Having built a handful of CBGs, a biscuit tin or two (depending on how broad-minded you are), and currently working on my second LPG, I was today pondering the advice of a friend, who said that, rather than crafting necks to fit pre-made boxes, I should be making boxes to fit the 35mm x 20mm oak and mahogany I use for necks. That's certainly not beyond me- I built the box that backs the LPG, and it's sturdy and square of corner- and I've found a great source of 3mm BB birch ply. One thing really worries me though- how, with just a craft knife and a power drill, am I going to create elegant f-holes? Or, seeing as how craft knives don't cut curves, just short straight cuts, how do I fashion f-holes at all? Must I stick to upper-case F-holes, or are there simple dies out there that make the job easy?

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Hi, you will get cleaner holes if you use wood drill bits, Brad Point Bits. I use them all the time.

Taff

Hi Taff- I've never come across Brad Point. You sound, er... Welsh maybe, do you think Wickes or similar would carry them?

Got tomorrow off- gonna play with f-holes and scrap ply, I think!

Wal

Google search Irwin Tools Brad point. They scribe the surface slightly before boring, also have a point on the tip for accurate positioning, without "wandering".

As is the way cheaper sets do not perform as well but do the job.

Taff

B&Q sell the Bosch version

Sod B&Q- Taff gave me the idea, I googled the Bosch kit, and thanks to those tax-avoiding swine at Amazon I had 'em in my hand inside 18 hrs. That's how come the idea got made reality so quick- that and having the day off cos I've got all this leave to use before Easter, oh the humanity...

Then when you've bought your brad point bit go back out and buy a fret saw.Drill a hole at each end of the f-hole and use your new saw to cut out the bit between.

No offence MFJ, but I think I prefer mine. And given that there's <arithmetic > behind them they may be almost infinitely adaptable. And there's still my remark at the top of the thread that cutting anything but a straight line scares me!

To be clear ( as there may be some confusion, and to help new  readers here  )

The hole pattern design mock up  diagram i supplied was actually meant to be  the finished  product. this can be done if all you have is a drill and bit set . kinda abstract and cool lookin  / different .

  done .

but you can also continue or use a similar series of drill holes , and cut out the traditional f holes from there IF you wanted (cutting out small sections hole to hole etc . )

hope that clears up  2 of . the options kinda overlaping here. ;-)

I had figured it was meant to be the end, rather than the means, but you do make a good point. From my cack-handed viewpoint, however, it was the ONLY way to go- do I struggle to recreate a half-arsed copy of something that was perfected three centuries ago, or should I plough a new furrow. No brainer...

Here's an interesting thing to consider about f holes. They evolved through the centuries and were "perfected" in the 1700's by folks like Stradivarius and Guarneri. I think on flat top, CB instruments many of these previous designs work just as well. The f hole was designed to optimize the acoustics of the carved top violins. The main reason I still use f holes is that they look cool and often my clients prefer them for reasons of tradition. 

Hmm.. some of that got cut off I'll try this. Oh well, you get the idea

Hey Wal, check out the soundhole shapes on some top modern arch top/jazz style guitars, there must be some that you could tackle in the future.

Taff

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