anybody use .187 magnets with stewmac flatwork

[copperheadroads]

i need to make a couple of sets of strat pups for a guy & all my magnets are .187" and all i got is stewmac flatwork which the hole in the top is .185" and the bottom is .190" these are made for .195" magnets . i already made some of these with the help of some CA which is holding up good even a overwound set that i made last fall . so i was wondering if anybody have tried this & will it hold up over time

[copperheadroads]

bump

[Possum]

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I never used those for .187" because I couldn't make the bottom flat work stable enough, so I would rout out my own bottoms and use their tops. Just buy .187" flatwork from Mojo, they have both types and grey bottom ones too if you need that...

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

Possum, what do you mean by not stable enough? I think I've had similar problems, but I assumed it was operator error. I use a different material altogether for other pickups, so stewmac is all I've used for 6 pole flatwork.

[Possum]

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the .187" magnets fall through the holes in the bottom flatwork, uhmmmm, thats kinda unstable I took thought I'd try gluing them, but you just can't really get them all straight and waste too much time trying to make it work. When I started, all my flatwork I made myself using plexi router templates, so since I don't make .187" tele or strat stuff very often I'd use the top flat from SM and make my own bottom pieces. Thank God for Mojo coming along and saving the day. Getting your own stuff lasered is too big an investment for me...

[FunkyKikuchiyo]

d'oh, sorry, I realized I misread what you said initially. I thought you said SM stuff wasn't fitting right for its own spec stuff. Neevvverrrrmiinnnddd........

[Spence]

I bought some Stew Mac flatwork because I wanted to see how good it was. The odd size holes are a major issue and I'm convinced that the top and bottom pieces are from different suppliers. Utterly hopeless and not what you would expect from them really.

[Zhangliqun]

Stewmac's Strat flatwork is useless for .187's but they're fine for .194 and above. You have to do some deburring and sanding to avoid string snags but they're otherwise fine. That said, I may get into just making my own. Going to have to make some custom-spaced Strat pu's for a guy soon anyway.

[Bill M]

Anyone ever take notice that the stew mac top bobbin flange width is narrower than vintage. Vintage is approx. .610, stew macs are approx. .590. The few I've had were that width anyway. Thats why I don't use theirs. Better to have them made yourself.

Possum, Actually getting your own lasered is not that expensive. I found a person near me that did laser engraving who isn't that expensive. I'm sure there must be someone near you that can do it.

[Possum]

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the problem with getting your own laser guy to do cutting is you have to supply the stock. So then you have to hunt all over hell to find a match to the old Forbon that I guess is no longer made. Mojo Supply will cut custom bobbins for you, supply the stock, and give you a good price. It just works for me so I stick with them and their stuff doesn't have weird hole sizes like StewMac's do.

[Bill M]

the problem with getting your own laser guy to do cutting is you have to supply the stock. So then you have to hunt all over hell to find a match to the old Forbon that I guess is no longer made. Mojo Supply will cut custom bobbins for you, supply the stock, and give you a good price. It just works for me so I stick with them and their stuff doesn't have weird hole sizes like StewMac's do.

I totally agree with you that mojo flat work is very good. I've used them and still do for some things. Finding the proper forbon can be a little tricky but can be done. Having to buy it in 4x 8 foot sheets, now thats another story.

[achase4u]

Oliner quoted me on the right sizes once... could drop ship them to a laser company. I drew some up and sent the CAD to RMS laser - they were nice there and sent samples and they were perfect. At my small quantities of 100 pcs per part - it was too expensive. About a buck per top, and a buck per bottom.

Nice folks there though.

I had trouble with stewmacs flatwork before for strats. I like the tele stuff though. The strat top flatwork seemed to have a narrower spread for the poles, and a cover wouldnt go on. You could see a pretty major slant of the poles when assembled... I got through a bunch of them before that without a problem though.