Neck Finish Question

[Kieran]

Hi folks,
How do people deal with the inevitable ridge that will be left when removing masking tape from the edge of the fretboard after finishing the neck?
I will be varnishing my neck and would like the transition to oiled fingerboard to be on the glue line. Any suggestions of how and where to mask and how to taper/feather/lose the ridge most welcome.

Thanks

Kieran

[mirwa]

The ridge line is lost by clear coating over the exposed wood and paint and then subsequent levelling

Steve

[John Arnold]

Nothing was mentioned about painting the neck. The OP wants an unfinished fingerboard edge, which is what I prefer on the guitars I build with an unbound ebony fingerboard.
Mask with thin plastic tape, not regular masking tape. That minimizes the ridge that is left. Place the mask just above the joint so that ~1/32" of the fingerboard is showing. After the finish has cured, taper the finish with fine sandpaper and a small rubber block.

[Kieran]

Thanks Steve but like John says I'm not painting this neck.

Thanks John that's the info I was looking for. I'll have a look around and see what sort of finishing/thin tape I can source.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

The OP wants an unfinished fingerboard edge, which is what I prefer on the guitars I build with an unbound ebony fingerboard.

Interesting. I never thought of doing that. What are the advantages to doing so?

Mask with thin plastic tape, not regular masking tape.

I recently saw another luthier using frisket tape/film for masking the bridge area prior to finishing. I've not used it, but its thinness (.002") seems like a good idea, compared to masking tape. It might work for this application.

Here's one example: https://www.grafixarts.com/products/frisket-film/

[John Arnold]

What are the advantages to doing so?

No chipping of the lacquer on the fingerboard edge.

[Kieran]

Thanks Charles.
The frisket film looks good, I think I may have seen Tim McKnight using something similar to mask the bridge area for finishing, i did wonder what material/product it was.

Also, although I completely agree with John about eliminating the chance of chipping, it just seems natural to make the transition to a non bound and oiled fretboard at the glue line.

[amohr]

I spray necks over 2 day period so after first spray run I remove masking and gently sand until finish is flat with edge of fret board, re mask-spray-cure then repeat light sanding, then off to buffer wheel.