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  #46  
Old 03-20-2016, 06:09 PM
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Today was spent getting comfortable with the band saw (my first time using one was yesterday), and I cut the fretboard to width successfully. Then I rough shaped the neck so it's just about 1/8" wider than the fretboard on either side (the bottom is still flat for clamping).

In case there's some concern about cutting fret slot on a non-rectangular fretboard (which would make it easy to use a miter box, with the fretboard nice and perpendicular to the slot): the fretboard came to me pre-shaped and wasn't rectangular to begin with. I'm thinking of using a miter box with a wedge so the long edge of the fretboard is parallel with the box. Would that work?
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  #47  
Old 03-20-2016, 06:59 PM
FantasticMrFox FantasticMrFox is offline
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Well, to answer your question, I have no idea. BUT I can tell you how much I am enjoying this thread!

As someone that would like to try what you are doing, it has been great. It also puts into perspective how skilled and accomplished all the builders are on here. It is a constant joy to watch pieces of beautiful wood crafted in incredible functional art.

Thanks for doing this! And I have enjoyed your playing on YouTube! Very impressive!!!
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  #48  
Old 03-20-2016, 07:32 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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No, that won't work. Unless you are making a fan fret, the frets need to perpendicular to the centreline of the fingerboard.

One low-tech option is to determine the angle required and use a sliding T bevel against the edge of the fingerboard, but the registration edge must be straight or the frets will not be parallel.
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  #49  
Old 03-20-2016, 07:46 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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If you are using a miter box, the easiest way would be to find something straight like a piece of tool steel, plywood, and double-stick tape the fretboard to that, making its centerline parallel to the straight edge of what you're affixing it to.
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  #50  
Old 03-20-2016, 08:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LouieAtienza View Post
If you are using a miter box, the easiest way would be to find something straight like a piece of tool steel, plywood, and double-stick tape the fretboard to that, making its centerline parallel to the straight edge of what you're affixing it to.
Brilliant. Thanks for the tip!
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  #51  
Old 03-20-2016, 08:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
No, that won't work. Unless you are making a fan fret, the frets need to perpendicular to the centreline of the fingerboard.

One low-tech option is to determine the angle required and use a sliding T bevel against the edge of the fingerboard, but the registration edge must be straight or the frets will not be parallel.
Right, of course. I realized that as I tried to draw the wedge idea and the angles didn't make sense.
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  #52  
Old 03-20-2016, 08:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FantasticMrFox View Post
Well, to answer your question, I have no idea. BUT I can tell you how much I am enjoying this thread!

As someone that would like to try what you are doing, it has been great. It also puts into perspective how skilled and accomplished all the builders are on here. It is a constant joy to watch pieces of beautiful wood crafted in incredible functional art.

Thanks for doing this! And I have enjoyed your playing on YouTube! Very impressive!!!
Thank you!

It's a lot of fun. I've been thinking about doing this for a couple of decades and only just decided to start. Try it!
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  #53  
Old 03-20-2016, 11:05 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
No, that won't work. Unless you are making a fan fret, the frets need to perpendicular to the centreline of the fingerboard.

One low-tech option is to determine the angle required and use a sliding T bevel against the edge of the fingerboard, but the registration edge must be straight or the frets will not be parallel.
I remember Rickenbacker made an electric guitar wit slanted frets...
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  #54  
Old 03-21-2016, 10:48 AM
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Originally Posted by LouieAtienza View Post
I remember Rickenbacker made an electric guitar wit slanted frets...
I have a few guitars with slanted frets, but those are slanted by design, unlike what would have happened if you and Charles hadn't given me tips.
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  #55  
Old 03-22-2016, 06:50 PM
yairimann yairimann is offline
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great thread.I admire your courage in attempting this. I'm more of the read, plan and never do type.
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  #56  
Old 03-22-2016, 07:46 PM
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It was dark and rainy yesterday, so I stayed in and started practicing carving into soft wood (using old pine from a demolition) for a rosette design I have in mind. Not great but not awful, so in a few days I'll probably be able to do the rosette.

Bridge is designed and will be made soon.

Waiting on a scale template to handle the fretboard.
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  #57  
Old 03-26-2016, 01:04 PM
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I made a bridge yesterday and finished it this morning.

The rosewood alone was too thin for comfort (the saddle slot bottomed out), so I laminated a piece of birch, from the same set I did the headstock with. Now it's a little over 22 grams before I sand the birch part down a bit and radius it.





The saddle slot is too wide, because of a router slip. Live and learn. I'll taper the saddle on either side a little like this so it's not too obvious.



I only have up to 2500-grit sandpaper. How high should I go? It feels smooth, but I sense it could be shinier.
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  #58  
Old 03-26-2016, 01:48 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Is that the finished shape of your bridge, but to add pin holes? If so, it will be very stiff, likely killing tone. The bridge is one of the largest braces attached to the top. Part of the reason to taper the thickness of the "wings" is to reduce stiffness: stiffness is proportional to the cube of the height. (Make something twice as high, it is eight times stiffer. Guitar response is largely about mass and stiffness.)

Also, you make life very difficult for yourself if the edges around the gluing surface (aka bottom edges) are not sharp. Rounding them into the gluing surface makes it difficult to remove all of the glue squeeze-out and makes it difficult to deal with how the finish comes up to the edge of the bridge, either by removing the film of finish under the bridge, or applying the bridge first and then finishing the top up to the bridge.

I sand bare wood to 600. I don't feel there is any real advantage to going beyond 600.

Another approach I use is to sand bare wood to 320 then use a Beall buffer system: http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php. It leaves a result nearly indistinguishable from lacquer, but has no finish applied. Works well for guitar parts that would not otherwise be finished, such as bridges.
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  #59  
Old 03-26-2016, 02:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
Is that the finished shape of your bridge, but to add pin holes? If so, it will be very stiff, likely killing tone. The bridge is one of the largest braces attached to the top. Part of the reason to taper the thickness of the "wings" is to reduce stiffness: stiffness is proportional to the cube of the height. (Make something twice as high, it is eight times stiffer. Guitar response is largely about mass and stiffness.)

Also, you make life very difficult for yourself if the edges around the gluing surface (aka bottom edges) are not sharp. Rounding them into the gluing surface makes it difficult to remove all of the glue squeeze-out and makes it difficult to deal with how the finish comes up to the edge of the bridge, either by removing the film of finish under the bridge, or applying the bridge first and then finishing the top up to the bridge.

I sand bare wood to 600. I don't feel there is any real advantage to going beyond 600.

Another approach I use is to sand bare wood to 320 then use a Beall buffer system: http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php. It leaves a result nearly indistinguishable from lacquer, but has no finish applied. Works well for guitar parts that would not otherwise be finished, such as bridges.
Charles, thanks for the input as always. I was actually considering tapering the wings like so many bridges do, and your insight suggests it's a good idea, so I'll do that.

I'll work on flattening the bottom edge. Is that something I'd do with a scraper, or a flat file, or something else?

I can't thank you enough for all these nuggets of wisdom.
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  #60  
Old 03-26-2016, 07:26 PM
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OK, I've removed about 3 grams and thinned the wings. The birch is showing through, which was my original intent, so it's working out well.

I squared up the edges after the photos were taken.



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Last edited by rogthefrog; 03-26-2016 at 07:49 PM.
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