How to cut flamenco tap plates

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AndrewE

Posts: 56
Joined: Oct. 6 2004

How to cut flamenco tap plates

Does anyone have a good method for cutting the curved shapes in flamenco tap plates?

I've tried scissors but it is hard to get a smooth curve.

Andrew

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2007 22:54:16

mrMagenta

Posts: 942
Joined: Oct. 25 2006
From: Sweden

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

it sure is difficult.. especially if it's a thick plate like the one i got, because it will show so prominently if it is wrong. i first had the plate put on by a guitar technician, but the curve he did wasn't perfect so i took the whole thing off, and cut out a new one myself.. (crazy thing to do, i was lucky not to harm my guitar).

i used an exacto knife for cutting the sheet, as did the technician. a fresh blade is absolutely necessary. mark out with a sharp pencil first, use some curved object the help trace the curve. i used a bendable curve ruler for this. then cut along the tracing as closely as you can, just watch out for slipping. as a final step i held it in my hand and just smoothed it out a little, using the exacto blade as a shaping knife. you can't do that with a thin plate though.

i would like to know how a pro does this. :-)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 12 2007 23:38:42

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

I use scissors... Good ones helps a lot

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 13 2007 8:40:20

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

You could use a circle cutter for the curves that fit around the soundhole. The rest of the curves aren't that important. But I would mark them out in pencil first, just to get them the way you want them.

Anyway, whats wrong with BUYING one? Its not like they're expensive...

Jb

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¡Si esto no está en compas, esto no es el Flamenco!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 13 2007 11:34:41

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

I would use a knife like this. They are very sharp. Here they call it carpetknife. You can easyly cut curves, just paint the cut with a pen before doing it.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 13 2007 17:34:56

domzo

Posts: 64
Joined: Jan. 10 2007

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

I'm no expert at all, having only just started to learn flamenco, but I've just fitted one to my classical. I used scissors to cut it, but my top tip is that I used Openoffice Draw (similar to the Drawing toolbar in MS Word) to design my template (based on measurements I made on the guitar), then I printed it out and checked it, then redid it on the computer and printed it out again and repeated until I was totally happy with the template - I found it took a few attempts to get the curve for the soundhole in the right place and being able to tweak it by a few mm then print out a fresh template saved a lot of time.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 13 2007 17:51:13

AndrewE

Posts: 56
Joined: Oct. 6 2004

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to JBASHORUN)

It's not that I don't want to buy one, in fact that's what i've done ( 2 part tap plate self adhesive back) but the problem is the curve around the rosette is quiet different to that on the tap plate, in addition they are too long.

The tap plates are a generic shape which need to be modified to fit the specific guitar.

andrew

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 14 2007 4:03:36

JBASHORUN

Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Apr. 11 2011 19:42:10

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 14 2007 7:31:02

stephen hill

Posts: 300
Joined: Feb. 16 2004
From: La Herradura, Granada, Spain

RE: How to cut flamenco tap plates (in reply to AndrewE)

I use sharp sissors too, takes some experience though, you have to know the curves, bit like a woman!
I have tried other ways but it works best for me

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Feb. 14 2007 23:14:54