Help! Ggf luthiers: which router bit for neck pocket?

[BroSlinger]

So, fender neck pockets are 5/8” deep. Every router bit is 1/2, 3/4, or 1”.

Do you put a spacer under you template and use a 3/4”????

So confused.

[EndTime]

I assume you are talking depth of the bit and not the width. Cause clearly wouldn’t use 3/4 or 1” for that.

For simply the depth of the bit, you can find shallower bits but 1/2 will work. If your template is 1:2 inch thick, you’ll be fine. If it’s thinner the maybe shimming it up will make sense so you don’t try and cut too much out the first cut.

Or maybe that’s what you are referring to. Which is how many passes? You don’t try and route the pocket in one pass. With a fresh bit I’d prolly do 3. On older bits. 4, or 5 passes going down about an 1/8th inch at a time or would prolly be about what I do. It’s not like it’s written in stone. Just spends on the wood and the shape of my bits for that decision. Fresh bits can get around 1/4in depth, but that’s basically my max cut. Unless maybe electronics cavities I might push it. But you just burn the bits ups faster

[BroSlinger]

Thank you for the reply!!!

Let me clarify. These rosser bodies i’ve been buying already have the neck pocket routed, but every one of them is slightly too small(narrow) for every neck ive tried.

On my tele firebird, i used sanding sponges, but the pocket ended up slightly uneven.

Attempt #2, tele deluxe, i used a dremel and a homemade template . Much closer to perfect. But not perfect.

On to attempt 3. I want to be able to widen a neck pocket with a real template and the right template bit. So, I figured it had to already be 5/8 cutting depth and the bearing would roll on the template. But this cutting depth eludes me, that’s why I suspect i will need to shim my template and use a 3/4” cutting depth blade.

[EndTime]

Thank you for the reply!!!

Let me clarify. These rosser bodies i’ve been buying already have the neck pocket routed, but every one of them is slightly too small(narrow) for every neck ive tried.

On my tele firebird, i used sanding sponges, but the pocket ended up slightly uneven.

Attempt #2, tele deluxe, i used a dremel and a homemade template . Much closer to perfect. But not perfect.

On to attempt 3. I want to be able to widen a neck pocket with a real template and the right template bit. So, I figured it had to already be 5/8 cutting depth and the bearing would roll on the template. But this cutting depth eludes me, that’s why I suspect i will need to shim my template and use a 3/4” cutting depth blade.

Got ya.

Yeah then buy a deeper bit and have to shim the template to get the proper height. 3/4 should work. I’d get some “hardboard”, it’s basically HDF but I believe the Home Depot and places call em hardboard. They are like 3/16thick . Cut a few strips off that and use some double stick tape and attach em to the bottom of the template so it’s solid and you should be able to manage

[EndTime]

Or maybe use paint stir sticks. That might buy ya enough height.

[BroSlinger]

Awesome, man. Thx for the tips. Confirmed what I was thinking. This is good stuff.

[EndTime]

Awesome, man. Thx for the tips. Confirmed what I was thinking. This is good stuff.

NP, OR, you can buy some half inch MDf or even 5/8, but I’m assuming you have a template now that is either 3/8th or less in thickness and just make a NEW template from your existing one. So to avoid using double stick tape or even if you were gonna try and clamp it if you couldn’t find double stick tape Altho I can find it in most big box stores these days.

. Whatver the course, you can just buy some thicker stock than you have now, and simply route the pocket onto that and simply use that new thicker template for this. Cause sometimes when shimming there are things that can get a little funny. Hard to explain and I don’t think you’ll run into this problem doing what you are doing. But I usually have to shim some of my Floyd recess routes, but for neck pockets I’ve made a few different thickness templates.

Also you can make a bigger template surface overall so you won’t potentially have a little accident where you “dip” off the edge of the template. But again, I’m guessing on you having some of the more common ones which don’t have a ton of surface for the router. They are designed around smaller handheld routers. Which is basically what I would suggest as well. But even so, making the rest of the surface of the template a little bigger will still help even smaller routers