Making wooden pickup covers

[Nedagotchi]

Hello there.

First post. I am miles away from winding anything yet but am keen to make my own wooden pickup covers. I've seen some classy examples in this section and was looking for a few pointers in cutting, routing and shaping. I'm a few months into a woodturning class (as a hobby) and have bought myself a router to use at some point soon, though no routing table as yet. Any advice?

[David King]

Count your fingers!
Do you have a bandsaw? My recommendation is to rout the cavities first using a template and then cut out the pickup exterior afterwards.
I wrote a long diatribe on router template systems in the tools section. You might want to read through that. Search for "router".
Oh and welcome to the forum!

[Nedagotchi]

No band saw as yet but I know I'm going to need one.

Thanks, David. Will go have a look.

[Jim Shine]

I don't like using routers to work on anything smaller than 6"x3". Sometimes I make truss rod covers on it, but I created my templates with handles to keep my fingers far away from the bit.

[Justwannano]

Never made any covers but I'd try using the Precision Router Base (which I own and it's very nice).
Here.

[David King]

Cutting covers with a Dremel tool would take a very long time. As with routing any cavity, drilling out the bulk of the area with Forstner bits will save a lot of time and is probably safer, it's certainly quieter.
To be honest I wouldn't bother making pickup covers if I didn't have a milling machine with a 6" Kurt vise. That makes it nearly idiot proof and as safe as it could be.

[Justwannano]

Cutting covers with a Dremel tool would take a very long time. As with routing any cavity, drilling out the bulk of the area with Forstner bits will save a lot of time and is probably safer, it's certainly quieter.
To be honest I wouldn't bother making pickup covers if I didn't have a milling machine with a 6" Kurt vise. That makes it nearly idiot proof and as safe as it could be.

I build electric guitars and should not think that everyone does. Cavaties are normally hogged out with forstner bits and then shaped with the router and I would approach a pickup cover the same.
If one chooses to use a router to attempt to make covers at least try with one thats much safer for such a small job.

[John_H]

My recommendation is to rout the cavities first using a template and then cut out the pickup exterior afterwards.

This is how I go about it. Rout first, and then cut/sand to size. I found it helpful to coat the inside of the cover with two part epoxy for reinforcement before doing the final trimming.

[Peter Naglitsch]

Thats a good advice!

[Jason Rodgers]

How thin are y'all going on these covers? John's epoxy reinforcement suggestion sounds good any way you cut em, as there will be short and fragile grain resulting from one-piece construction.

[DialtonePickups]

Welcome!! Good luck with the covers if you do try it, watch your fingers!

[Nedagotchi]

How thin are y'all going on these covers? John's epoxy reinforcement suggestion sounds good any way you cut em, as there will be short and fragile grain resulting from one-piece construction.

Well, Jazz Bass covers, so I can see this is going to be tricky. I guess I'd have to make my own cavity template. All the templates I've seen are for bodies only.

I am taken with that Precision Router Set. Cheers for that, Justwannanno.

Am I out of my league here as a novice??

[Justwannano]

Routers | stewmac.com

Well, Jazz Bass covers, so I can see this is going to be tricky. I guess I'd have to make my own cavity template. All the templates I've seen are for bodies only.

I am taken with that Precision Router Set. Cheers for that, Justwannanno.

Am I out of my league here as a novice??

You're welcome.
My point is that there are different size routers and something to think about. One the size like the Bosch Colt may be perfect...as I said, I've never made covers...but I know routers.
If you attempt it and have little or no experience with a router be safe. Not much that they tear up can be repaired so if you're not cutting with it make sure it's unplugged- when changing bits or such.
There are soft start and variable speed routers so doing your homework is a good thing.

[David King]

A Jazz bass pickup cover is about as tricky as it gets. The sides are only .040 to .050" thick, (about 1 mm) and there is no router bit than can cut the tabs as part of the cover. The folks who seem to be making them are probably all using CNC and also making the bobbins a bit smaller than standard so they can increase the wall thickness. If I had to do it, and I get asked all the time, I'd glue the tabs on after making the rectangular covers. You are looking at many hours of work for a $.66 part. Best bet is to just glue a nice wood veneer to the top and be done with it. After all no one is going to see more of the cover than that top surface anyway.

Regarding router sizes, I am of the opinion that bigger is better. Too much horsepower is never a problem, it's when you don't have enough that parts and routers get thrown across the room. The wider the base the less likely it is to fall off the edge of your template and ruin your work. If all you are doing is cutting binding ledges then a little router is fine. I have three of the Bosch Colt VS that are each permanently set up for just one operation and they are great for little round-overs and trimming thin parts. I find them to be too light duty for hogging out pickup and control cavities all day. My main router is a bridgeport milling machine but I also us a 3.25 Hp Bosch and a 2HP Dewalt/Elu for the hand work. There's a reason the guitar makers generally favor pin routers with 7.5 and 10 HP motors. Check out an SCMI R8.

[big_teee]

Another option is to rout larger pickup holes.
This will accommodate larger pickups with larger pickup covers.
Just a thought.
T