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guitar pickguards

Penpal

Grand Master
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May 26, 2013
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Canberra AUSTRALIA
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Peter
No idea over your way but you are in a greater area including Europe. I have scrounged whiteish piano keys and they could abound over your way in Ivory or not.

Peter.
 

Lons

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Northumberland
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Bob
Hi Alan
Unless you have a cheap supply of guitar pick ups maybe a cheaper way is to buy engraving sheet from a local semi finished plastics stockist or on line, it's available in 3 or 5 oply and various colours and thickness. A number of brands but Trafolyte comes to mind ( I think that's how it's spelled if still available ).
All easy enough to turn as just pvc or acrylic.

Credit cards are easy, get hold of some free supermarket or membership cards.
 

alan morrison

Fellow
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Feb 26, 2019
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Co. Down N Ireland
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Alan
Thanks Bob.
I already ordered a sheet of pickguard material from Amazon and awaiting its arrival. I don't know if it the same as the Traffolyte that you mentioned.
I was wondering if anyone had experience using it for segmentation. I have only glued wood to wood but not wood to plastic/acrylic.
Also I will be looking out for membership/ supermarket cards as you advised. Mostly I just seem to see heavy cardboard ones.
Thanks for your input
Alan
 

alan morrison

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Co. Down N Ireland
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Alan
It was the pickguard material rather than the picks. I ordered a sheet from amazon and as it is 3 ply black white black I thought that it should really stand out. I don't know the best glue to use to glue it to wood.
Any current credit cards appreciated.
Alan
 

Gregory Hardy

Graduate Member
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Jul 7, 2017
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Upper New York State
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Greg
Alan - Use epoxy for a joint between pickguard material and wood. Also - be very mindful of heat. The B-W-B (or any of the layered stuff) tends to separate along edges if it gets too warm. Good luck!
 

Lons

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Northumberland
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Bob
Hi Alan

I don't think I've ever seen a cardboard store card, must be an Irish trait maybe?

What I suggest you do if you want to try styrene as Mark suggested is see if any semi finished plastics distributors or plastic fabricators near you in which case pop in to see if they have offcuts / scrap / old sample swatches as they are usually skipped. Amari Plastics are the largest in the UK and did have a presence in Ireland at one time as did Williaam Cox.

Failing that, drop an email to several on line suppliers saying you are planning a project, maybe vac forming plastic toys, moulds, whatever and do they have sample swatches, will probably be 1 to 2mm thick and small but large enough for your needs.

You can do that also for wood btw if you contact some of the hardwood flooring suppliers. Oak is most common but also walnut, bamboo, maple, zebrano and others usually about 120mm x 150mm x 18mm sizes. If choosing samples go for the wildest grain available ( rustic quality ) if there's a choice. Most will be FOC though some charge a nominal postage.
There are also companies where you can get nice 40mm thick worktop samples but usually cost around a fiver.
 

alan morrison

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Feb 26, 2019
Posts
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Location
Co. Down N Ireland
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Alan
Thanks Bob for the info .
I found a site in London that sells styrene, but I'll take your advice first.
Have you any experience using that material yourself? If yes do you use PA or epoxy?
I thought that if you use epoxy it would take forever putting a segmented blank together.
Alan
 

alan morrison

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Co. Down N Ireland
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Alan
Thanks Gregory for the tip.
I have not used that material before nor made a segmented pen before, so it's better knowing that now.
Do you use the 5 minute epoxy? and if so will it hold together ok?
Alan
 

Lons

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Northumberland
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Bob
Can stick it with CA quite successfully Alan but I prefer fast set epoxy, I really don't much like CA fumes. Whatever I used I always allowed overnight to go off properly anyway.
 

Gregory Hardy

Graduate Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2017
Posts
454
Location
Upper New York State
First Name
Greg
Thanks Gregory for the tip.
I have not used that material before nor made a segmented pen before, so it's better knowing that now.
Do you use the 5 minute epoxy? and if so will it hold together ok?
Alan

I use 24-hour stuff that cures over night. Mostly that's because I am seldom in a hurry and that epoxy has a longer working time...
 
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