Tummy Cut and Forearm Cut

My guess is I can use a belt sander to cut these into my Tele body. Right? Anybody done this and survived? Being a long time Strat player (and not too thin on top of that), I find the Tele body a little uncomfortable to play while standing. BTW it's only a Squier Tele so don't worry that I am messing up an expensive Tele.

I think a large.......... 7 inch disk sander would be better for doing the belly cut............... but, you use what you got.

I used a disk sander once. Worked well.

Be very very careful, either way.

Thanks for the replies. I don't own either a belt or disc sander. Since I will probably only use it once I thought I would pick up one at a pawn shop. So disc sander would be better than a belt sander?

i've done it to a couple of 'em over the years.....jes summa my cheap partscasters.....

if you can get to a decent band saw, i'd highly recommend that as a 1st step on the top/forearm cut, followed by the sander to smooth it over....the band saw will allow you more control over the angle, and gets 'er dun right quick !

a friend uses a spoke shave and/or a heavy rasp for roughing out the tummy cuts....sanding to follow...

Spoke shave is what first came to mind when I thought of doing this, but I figured it would be a long and tedious affair. Just figured some power tool would be less work. But a spoke shave may give me more control over how much of the wood I take off.

I've carved many contours into Tele bodies, and found that a 3"x18" belt sander with 50 grit will cut it fast enough while affording you maximum control. Then follow up with a little 100 grit on a 1" dowel and a rat tail file to finish off and blend your final shaping. Sand with 220, 320 wet or dry paper, seal, grain filler, sand with #600, spray a color, spray a few coats of clear, let it cure for a week or so, blend it down and smooth it with 0000 steel wool, then rub it with liquid scratch remover (Meguiars No 9 works miracles) and it's perfect. Not too hard, but a little time consuming to do it right.

I figure anyone who doesn't own a belt sander or a disk sander is probably not going to own a bandsaw. You would need a pretty large band saw and the skill to operate it. With a bandsaw you could accidentally do some real damage quick. With the disk sander ........ you take off a little ............ stand back and look at it ........... take off a little more ........... repeat this process until it looks right. It sort of like sculpting an elephant from a block of marble. You chip away everything that doesn't look like an elephant.

Seriously .......... you're less likely to mess it up with a disk sander.

Disc sander works too, I've done it that way. Difference being that a belt sander (used properly) will require less finish sanding, and you will most likely have uneven ruts from a disc sander. You are absolutely right about the big saw.. you can accidentally turn your Tele into firewood with one of those...

The last one i did i used a round hollow cheese grater type tool similar to a round file.I forget the name shur form or something like that.It'sgood tool for someone with no power tools.Mark it out carefully and go slow with a light touch until you get the fell of it,don't try to hog it out in 2 minutes.If you have a body with the contour to compare it too it will be much easier.

Well I am considering selling my Tele and getting another Strat. Instead of sawing it up. I'm just not bonding with my Tele at all. Played a new Cherry Sunburst Squier Strat yesterday and it was great. I don't know how they can sell them at $179. The quality of the new Squier's has really improved in just the last year I would say. Don't know if the wife will let me do the trade or not. But we shall see.

....my Teles have been comfortable the past 35 years I've been playing them, just as they are. To me, a Strat
feels like hugging a girl who's too skinny, and holding a
Tele feels like wrapping my arms around Pam Anderson.

I think I am gonna keep the Tele at this point. I already have 3 Strats and I guess I don't really need another one. This Tele is probably gonna see some mod action before long. I am going to attempt the tummy cut and forearm cut. Then I am gonna route for a middle pickup and install a 5-way switch. We'll see if it survives all that. The main problem I have with the Tele is that I am 6'3" 250 and too much big gut. I need a tummy cut.

I'm 5'7", 225lbs. A gut cut is nice, for sure. At least I never have to worry about belt buckle rash anymore... You can do it, if you want to.

If you don't have a disc or belt sander, what tools do you have? You mentioned you were thinking about using a spokeshave. If you have one, that is an acceptable way to go. I used a spokeshave to do a belly cut on a tele body. It took less than 30 minutes to get the contour right - you are cutting with the grain. After that, it was a matter of sanding until I liked the profile and transition. You can also use a spokeshave to do the forearm contour, but it is slightly different as you have both long and end grain. Still, a sharp spokeshave is a good option.

I'm speaking from ignorance from this point on. Aren't most Squires finished with opaque finishes due to the body wood used? Isn't it plywood in some cases? Hope no one gets upset if I am misinformed. However, if it is plywood, then it will affect the process i.e. possibility of splintering and the requirement to fill the voids, etc. You must be planning to refinish the whole guitar after the tummy and forearm cut. That's ok. Could be fun.

I don't have any tools to speak of since the wife and I live in an apartment at the moment. Just bought a Dremel a week or so ago if that counts. So I am looking for the cheapest way out of this.

My Squier is a 2-piece alder body, not plywood. Walnut Satin finish.

Anything I do it may be a while before I do it, because I will have to work up the nerve to get started. Afraid I might mess it up.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/maxbruch/IM000400.jpg

If you want to spend money on this, you could get a new body with tummy, forearm, and 3rd pu cut (I like the USACG bodies) and have it finished by someone else.

A member of another forum that I frequent said he would do the routing for me if I would send him the body for $55. Sounds like a good deal. He builds his own guitars. Now just got to convince the wife that it's necessary. I'm not holding my breath on that one.

"It's far easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission" ...Words to live by:) :lol:

Well my wife makes all the money around here. I am a househusband (I'm semi-retired). So I wouldn't spend a penny without consulting with her first. She asked me today how much I owed on the amp I have in the layaway and I told her. So I ain't gonna rock the boat until I get my amp in my hands. ha ha
Besides I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble. I'll probably just play the Tele like it is.

You're thinking of paying someone $55 plus two way shipping for someone to reshape the body. You say you live in an apartment, so where are you going to paint this thing? Are you planning on paying to have it painted? All this for a Squier? Makes no sense to me.

On my patio. I will probably just tung oil or wipe-on poly the routed places. You see most of this is about having something useful to do with my time. It's not really about the guitar that much. I like to have these little projects to do. When the wife and I had a home back in Mississippi I always had something going on. Had some tools and a garage back then.

Why don't ya just get a block of wood, some 50 grit sandpaper, and get busy? That'll give you something to do with your time, and you can control exactly how the shape goes in. (I'm really half serious) I've done things like that before, and you really appreciate the work when it's done... :lol:

Why don't ya just get a block of wood, some 50 grit sandpaper, and get busy? That'll give you something to do with your time, and you can control exactly how the shape goes in. (I'm really half serious) I've done things like that before, and you really appreciate the work when it's done... :lol:

Sounds like a plan to me. Wouldn't be the first time I messed something up.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/ef4770ce.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/776bc51e.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/17311f8c.jpg

Here's my preferred tool... makes firewood outta anything.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/2549d579.jpg

Makes "swell" body contours... :oops:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y168/dabluzeguy/a67923d6.jpg
Have fun!!!

I am now blind!!!! Put that away!!
LOL

Hey Max... In all honesty the big rasp does a great job in roughing out body contours, it cuts fast, but you don't lose control. Once you have it close to where you want it (shape and depth) it is quick work with some 50 grit and a curved block. Then just sand it with 100 grit, 220 grit, maybe 320 grit to smooth it out real nice for a wipe on finish. Whole job can be done in a couple of afternoons, while watching TV and drinking beer. It's kinda fun to do it by hand. I haven't ruined one yet. Just get a real aggressive rasp and some sandpaper. Another cool trick for getting your curves real nice is to get a 4"-6" length of 1-1/2" PVC pipe, put double stick tape on it, and stick your sandpaper around it. Makes a real smooth curve, and saves stress on your wrist/hand.
Rich

Hehe..

my fave tools for belly cuts are my microplane rasp, and my half-round rasp. Follow that up with a disk sander to smooth things out, bit of work with cork/other shape blocks and sandpaper, and it's all done in less than 30 minutes. Refinishing, OTOH, is a bit of a pain.