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How do you cut those f-holes?

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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Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on February 23, 2018 at 8:02am

Well, Mr Pick sir, that seems to have worked- this once at least. Clamped it top and bottom with bits of scrap (building two boxes at the moment, so got plenty to work with) and although it was a bit fluffy in back, it tidied up nicely- see attached. Top scrap not too bad, but the bottom bit effectively shredded... Big shout out to Taff for the brad point bit tip too!

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image.png, 950 KB

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on February 23, 2018 at 8:46am

wow , that turned out really well !!! ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on February 23, 2018 at 8:55am

Yup. All I gotta do now is cut, glue, shape, fret and fit the neck. Oh, and oil the box too... It's not as if I have anything better to do!

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on February 23, 2018 at 10:34am

lol, you sound surprised that your idea worked pick!

Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on February 23, 2018 at 10:32am

I like that holy f hole pick. I may use that on my next fiddle!

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on February 23, 2018 at 10:57am

lol. not supersized it works (done it before ). just surprised he took it from advice to finished product so quickly, and how good his own different bit size design looked

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on February 23, 2018 at 11:26am

supersized ? lol.. dang spellcheck.

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Permalink Reply by Rich on February 20, 2018 at 3:33pm

Do you have a round file? This is how I do it.

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Permalink Reply by Wal Callaby on February 20, 2018 at 8:49pm

Memo to self- buy round file!

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Permalink Reply by Slim Pickens on February 22, 2018 at 2:16am

That is really nice work. Crudely exquisite.

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Permalink Reply by Kigar on February 21, 2018 at 1:14pm

I drilled holes kind of like Picks drawing, but as close as they could be from each other. Used bigger bits on the ends. Then filed the final shape like Rich, but using flat and half round files.