Exact Telecaster pickguard blueprint

[thechoochlyman]

I apologize if this has been covered extensively elsewhere, but I just spent a while with the search menu and didn't come up with anything sufficient.

I need an EXACT pickguard blueprint. I'm a CNC machining student and want to make one out of .060" stainless on the wire EDM. But in order for me to do that, I'll have to program it in our software (We use Esprit) and NC code it for our Accutex EDM. So I need more than just a template, I need exact hole location, lengths, distances, and radii. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

I also found the body blueprint... I'm gonna make a solid model of that tonight and see if I can come up with a piece of aluminum that big in the next couple of months.

 

[RickyRicardo]

There are a few plans online that you could print out and put on the body to see how well they match. Here's one of them: http://www.terrapinguitars.com/2011/pdf/T8-XS1_PDF.pdf

 

[tiskit86]

There are a few plans online that you could print out and put on the body to see how well they match. Here's one of them: http://www.terrapinguitars.com/2011/pdf/T8-XS1_PDF.pdf

This is important...

Didn't you just get the Warmoth tele? Their T body shape is a little different and may take a different pickguard. Look for a Warmoth tele pickguard template.

 

[Ronkirn]

I can tell ya... while a solid aluminum template may sound/look "sexy"... I used to make mine from Corian...but. . . it's a waste of time.... it doesn't matter how careful you are.. you're gonna ding it with the router, if you make any notable quantity if bodies... how ya gonna fix an aluminum anything? Tig Welding then remachininging it?

Make your master template... then make working templates from that. I like MDF... because I love the way the dust floating around sets off my Hay Fever... it gives ,me something to do for the next hour as I try to get the sneezing under control...

MDF is cheep... relatively... easy to work with.... and doesn't hurt nearly as much as Corian or aluminum when ya drop it on yer toe..

That way, when you do chop it up with a wayward router... the intensity of the profanity is considerably less intense as you realize, it's only an inconvenience, you can make a new working template, not a tragedy, where your "master" is now totally screwed...

Ron Kirn

 

[thechoochlyman]

I can tell ya... while a solid aluminum template may sound/look "sexy"... I used to make mine from Corian...but. . . it's a waste of time.... it doesn't matter how careful you are.. you're gonna ding it with the router, if you make any notable quantity if bodies... how ya gonna fix an aluminum anything? Tig Welding then remachininging it?

Make your master template... then make working templates from that. I like MDF... because I love the way the dust floating around sets off my Hay Fever... it gives ,me something to do for the next hour as I try to get the sneezing under control...

MDF is cheep... relatively... easy to work with.... and doesn't hurt nearly as much as Corian or aluminum when ya drop it on yer toe..

That way, when you do chop it up with a wayward router... the intensity of the profanity is considerably less intense as you realize, it's only an inconvenience, you can make a new working template, not a tragedy, where your "master" is now totally screwed...

Ron Kirn

Well, it's probably something I'll never do unless I get a chunk of aluminum that size donated to me. But MDF sounds like a good way to get started and cut out a test before using a high-dollar piece of metal. I don't think I'm gonna have to be concerned with any "wayward routers" though, I'm gonna clamp the material to the CNC mill table and cut it all from a computer-designed program.

Thanks for the input, I've seen some of your work around here and it's truly legendary.

 

[thechoochlyman]

There are a few plans online that you could print out and put on the body to see how well they match. Here's one of them: http://www.terrapinguitars.com/2011/pdf/T8-XS1_PDF.pdf

I checked those out, but they're not what I need. A template isn't going to work, I need to have an actual dimensioned blueprint that I can draw up in CAM software. Thanks though

This is important...

Didn't you just get the Warmoth tele? Their T body shape is a little different and may take a different pickguard. Look for a Warmoth tele pickguard template.

Indeed I did, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Ronkirn]

try this... might be what ya need.

https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish

Ron

 

[Glen Smith]

How about this?

 

[LowThudd]

try this... might be what ya need.

https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish

Ron

Oh my! A wealth of knowledge and resources as always. Thanks for that.

 

[Ripthorn]

If you use something like Inkscape (free), you can convert a pdf to dxf (load the pdf, have it do so at the highest possible resolution, then save as dxf). Import the dxf into your CAM software directly, generate G-code, and have at it. I've done that sort of thing a few times, works really nicely, as long as the pdf is full size.

 

[thechoochlyman]

If you use something like Inkscape (free), you can convert a pdf to dxf (load the pdf, have it do so at the highest possible resolution, then save as dxf). Import the dxf into your CAM software directly, generate G-code, and have at it. I've done that sort of thing a few times, works really nicely, as long as the pdf is full size.

Sweet, I'll give that a shot! I've been wanting something like that forever.

 

[thechoochlyman]

try this... might be what ya need.

https://sites.google.com/site/guitarplanscollection/pdf-files/fender-ish

Ron

Thanks, Ron! That's a great site with tons of info. I'll give a look around there and see what I can come up with.

How about this?

That's a step in the right direction! Still no radii on the contours, but I can probably wing it from there. Thanks!

 

[Casual_Reader]

the autocad file Terry Downs posted at the top of the page (sticky) has layers... on one of the layers that was invisible when the file was saved is the pick guard.

note - holes would be different on multi-ply beveled edge guards.

 

[thechoochlyman]

I really need to get my hands on Autocad...

I'll try to remember and put in all the hole locations in relation to the centerline instead of the edge.

 

[TRexF16]

Can you not simply take accurate measurements from the various pdf templates you have? Surely a shop such as you are working in has proper calipers, dividers, trammel points, etc.

Best of luck.
Rex

 

[Casual_Reader]

I really need to get my hands on Autocad...

poor choice of specifying there on my part... it's a dwg file so most cad programs would open it.

I believe Adobe illustrator will also open dwg files... and probably a host of other drawing programs.

 

[thechoochlyman]

Can you not simply take accurate measurements from the various pdf templates you have? Surely a shop such as you are working in has proper calipers, dividers, trammel points, etc.

Best of luck.
Rex

Actually, it never dawned on me that we have a CMM in our toolroom. We never got a lot of training on it, but I suppose it would be a good time to whip it out. In the event that I'm able to find to time to actually do all this, I will be sure to share a detailed print of what I come up with.

 

[thechoochlyman]

poor choice of specifying there on my part... it's a dwg file so most cad programs would open it.

I believe Adobe illustrator will also open dwg files... and probably a host of other drawing programs.

I was able to open it with Solid Works. Now I can dimension it perfectly and hopefully just export it to Esprit somehow.

 

[bobbyblues]

Ron, you gotta wear shoes in the workshop!

 

[Tatercaster]

I trained on a CMM that would measure any curve by taking various pictures at different points around the curve. I'd like to put a guitar body on it and get full sized prints, curves measured, etc. and get the .dxf file so I can get various body blanks cut on a water jet.