Tighter spaced Strat flatwork

[Zhangliqun]

A tighter spaced Strat pu for the neck position has been at the back of my mind for years ever since I saw that Kinman does this, but I've never gotten around to making one.

Now I have a customer requesting this so it's time to get at it. Is there a quick down-n-dirty way to make a 49.2mm template for Strat flatwork? The idea that just now popped into my mind was using a humbucker screw bobbin and clamping it down on some forbon and using the polepiece holes as a guide. Not a permanent solution but I could drill a hunk of metal with it for a longer-lasting guide.

From there I could ream the holes until they're wide enough for the rod-mags.

That's my idea but I'm all ears for better ones.

[automan]

Are you also going to be making the covers or will the pickup design need to incorporate that?

For a one off, i would double sided tape the hb bobbin to the forbon and work it from that angle.

[Magnut]

Lately for templates I've been using OpenOffice.org draw program. It's freeware.

The draw program allows you to draw lines, shapes, objects then you can edit the properties and position. You can draw a line then edit the x/y position or draw a 49.2 mm box, copy,paste line the left side up with the right side, draw a perpendicular line though the center of all the boxes and that will give you points (cross hairs)

Print out your drawing, tape it down to your material, then center punch each intersecting line and just like that you have custom repeatable pattern. It's great, I love it!

I used this for bobbins and for template to layout parts for a winder. It was flawless and works for both U.S. and Metric. Best part.... It's free!

[Zhangliqun]

Good ideas, keep 'em coming. The little hamster in my head is starting to turn the wheel...

[David Schwab]

Are you also going to be making the covers or will the pickup design need to incorporate that?

He can get closed covers and drill them.

[Zhangliqun]

Drilling closed covers is what I was thinking.