces laser cut locally for about a buck a piece. One place that can do it is Gurian in Seattle.

[Rick Turner]

Formica works great for flatwork, but it doesn't like laser cutting. Up 'til now, all my bobbin flanges have been Formica cut on a table saw and drilled on a drill press; I don't need them to be pretty, they get encased in a potting shell with epoxy. In the redesign, I went to electrical grade .030" vulcanized fiber...basically thick "fish paper"...which I get from McMaster Carr. You can get it thicker.

[Joe Gwinn]

I think those little table top router tables are junk ,I have one & I never use it ,but it should get the job done for flatwork .
My router table for the past few years , has been a 3' x 3' piece of 5/8" MDF screwed to work stand & the router screwed up through the mdf .

Get one made of cast iron in China, for small dollars. Then do some adapting - cast iron is easy to work. Heavier is better.

[RedHouse]

...we're having the pieces laser cut locally for about a buck a piece. One place that can do it is Gurian in Seattle.

Yeah, Gurian are in my area, I contacted them about doing some work a few years ago, they have (or had) a $200 MOQ, but were not very cool (attitude) about doing anything for me. Kind'a made me feel like I was bothering them with my inquiry so I moved on and didn't look back.
YMMV

BTW, is "Formica" the same material as "Masonite"?
(maybe just different brand names or something)

[Lucas]

still a noob here. never built a pickup but I am doing a lot of reading and research so please be gentle.
would pcb material work? I would imagine that copper clad board or a fabricated pcb with copper pour/plane might be advantageous if shielding is desirable.

[Rick Turner]

"Formica", a brand name for HPL (High Pressure Laminate) and Masonite, a brand name for what is basically highly compressed and bonded sawdust, and not the same. For flatwork, Masonite would likely be totally inappropriate, and I'm not even sure it's available in less than 1/8" thickness. PCB material is fine, but not so easy to cut unless you can scare up some of the old paper/phenolic kind. The fiberglass/epoxy stuff is a drag to work with using low tech tools. Great if you've got a CNC or send the work out.

[Rick Turner]

A mild suggestion...

Learn to use a search engine like Google if you want to know what various materials are.

[Rick Turner]

re. Gurian:

He caters to professional guitar makers and does not really do custom or retail business.

Also, if you tried to get in touch with him two years ago, he was dealing with the death of his son, Aram, who was fatally injured in a logging accident.

Once again, try Google for more info if you care.

[RedHouse]

A mild suggestion...

Learn to use a search engine like Google if you want to know what various materials are.

Mild reply...

Try harder to be less of an arse!.

[Rick Turner]

Touchy, touchy, touchy!

Brad, you can stuff it.

Too many people on too many forums seem to be unaware of how to search for information on the Internet. And then they ask questions on forums and often get bad information. I don't see what is so wrong about suggesting that if someone wants to know the real difference between, for instance, Formica and Masonite, that they should simply go look up those terms on Google. Why ask a bunch of pickup winding dweebs (of whom I am one) about whether these materials are the same? No, they're not, but for what they are, one is likely to get much better information elsewhere, and Google is a good place to start, and that would lead one to:
Formica Group - Leading HPL Design, Manufacturing, Distribution and Interior Doors,Entry Doors,Exterior Doors,Glass Doors-Masonite

I don't know about you, Brad, but I like to do pretty deep research into any and all materials I use. A forum like this may be good for suggestions re. applications for various products, but it's not the best place for a deeper understanding of how those materials are made, what they're made from, etc.

There are some real researchers here, and I have great respect for them. Then there are the noobs who should learn how to do research. Then there are the touchy ones who react to any perceived slight.

Toughen up a bit. And don't go calling people arses until you inspect your own for your head...

[David King]

Hi Rick,
"LMGTFY" is the netizens standard reply and it works pretty well and it's exactly what you did.
Brad is going to try to mess with you, that's what he does. Best just ignore him like the rest of us. If you searched here for threads relating to Brad being less than solicitous you would find a plethora but luckily he also contributes useful info from time to time so we don't mind so much.