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  #31  
Old 12-04-2017, 09:18 AM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
I am about to commence the shaping the fretboard for my first "proper" (I hope) guitar
PS - Way to go!! I'm sure you'll get it far more than just proper!!
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  #32  
Old 12-04-2017, 10:05 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Originally Posted by Ned Milburn View Post
I don't think in terms of an actual radius measurement, but moreso a thickness measurement. I scribe a line about 0.8mm lower than FB edge on each side, scribble on the top, and then remove what I don't want. The scribbles let me make sure not to take anything from the top middle.
I do the same, but use 1/16" rather than .8 mm. I do that after the fingerboard and neck are attached to the body. I remove what I don't want with a hand plane, then follow it up with 80 grit sandpaper glued to an aluminum beam level. I then sand progressively to 600 using a sanding block backing.
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  #33  
Old 12-04-2017, 12:25 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Originally Posted by redir View Post
I've always used a plane too, much faster then sanding and you can plane in the direction of string line. But I now follow that up with the sanding beam, I love the sanding beam. The beam is great for truing the tops of frets too. I have to say though, I've always wondered about the value of compound radius boards and if it's really just one of those things that looks good on paper VS the real world. I guess in the end every fraction of a fraction of an inch might count, maybe.

But anyway the beam is great none the less
I think for electric guitar, it can help a great deal if you're the type that does a lot of crazy bends, but doesn't want SRV-like action (and he used 12s on his Strat!) I think whether intentional or not, the fretboard truing and fret leveling creates a pseudo "compound radius" board.

A while back I actually made a jig that would create a ruled surface irregardless of starting and end radius, producing straight surfaces along every string line. Unfortunately, the jig was nine feet long and impossible to store here in the new place. But I was able to create fretboards that were "compound radius" and with an 8 degree twist, along with the matching twist on the neck wood. And it's actually very simple in design and concept.
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  #34  
Old 12-04-2017, 12:28 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
I do the same, but use 1/16" rather than .8 mm. I do that after the fingerboard and neck are attached to the body. I remove what I don't want with a hand plane, then follow it up with 80 grit sandpaper glued to an aluminum beam level. I then sand progressively to 600 using a sanding block backing.
My "apartment shop" technique is pretty similar, and actually the way I started out doing. Take a tapered blank, mark 1/16" down from the top, and plane facets on the top. Then take the plane and create facets from the two peaks, creating 5 facets. Subsequent removal of facets leaves a nicely radiused board.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123
Am I right in thinking that doing it this way, there is one, and only one end radius which satisfies these conditions for any given nut width, end width, and nut radius ? ie if you start off with a given radius at the nut, then the radius at the end is predetermined ?
The end radius in this case is determined by the width of the board, and the rise of the center of the board relative to the edge, so I that sense, you've predetermined the radius by design
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  #35  
Old 12-04-2017, 12:43 PM
Rodger Knox Rodger Knox is offline
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Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
+1 on Frank's method. Works for me, too.

I have tried other methods, but I keep coming back to that one.
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Originally Posted by Alan Carruth View Post
What Frank says. I've been doing that for a long time, and it works. Sometimes it's too easy to get hung up on theory.
My method is similar, but instead of hand tools I use an angled carrier board in the thickness sander and then level the string paths with a sanding beam. I got the method from Bob Benedetto's book.
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  #36  
Old 12-04-2017, 01:04 PM
redir redir is offline
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I like the scribe line idea.
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  #37  
Old 12-04-2017, 01:14 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodger Knox View Post
My method is similar, but instead of hand tools I use an angled carrier board in the thickness sander and then level the string paths with a sanding beam. I got the method from Bob Benedetto's book.
I remember that pic in his book. I never had a thickness sander, so I couldn't do it that way. I had tried doing so on the tablesaw, but it required a custom zero-clearance insert for that particular angle. Too old for that stuff...
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  #38  
Old 12-04-2017, 01:42 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Wow, this is like Groundhog Day .

And I mean that in an extremely positive way ! Louie and I have been debating conical surfaces for like almost twenty years ... there was an epic thread on the MIMF back in (I think) 2000 where every aspect of conical/compound surface was debated, with Louie emerging the ultimate winner ... but there still remains one small point to be debated ... more later.

John (Arnold) if you are still watching this thread there is something I would like to ask. I have a memory of you posting (long time ago) that your method of fretboard radiusing was first of all to establish the nut radius and then use a hand plane to shape the fretboard so that the height of the fretboard sides remained constant, and also the center height from nut to end of fret board remained constant ... the radius at the upper (lower ?) end of fretboard being irrelevant. Is this a fair summation of your approach ?
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  #39  
Old 12-04-2017, 01:48 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ned Milburn View Post
PS - Way to go!! I'm sure you'll get it far more than just proper!!
Hopefully so, Ned ! This thread has actually galvanised me, so watch this space.

I do feel confident that I can make a very playable guitar ... what it will actually sound like is another matter entirely ...
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  #40  
Old 12-04-2017, 03:06 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
Wow, this is like Groundhog Day .

And I mean that in an extremely positive way ! Louie and I have been debating conical surfaces for like almost twenty years ... there was an epic thread on the MIMF back in (I think) 2000 where every aspect of conical/compound surface was debated, with Louie emerging the ultimate winner ... but there still remains one small point to be debated ... more later.

John (Arnold) if you are still watching this thread there is something I would like to ask. I have a memory of you posting (long time ago) that your method of fretboard radiusing was first of all to establish the nut radius and then use a hand plane to shape the fretboard so that the height of the fretboard sides remained constant, and also the center height from nut to end of fret board remained constant ... the radius at the upper (lower ?) end of fretboard being irrelevant. Is this a fair summation of your approach ?
Murray, when everyone rises from the mud pile with mud on them, is there really a winner? (LOL) It was, more like 7-8 years ago if I recall correctly. Today, I'm too lazy to represent mathematical proof as I did then. Don't know if anyone else had mentioned about bending "uphill" and "downhill" before then, but I'm sure these things were on the mind of Ken Warmoth in the late 70s as well as others before.
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  #41  
Old 12-04-2017, 04:40 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LouieAtienza View Post
It was, more like 7-8 years ago if I recall correctly.
Sorry Louie, but I am afraid that your recollection is way out ... how I wish it were otherwise ...
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  #42  
Old 12-04-2017, 05:51 PM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Originally Posted by murrmac123 View Post
Sorry Louie, but I am afraid that your recollection is way out ... how I wish it were otherwise ...
You may be right... regardless it seems like eons ago...
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  #43  
Old 12-04-2017, 06:20 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodger Knox View Post
I use an angled carrier board in the thickness sander and then level the string paths with a sanding beam. .

Simpler version again

Minute and a half, any compound or conical board shape



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  #44  
Old 12-11-2017, 09:48 AM
bausin bausin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LouieAtienza View Post
I calculated a while back that even a constant 10" radius would end up with about .01" or so rise around the 7-8 fret ...
Louie,

I calculate that the "rise" should only be 1 mil for a 10" radius and typical string spacing.

Would you mind sharing the method you used to calculate this?
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  #45  
Old 12-12-2017, 12:01 AM
LouieAtienza LouieAtienza is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bausin View Post
Louie,

I calculate that the "rise" should only be 1 mil for a 10" radius and typical string spacing.

Would you mind sharing the method you used to calculate this?
I calculated .001", but because of these "dumbphones," I apparently missed a zero. This is for a 25.5" scale, with an 18.5" fretboard, 1-3/4" nut, 2-1/4" fretboard end, outer strings 1/8" from edge constant.
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