Thread: Goings on in the Workshop

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

You should definitely post the pics of your electric.

I agree

Martin, I used some piano wire on the archtop in the same way you used the brads, but I found it still moved a little and I had a hell of a job trying to get it all back into position. I put it down to an oversized hole, but maybe it was the piano wire bending... ever had any trouble like that on your fingerboards?

Malibu,

No I havent had any problems with the brads. The brads are readily available at my local Mitre 10 as are the drill bits.

If youre having trouble with the fretboard moving with two location pins then you can always put in a third pin....say at the 5th or 7th fret.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Stu,

You should definitely post the pics of your electric.

+1

Fretboard clamps came off this morning and all looks ok apart from a few little chips around soundhole....nothing some epoxy and ebony dust wont fix.

Pic 1: fretboard clamps off after glue up job.

Pic 2: final shaping of end of fretboard flush with soundhole. NOTE: dont use a rasp on ebony...only a fine file or fine sandpaper.....the stuff chips like buggery. I use 120 grit wrapped around a 30mm dowel off the workboard. Some of you will notice the boo boo..the 19th fret should normally be split around the hole but because the sound hole somehow got cut a fraction too far bridgewards Ive ended up with a complete 19th fret. Wont effect the playability of the instrument but will annoy the purists like myself.

Pic 3: rough shaping neck with spokeshave.....$15 from an antique shop in New Zealand. I shape the neck using facets marked in pencil.

Pic 4: shaping around headstock. This is a job that usually causes me grief but this time no problems. Makes up for the stuff up on the soundhole end of the fretboard. Getting this end of the neck is largely a matter of working the wood until the shape looks and feels right. I thin the neck from about the 2nd fret to the headstock but exact profile depends on the headstock shape and other factors.

Pic 5: final shaping of neck using 120 grit sand paper. To get a nice even shape work the sandpaper shoe shine style.

Hi Martin.

I Love this post,It almost feels like I am building this guitar !

I see that you have glued the fretboard on ,then fit the frets.

That is the way I did my electrics,but the Stewmac 000 kit I am building,they do it the other way - IE: Cut the fretboard ,fit the frets then glue it to the neck.....

I can see some problems with this way, getting the neck and fretboard to line up,but I was wondering what your (or anybody else's) thoughts might be..

Thanks

Greg

you need to position the board with brads to prevent slippage when clamping
the brads go through the fret slots
unless the board in the stewmac method is stabilised some other way
also it would be easier to trim the board or neck to size and sand it all down nice without the frets ripping the sandpaper to shreds
to me putting down the frets would be last job before leveling and crowning
next job is finish

Ray has pretty much voiced my reasons for fretting up after gluing in the fretboard. Pros and cons of course. The advantage of fretting up before gluing on the fretboard is it's easier to knock in the upper frets....you don't have to worry about cauls and bags of leadshot to absorb the hammer blows.

Not alot of time spent in the shop today but managed to sneak in for an hour in between domestic chores and do a fret job on the classical.

Pic 1: filing fret slots with triangular file. This reduces risk of fretboard tear out should the fret have to be pulled.

Pic 2: Fret has been hammered in (camera out of focus during same...sorry) and ends are nipped of using special fret nippers. Note cabinet scrapers placed on soundboard to protect same from scratching with nippers.

NOTES: prior to knocking in the fret I wick a bit of water into the slot with an eyedropper to cause the ebony to expand a bit. I also run a thin bead of AR glue along the tang of the fret. Both actions help ensure the fret stays in the slot. There are different schools of thought on knocking a fret in...I start in the middle of the fret and then work out to the sides. Others work from one end to the other. Others press their frets in.

Pic 3: Caul going in prior to knocking in frets 12 to 19.

Pic 4: Knocking in upper frets.

Pic 3: Out of sequence but prior to fret going in I straighten same to reduce chances of fret springing up during knock in.

The last photo in this sequence. The frets all in and ready for dressing.

So, Martin, Have you ever entertained the thought of producing an illustrated 'How to' book on acoustics ? Great pics.

What's everyone's take on fretting ? Hammer or press ?

I used a press on mine. Just wondering the what's and wherefores.

Cheers, Stu

A book on building guitars?? I'm thinking more of a Treatise on how NOT to build guitars.

I keep a detailed diary and take lots of photos so maybe one day when I'm too old and doddery to build guitars I'll put together something.

Hammers versus press....I prefer a hammer. If the guitar's been causing you grief then come fret time you can take out your frustrations on the instrument with the fret hammer. A press is probably a gentler way to install frets and there's less chance of braces coming loose when working in the upper bout area.

Originally Posted by Malibu

I agree

Martin, I used some piano wire on the archtop in the same way you used the brads, but I found it still moved a little and I had a hell of a job trying to get it all back into position. I put it down to an oversized hole, but maybe it was the piano wire bending... ever had any trouble like that on your fingerboards?

For this I use a staple gun. Blast a few into each end of the neck but i only want one side of the staple. The I just cut it off the bit i want o keep with my fret snipers leaving about 1mm proud of the surface and pull the other bit out. Glue up, take your time to align the fretboard and push it down on the staples. Works for me and doesn't slide around.
Dom

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

fretboard location pins. These prevent fretboard moving while glue is setting. I use 1.25mm brads with the heads nipped off.

I'd hate to be the guy who ruins his plane when replacing your fingerboard in 100 years time!

I'm glad I don't have to worry about frets. Just a compound camber ...

Lovely to watch this taking shape. I hope you're going to post sound samples at the end!

Matthew,

Youll notice in the photo the pins are actually protruding above the fretboard This is so they can be easily gripped with pliers and yanked out once the fretboard is glued in. The clamping caul has holes to clear the pins.