Telecaster build - routing the chambers

Although I'm going to put the work in and hollow out the body, I don't want anyone to be able to tell it's anything other than a standard Tele, and I want to be able to fully shield the inside. I don't know how (if?) Fender do this on their thinline teles, but I intend to do it in the usual fashion by lining the inside of the control cavity and pickup cavities with something metallic. Therefore, the pickup and control cavities will be exactly the same as on a standard Tele. 

Pictures will make more sense:



This pile of dust seemed significantly bigger as I was routing... stuff gets everywhere. Don't forget your facemasks kids...:



The final shape, the bridge cavity is slightly predrilled to ease the work once the top goes on:



Note that the walls are thicker in each of the horns (particularly the top one to allow for the strap button to screw in) and at the back for the other strap button. 

Then there was the small matter of spool clamps... To clamp the top onto this you want pressure all the way around it. Spool clamps do the job, but they're a bit pricey and it's not like they've got loads of other uses. I made a bunch of these, it took an entire evening:



And clamped the top onto the guitar, along with an F clamp and lever to apply a bit of pressure in the middle of the body:




The body now just requires the cavities and neck pocket to be routed.