I've been jonesing for a pin router for ages so I could more easily cutout the pickup holes when crafting a new pickguard. the $600 pricetag has always been the downfall, and a lack of 220v in my current shop only added to the misery of tool lust
I have a new pickguard design for the VRB-P5 model, and I just couldn't stomach paying another template fee to have this made by a pickguard supplier (they do killer work, but designing a new pickguard can get expensive if you need to tweaks things, since each new tweak incurs another template fee on top of the pickguard cost)
over the past couple of days I worked out a jig design from stuff I already had access to in the shop ... a neck glue-up caul, a piece of 3/16"D brass rod, a 3/16"D router bit, and two pieces of scrap Walnut. the idea here is that the router bit and follower pin of matching diameter are in centerline unison, and the pin rides along the edge of the template while the router bit cuts the pickguard material. a regular pattern bit rides on an attached bearing and can only be obtained down to a 3/8" diameter - too large of a radius for the pickup hole corners. without a pin router, the remedy is to hand file the corners down to the proper radius - time consuming, messy, and prone to looking sloppy even with the cleanest of file work
here's the first design of the jig, and an image of it in action
alignment is a little bit tricky, but can be done with some patience. the next revision will have better visibility for the workpiece. overall though, it came out well enough that I have a viable tool for making this new style of pickguard with pickup cutout corners tight enough that even a Fralin will fit snugly into the hole
here's the first P5 pickguard made with this jig (just prior to the mounting holes being drilled and countersunk)
all the best,
R
