Cigar Box Music Project Stalls: Router Training Needed

My last chance cigar box bass/guitar thingie is stalled at this point because I don’t know how to operate this fine new Hitachi router I inherited in 2021 from my craftsman daddy.

Before I can build my bicycle cable tuner system I need to attach the amputated recycled Fender acoustic guitar neck to the hardwood base plank.

Since it stands 1/4 inch too proud I need to router the plank inside the pencil marks here. I’ll screw together cigar box, wood plank, and neck from underneath using four screws. Then four more screws down into the neck and plank.

I collected the bike brake adjuster barrels and knurled rings I’ll need from my bike parts bin, the four adjusters sort of matching. And cable clamps to terminate the cable and give the adjusters something to push against.

But I couldn’t find a 4-holes-in-a-line bracket to hold the adjusters.

Brake adjustor barrels and knurled rings should clean up with steel wool. Bridge/saddle recycled from a dead ukulele; strap pin is from the Fender acoustic 6-string that supplied the neck.

Then I’m doing a Roseville dump run yesterday with my pal Ted, tipping in my old water heater and dead Neuton mower, Ted’s plumber trash. When I looks down randomly and: lo, and behold, the bracket I was looking for.

After sanding off the black paint to sort of match my steel brackets. And drilling out the holes to fit the bike brake cable adjusters.

This is what I’ve got so far.

I used these 4 bike crown bolts to dummy up this prototype. I’ll replace them with hollow knerled rings like on the other side. When I can find them.
Bottom view. Strings will thread through adjusters from the far side- crown nuts replaced by hollow knerled rings like these- and be terminated on this side by bike cable clamps.
Imagine the L-brackets mounted a few inches beyond the box end to the left. I’ll need to cut out and rout flat the cigar box end, short reinforcing stick, and hardwood base plank. Then firmly screw down the brackets with multiple screws.
Depending on the depth of my routing, I may attach the crossbar holding the bike adjusters to the lower holes on the L-brackets instead of to the top holes as shown here. Would be stronger too.

But before all this wood butchering can take place I need to buy a router bit, some sibling must have inherited all of the old man’s.

And before turning on a machine capable of ripping off a finger if I sneeze, I’ll study up on how to use a router.

Unless noted, all text and images by todgermanica.com.

Leave a comment