(Tone)Woodworking question

[Tag Intel]

This is why I love ILF. You can ask ignorant questions and people will still try to help you.

First let me say that I have a lot of skill working in metal, but none in wood. I am in the process of making the absolute best tonewood blocks I can to make my strat into a hardtail. No, not changing the bridge to a hardtail bridge, but blocking the tremolo cavity on both sides of the floating metal block underneath with these tonewood blocks.

I have some Brazillian rosewood and some ebony blocks that are about 3/8" thick. I need to get the thickness down to a little over 1/4" then I can plane or sand the final fitting.

What is the best way, or right tool to take off the excess wood and still keep the thickness reasonably equal (parallel)? I saw a tool on Stewie Mac that is just right but I think is too expensive for just making blocks. Or maybe it is the right tool.http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Jigs/Luthiers_Friend_Sanding_Station.html

I have already made some temporary blocks to do this and they worked incredibly with no loss of sustain or tone. In other words, I've proven it to myself that it works well if done right. But I want to make better fitting, more permanent blocks.

So how does one shave the thickness down equally on a block of wood? Are there wood working shops that do stuff like this for the public (not industry)???

Anything anyone can offer will help, so thanks in advance.

[hclapp219]

My dad is a woodworker, so I just checked with him, and he said a jack plane would be the best. Something along these lines, I think:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-905-14 ... B00004UDKW

He only uses hand tools, so there may be an easier power tool option out there. If you know anyone who does woodworking, especially furniture type stuff, they could probably lend you a tool or just do it for you.

Good luck

[Nychthemeron]

If you know your way with metal, make a bitchin' guitar from steel.

[dune2k]

If you know your way with metal, make a bitchin' guitar from steel.

He'd able to join Manowar with it. If a guitar made of metal isn't trve what else is?

[Tag Intel]

If you know your way with metal, make a bitchin' guitar from steel.

I have skillz, but not skillz mad enough to make one. I think that Trussart has that down.

[Tag Intel]

My dad is a woodworker, so I just checked with him, and he said a jack plane would be the best. Something along these lines, I think:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-905-14 ... B00004UDKW

He only uses hand tools, so there may be an easier power tool option out there. If you know anyone who does woodworking, especially furniture type stuff, they could probably lend you a tool or just do it for you.

Good luck

Thanks for the advice. I thought that a plane wouldn't be able to keep the flat sides parallel. It would end up skinnier at one end than the other.

Besides, rosewood blocks will be used. Do you have any idea how hard and tough that stuff is. Power tools are where its at for this.

My Dad says we can try flycutting on a drill press by hand. LOL, I need my fingers for guitar playing or something stupid like that.

[theavondon]

DID SOMEONE MENTION A GUITAR MADE OF METAL??????????

[Mudfuzz]

My dad is a woodworker, so I just checked with him, and he said a jack plane would be the best. Something along these lines, I think:

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-12-905-14 ... B00004UDKW

He only uses hand tools, so there may be an easier power tool option out there. If you know anyone who does woodworking, especially furniture type stuff, they could probably lend you a tool or just do it for you.

Good luck

Thanks for the advice. I thought that a plane wouldn't be able to keep the flat sides parallel. It would end up skinnier at one end than the other.

Besides, rosewood blocks will be used. Do you have any idea how hard and tough that stuff is. Power tools are where its at for this.

My Dad says we can try flycutting on a drill press by hand. LOL, I need my fingers for guitar playing or something stupid like that.

You can do it with a WELL TUNED and VERY SHARP hand plane if you have skillz, I can without much trouble. Basically what you want to do is draw a line all the way around the block at your desired thickness and stop when you have hit the line all the way around. Then If you really want to go nuts find a FLAT surface, attach sand paper to it and then level the block by sanding it checking you thickness with callipers, and the squareness with well... a square. Rosewood is quite hard but has very straight and even grain so it is really easy to work.

[Mudfuzz]

Also who are you getting your stock from? Some sellers like LMI http://www.lmii.com/ might do it for you if you ask, they have thickness sanders.

Also If you live in a town with a mill [look in your phone book] there are some that might do the work.

Or just find someone with a tablesaw...

[Tag Intel]

Thanks, Mudfuzz. Those are good suggestions.

I have just taken a really close look at the trem cavity. The routed out surface on either side of the tremolo block (on the back) is quite rough and basically not that flat and with radii all around. So I took the 3/8" thick ebony blank and left the thickness as is. I used a Dremel's cutoff disc to cut the block into dimensions, then used the sanding drums to put rounded corners in the places that are needed. Good thing, too because rosewood is on HARD wood! A hand saw would have taken forever. Can't remember where I bought the tonewood blocks.

What I ended up with looks like this. The block is centered around the string holes and does not take the area into account the "ear" that the actual trem bar screws into. The block is ebony and is flat within 0.002". The sustain is basically the same or a little longer. No buzzes from anything. Completely temporary and can be removed back to stock. Only one spring was attached because there's no block on the neck side. So all it is really there for is to connect the ground wire to the bridge. If too much tension is applied with the spring(s), it will lessen the strings hold on the wood block and we don't want that.

[Mudfuzz]

it will lessen the strings hold on the wood block and we don't want that.

No you don't want that. If it slips and the tension on the string side is too much you can actually crack the body on the bridge mounting screws. It's all about balance inless you totally replace the trem bridge or drill though the string block and your shim and bolt it to the back of the cavity, but inless you are using 13's or heavier you don't really have to worry.
[quote="Tag Intel"[/quote]
Looks good.

[Tag Intel]

Thanks!

And all this because I have heavy palms and bend the tremolo sharp or flat. Sheesh!

I did put a well fitted thin block on the other side. But believe me, the big ebony block you see is very snugly fitted as the string pressure has quite a strong pull.

Thread sorta finished.

Thanks for everyone's help! You guys !