Clean bridge plate holes

Materials used - making - placing - gluing to the sound-board <-----<<< got to get this right!
Tim Benware
Posts: 1489
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:22 pm
Location: Asheboro, NC

Clean bridge plate holes

Post by Tim Benware » Sun Jun 09, 2013 10:50 pm

One of my pet peeves is bridge pins holes with splinters across them. Here's how I get clean holes.
Attachments
I take a piece of scrap about 1&quot; x 3&quot;, in this case a piece of mahogany and use double sided tape to stick it to a cam clamp.
I take a piece of scrap about 1" x 3", in this case a piece of mahogany and use double sided tape to stick it to a cam clamp.
IMG_4305 (800x600) (800x600).jpg (446.25 KiB) Viewed 825 times
Then I clamp it to the bridge plate.
Then I clamp it to the bridge plate.
IMG_4306 (800x600) (800x600).jpg (366.86 KiB) Viewed 825 times
Drill the outside hole (here are two sets because I am finishing 2 guitars).
Drill the outside hole (here are two sets because I am finishing 2 guitars).
IMG_4308 (800x600) (800x600).jpg (363.5 KiB) Viewed 825 times
Next drill all the way through the block.
Next drill all the way through the block.
IMG_4309 (800x600) (800x600).jpg (378.49 KiB) Viewed 825 times
A couple screws and wing nuts to re-attach it to the plate.
A couple screws and wing nuts to re-attach it to the plate.
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Drill the remaining 4 holes...
Drill the remaining 4 holes...
IMG_4312 (800x600) (800x600).jpg (351.98 KiB) Viewed 825 times
... and Voila! Clean holes.
... and Voila! Clean holes.
IMG_4315 (800x306).jpg (183.66 KiB) Viewed 825 times
I've "Ben-Had" again!
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC

Dave Bagwill
Posts: 5951
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:44 pm

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by Dave Bagwill » Sun Jun 09, 2013 11:25 pm

Nice, Tim!
-Under permanent construction

TonyinNYC
Posts: 1510
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:00 pm

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by TonyinNYC » Mon Jun 10, 2013 9:11 am

That's a great tip. I have always struggled to get clean holes (don't even think about it Bagwill! Just let it go). Thanks for posting!

ken cierp
Posts: 3924
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:23 pm

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by ken cierp » Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:06 am

Nice tool.

I normally use the double stick tape trick and a sacrificial caul (scrap wood). I move the cam clamp to do the RH and LH -- three holes at a time. The scrap is cut to match the "X" angles so it pretty easy to locate blind. Yes I throw it away after one use.

Kyle Barbour
Posts: 230
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 10:37 pm
Location: Glen Burnie Md

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by Kyle Barbour » Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:28 am

That's a great idea. Thanks!
Kyle

Ron Belanger
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:57 pm

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by Ron Belanger » Mon Jun 10, 2013 1:09 pm

kencierp wrote:Nice tool.

I normally use the double stick tape trick and a sacrificial caul (scrap wood). I move the cam clamp to do the RH and LH -- three holes at a time. The scrap is cut to match the "X" angles so it pretty easy to locate blind. Yes I throw it away after one use.
me too.

Lee in UK
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 3:05 pm

Re: Clean bridge plate holes

Post by Lee in UK » Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:23 pm

You just need a hard wood plate to go over the bridge plate and under the bolt heads to save getting those indentations in the plate from the bolt heads!

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