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.

Outlines

00:00

🎸 Crafting the Guitar Body Shape

Mike from Guitar Assembly introduces a video tutorial on shaping a guitar body. He begins by emphasizing the importance of safety gear such as goggles and ear protection. Mike uses a 2H pencil to draw a centerline on the guitar body blank, ensuring a precise and clean line without damaging the wood. He then aligns a template with the centerline and draws around it to outline the guitar's shape. The tutorial proceeds to cutting out the shape with a bandsaw, highlighting the need for a low and steady cut to avoid blade bending. After roughing out the body, Mike reattaches the template to refine the shape using a router. He opts for a larger router bit for safety and efficiency, demonstrating how to route along the template's edge to achieve a clean and precise cut. The paragraph concludes with a preview of the next steps, which include sanding out imperfections.

05:00

🔧 Finalizing the Guitar Body with Routing

In the second paragraph, Mike continues the guitar body shaping process by changing the router bit and flipping the body to finish the cut. He uses a bearing bit to ensure a flush cut against the template, which is crucial for achieving a smooth and accurate body shape. Mike advises taking multiple passes with the router to avoid kick-outs and damage to the body, emphasizing the importance of being mindful of grain direction and router movement. He also shares tips on how to avoid common routing issues by adjusting the router's direction based on the wood's resistance. After completing the routing, Mike suggests using an 80-grit sandpaper to smooth out any imperfections, whether by hand or with a sander. The paragraph ends with a reminder to watch other videos and a call to action for viewers to like and subscribe.

Keywords

💡Guitar Assembly

Guitar assembly refers to the process of putting together the various components of a guitar to create a complete musical instrument. In the context of the video, Mike from Guitar Assembly is demonstrating how to shape a guitar body, which is a crucial part of the assembly process. The video focuses on the steps involved in cutting out and shaping the body, which is integral to the final assembly of the guitar.

💡Guitar Body Blank

A guitar body blank is a piece of wood that has been cut and shaped into a rough form that will eventually become the body of a guitar. In the video, Mike mentions using a guitar body blank that was previously jointed, indicating that this is the raw material he will be working on to create the final guitar shape.

💡Templates

Templates are flat patterns or guides used to replicate shapes or designs. In the video, Mike uses a template to draw the shape of the guitar body onto the blank. This ensures that the final shape of the guitar will match the design of the template, which is a common practice in guitar building to achieve consistency in the final product.

💡Bandsaw

A bandsaw is a type of saw with a long, sharp blade that loops in a continuous band around two or more wheels. In the video, Mike takes the guitar body blank to the bandsaw to cut out the rough shape. The bandsaw is used for its ability to make precise cuts along the lines drawn with the template, which is essential for achieving the desired shape of the guitar body.

💡Router

A router is a power tool that a worker uses to rout (hollow out), shape, or contour an object, typically of wood or plastic. In the video, Mike uses a router to refine the shape of the guitar body after the initial cut with the bandsaw. The router is used with a template to ensure that the final shape is accurate and smooth.

💡Center Line

The center line is a reference line used in woodworking and guitar building to ensure symmetry and proper alignment of parts. In the video, Mike draws the center line on the guitar body blank to ensure that the template is aligned correctly before cutting and routing the shape of the guitar.

💡Grain Pattern

The grain pattern refers to the natural pattern of the wood's fibers, which can affect the look and sound of a guitar. In the video, Mike mentions considering the grain pattern when aligning the template with the center line, as it can influence the aesthetic of the finished guitar.

💡Pencil Lead

Pencil lead refers to the core material inside a pencil that leaves marks on a surface. Mike specifies using a 2H pencil with hard lead, which is less likely to dent the wood but still provides a clear, thin line. This is important for accurately transferring the template's design onto the guitar body blank.

💡Double-Sided Tape

Double-sided tape is a type of adhesive tape with a sticky side on each side. In the video, Mike uses double-sided tape to attach the template to the guitar body blank before routing. This is a temporary method to hold the template in place while the router follows its shape.

💡Router Bits

Router bits are the cutting tools used in a router to shape and contour materials. Mike discusses different router bits, including a large bit for initial cutting and a bearing bit for finishing. The choice of bit affects the safety and precision of the routing process, which is critical for achieving a clean and accurate guitar body shape.

💡Sanding

Sanding is the process of smoothing a surface by rubbing it with an abrasive material. After routing, Mike mentions sanding the guitar body to remove imperfections such as bandsaw marks. Sanding is an essential step in finishing the guitar body, ensuring a smooth and polished appearance.

Highlights

Introduction to the process of cutting out and shaping a guitar body.

Emphasis on safety measures such as goggles and ear protection when using a bandsaw.

Use of a 2H pencil for drawing on the guitar body blank to avoid damaging the wood.

Explanation of how to align the template with the center line of the guitar body.

Importance of considering grain pattern when positioning the template on the body.

Demonstration of cutting out the guitar body shape using a bandsaw.

Technique for attaching the template to the guitar body using double-sided tape.

Use of a router to refine the guitar body shape after bandsaw cutting.

Selection of the appropriate router bit for flush trimming to the template.

Advice on taking multiple passes with the router to avoid kick-outs and damage.

Mention of changing router bits to finish off the guitar body shape.

Technique for using a bearing bit to ensure a flush cut against the template.

Importance of being mindful of grain direction when routing.

Final steps in routing the guitar body and addressing imperfections.

Recommendation for sanding out imperfections using various sanding methods.

Conclusion and call to action for viewers to like, subscribe, and watch other videos.

Transcripts

hi i'm mike from guitar assembly and in

this video i'm going to show you how to

cut out and shape your guitar body

um please like and subscribe and i hope

you enjoy the video

[Music]

okay this is the same guitar body blank

that you see me

joined in in a previous video and i'm

going to be doing

most of this build i'm going to film and

just do step-by-step processes

throughout the build for you so but this

one what we're going to be doing

is with templates drawing on our guitar

body

cutting it out and and then routing

um the shape in uh using a template in a

router

so we start with simply drawing on the

center line first

and we'll draw that on exactly where the

body was jointed

just make marks around so i can see that

i'm using a

2h pencil it has

hard lead in it so you don't have to

push too hard to

like to kind of dent the wood but it

stops the um

the pencil line kind of spreading off or

getting fat gives a nice

pin line on the blank

we'll grab a template this is just one

of the models that i make

and then basically we're going to line

it up for the center line

from the guitar and lining it up with a

center line on the body

and kind of moving it up and down

depends on

where you want the grain

pattern on your guitar this makes no

difference to me because i'm putting a

top on this

anyway so i'm just going to bring it

right away down the bottom

and draw around

so now the shape's drawn on we can take

it to the bandsaw to cut

out so before we start um goggles

and ear protection these can squeal

sometimes so

having ear protection for the bandsaw

work is quite important

um self bandsaw make sure

that piece can pass under it

i always have this quite low

you know as close to as possible

so that i can uh so he doesn't bend the

blade helps to support the blade

so

okay so we've now finished just kind of

roughing out the body

uh cutting close to the line where i

could and

this stuff and obviously cutting these

are a bit of a pain

um so so now we're gonna

put the template back on

line it up the center line again

and then you can kind of see what needs

to be

taken off and flush cut with a router

so that's what we're going to do next

obviously we need to attach

this to the body so you can either do

the fun masking tape and super glue

trick

which genuinely i do do but annoyingly i

don't have any super glue

right now so just be just a couple of

lines of double-sided tape on there

just to attach that on and then we'll

clamp it to the bench and route it out

um now we're going to put the bit into

the router obviously i've done

a video before on

uh router bits and which ones we use for

cutting this you know flush trimming

to the template generally i would use

this one

but today

i'm going to use this beast

for cutting it's just

having having a larger bit i always find

it

so much safer than using these smaller

bits

on these there is is a line

on them to kind of show you how how far

the shaft needs to go into the collet

so now the router's set up

to start cutting we're going to um

just take it to the side and take a

plunge down

um the the full plunge doesn't

it's not going to take all of the body

uh it's not you're not going to be able

to rout everything

all together and so we will have to flip

it and change the bit to another bit

um to finish it off so

what we're going to do is we're just

going to line up

and take the minimum cut that we can

with the bearing running along the

template

so locking that off in some areas of the

body there is

still quite a bit of meat on there

so just when you're when you're kind of

attacking that

taking it in a few passes instead of

slamming it in

and trying to take it all all at the

same time

and that will you know stop you from

getting kick-outs and

any issues with damaging the body during

the route

so so just take it

and obviously be be mindful of uh grain

direction

end grain and kind of which way you're

you're moving the router if you if you

if you're moving the router and you kind

of

feel it um moving fast enough

um then change the direction that you're

routing

so just just be mindful and just just

take it slowly

and that's you know you'll get the best

results just taking taking your time

with it

[Music]

right so now i'm going to change over

the bits and flip the body

so i've grabbed got one of these bits

again it's a it's a bearing bit straight

cut

the bearings on the bottom so what we're

going to do is we're going to

flip the body and then we'll

plunge down and then just finish off

so this bearing is going to is going to

run across what we've

already cut and basically cutting this

flush and then that will finish

the guitar body shape again route is set

up with a new beam

um we're going to take that plunge down

get it set up

so it's running so the bearing is

running across the body

let's just finish the shape

so there you go finish the

routing obviously there's you know a few

imperfections

um little bandsaw mark

um which i'll sand out

um but overall

um not bad

there you go so what i would do now is

just go over with um

some 80 grit just to kind of take out

all the imperfections you can do that on

your belt sander disc sander bobbing

sand or whichever type of sander you

have

or by hand if you don't have any of

those

and just basically go around now and

kind of smooth out

or any any kind of imperfections which

you shouldn't have too many

um but there will be a few lumps and

bumps that you need to take out

so um thanks for watching and check out

the other videos and please don't forget

to like and subscribe