Bridge Plate Removal on the Epiphone Acoustic Guitar Continues

I have a couple of tools for removing bridges from guitars, but I decided to make a couple more as I thought they might come in handy with the bridge plate removal.

I was in a hardware store a couple months ago and saw a cheap double-ended small pry bar.  Thinking it might be a good tool for this very project, I grabbed it.

The ends weren't too sharp, and they were also a bit on the thick side, so I took the tool over to the ROSS and put more of a sharp edge on the ends.

I had read online that a ROSS would be indispensible.  And so it is.  I use it all the time.

Here's the result.  I think I should be able to get this edge wedged into the seam between the bridge plate and the top of the guitar.

The tool was a little long and I thought it might be easier to use if I cut it in half.

So I used a cutting wheel on the trusty Dremel and had at it.  Made lots of sparks!

I also ground the cut edges so they won't cut me and so I can put pressure on them to (hopefully) drive into the joint.

I have this super useful mirror (actually it's three mirrors) you can tape up and put in the body of your guitar (or someone else's...).

Fold the mirror up, put it the guitar, and then open it up.

Looking through the soundhole lets us see the bottom of the top of the guitar.  In other words, the stuff that we need to get at. 

You can see the bracing and the dreaded bridge plate.  The problem is that I'll be working blind from the endpin end of the guitar trying to pry the plate out.

Next up:  water, heat and my trusty removal tools go into action.