How to Cut and Shape an Electric Guitar Body #guitarassembly

Summary

In this instructional video, Mike from Guitar Assembly demonstrates the process of cutting out and shaping a guitar body. He begins by drawing the center line and using a template to outline the guitar's shape. Safety measures like goggles and ear protection are emphasized before cutting the body on a bandsaw. Mike then refines the shape using a router, highlighting the importance of grain direction and taking multiple passes for precision. The video concludes with advice on sanding out imperfections, encouraging viewers to watch more videos and subscribe.

Takeaways

• 🎸 Mike from Guitar Assembly is demonstrating the process of cutting out and shaping a guitar body.
• 🎥 The video is part of a series where Mike films step-by-step processes throughout the guitar build.
• ✏️ The initial step is to draw the center line on the guitar body blank using a 2H pencil to avoid denting the wood.
• 📏 A template is used to draw the shape of the guitar body, aligning it with the center line and considering the grain pattern.
• 🛠️ Safety gear such as goggles and ear protection are essential, especially when using a bandsaw.
• 🔪 The bandsaw is used to roughly cut out the body shape, cutting close to the line and being cautious of the blade bending.
• 📋 The template is reapplied to the body to mark areas that need to be flush cut with a router.
• 🔩 The template is attached to the body using double-sided tape and clamped to the bench for routing.
• 🛠️ A router with a large bit is preferred for safety and efficiency when cutting the guitar body shape.
• ⚙️ The router is set up with the bit at the correct depth, ensuring the bearing runs along the template for precise cuts.
• 🔧 The body is flipped and additional bits are used to finish the shape, with attention to grain direction and router movement.
• ⏹ The final step involves sanding out imperfections and smoothing the guitar body with 80-grit sandpaper or similar.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Mike from Guitar Assembly?

The main focus of the video is to demonstrate the process of cutting out and shaping a guitar body.

What is the first step Mike takes when shaping the guitar body?

The first step is to draw the center line on the guitar body blank.

Why does Mike use a 2H pencil for drawing on the wood?

Mike uses a 2H pencil because it has a hard lead that doesn't require much pressure to mark the wood, preventing dents, while also not spreading or getting too thick, which gives a clear, fine line.

What does Mike use to trace the shape of the guitar body?

Mike uses a template to trace the shape of the guitar body.

Why does Mike choose to place the template near the bottom of the body blank?

Mike chooses to place the template near the bottom because he is going to put a top on the guitar, so the grain pattern doesn't matter to him.

What safety equipment does Mike mention is important for bandsaw work?

Mike mentions that goggles and ear protection are important for bandsaw work.

How does Mike ensure the bandsaw blade doesn't bend while cutting?

Mike ensures the bandsaw blade doesn't bend by setting the piece to be cut as low as possible under the blade to support it.

What does Mike do after roughing out the body on the bandsaw?

After roughing out the body, Mike puts the template back on, aligns it with the center line, and then flush cuts with a router to refine the shape.

Why does Mike use double-sided tape instead of super glue to attach the template to the body?

Mike uses double-sided tape instead of super glue because he doesn't have any super glue at the moment.

What type of router bit does Mike recommend for flush trimming to the template?

Mike recommends using a larger bit for flush trimming to the template as he finds it safer than using smaller bits.

How does Mike approach routing the guitar body to avoid damaging it?

Mike takes the minimum cut possible with the bearing running along the template, being mindful of grain direction, and taking multiple passes instead of trying to remove too much material at once.

What does Mike suggest doing after routing to smooth out imperfections?

Mike suggests sanding the body with 80 grit sandpaper to smooth out any imperfections, which can be done using a belt sander, disc sander, bobbin sander, or by hand if no power tools are available.