Budget Radiused Sanding Blocks?

**Matthew_84** · #1 09-02-2011, 09:11 PM

I'm on a VERY tight budget right now, but I want to defret my POS Stagg Jazz copy within the next couple of weeks. The current fretboard radius is about 9.5", but I don't really mind if I sand it down to a 10" or even a 12".

All of the radiused sanding blocks I have seen are too expensive for what they are. I've seen some videos on DIY solutions, but by the time I buy the tools to do so and put the couple of hours of work into it, I might as well just spend the money on a proper Stewmac one.

So, I'm wondering if there is any place that I can find a very cheap one, or if there is even some common household item that may work in its place. At some point, I will likely make a cut-out of the different radiuses that I'd be happy with and run around the house trying to find something that may work, but I'm just looking for any other ideas.

Thanks,

Matt

**Matthew_84** · #2 09-02-2011, 10:55 PM

Actually I think I just thought of a decent idea... But if anyone sees a flaw in it, please let me know.

So first I'll remove the strings and find out the exact radius of my board and make a cut-out for that radius, find a block only a several inches long, pull out the frets, and find an area on the neck, using my cut-out, where the fretboard is perfectly true for the length of my piece of wood, put a piece of sand paper on that segment on the fretboard with the back of the paper against the board and then run the wood block over it, therefore using the fretboard to create the radius block.

I think that should be good enough, I am likely going to get a proper Warmoth neck with an ebony board later on, if I like playing fretless and when I get some more dough.

SurferJoe46 · #3 09-02-2011, 11:46 PM

Might work OK if you use a really rough paper. Like 80# or 60#, or even 30# if you can find it.

I think you'll find however, that the radius changes as you go down the board. You may start at 9.5" and then near the heel it goes to 11" or so.

**Matthew_84** · #4 09-03-2011, 07:38 AM

Ah yes, good point... Maybe there will be 3" or 4" at the heel where the radius is the same just to make the block. I don't mind taking down the whole board to a unified radius, there's a very thick piece of rosewood on it and the neck is just a little chunky for my liking.

Hmm... I just looked at the neck and it somehow seems that the radius is flatter near the nut? Maybe the radius is unified and it looks that way because the neck is thinner at the nut? I don't know. I should loosen the strings and find out what the radius is in a couple of different locations before I pull out the frets so I know what I'm dealing with. And I do have to be careful not to sand too much, especially at the nut, because the groove for nut is surprisingly shallow now that I look at it again.

And thanks, I will use the heaviest grit paper I can find.

floatingaxe · #5 09-03-2011, 07:45 AM

I tried to do this when I was in your shoes, but it was an utter fail.
There was no way for me to hold the block steady enough as I sanded it to get a good radius on the block.
I ended up using a nice long, 8" or so, block of balsa that was flat. The side to side radius didn't matter to me much, it was the end to end flatness that matters and the flat block worked fine. Just make sure you work side to side on the fretboard as you go so you avoid flat spots and it will work fine for a POS.
If you were defretting a nice bass it would be a different story.

bolophonic · #6 09-03-2011, 08:07 AM

I am very interested in this thread. I started working on a poorly defretted Precision neck yesterday and it looks like I am going to lose some of the radius getting it back in order. I don't mind winding up with a flatter fingerboard, but I don't know very much about radiusing.

**Matthew_84** · #7 09-03-2011, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by floatingaxe

The side to side radius didn't matter to me much, it was the end to end flatness that matters and the flat block worked fine.

So the longer the block the easier it is to grip and keep straight, plus it will obviously work better as a sanding block. But I'm a bit confused with what you meant when you mentioned that "it was the end to end flatness that matters". Did you mean about keeping the block straight as I go up and down the neck (like exactly 90 deg perpendicular to the neck)?

floatingaxe · #8 09-03-2011, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthew_84

So the longer the block the easier it is to grip and keep straight, plus it will obviously work better as a sanding block. But I'm a bit confused with what you meant when you mentioned that "it was the end to end flatness that matters". Did you mean about keeping the block straight as I go up and down the neck (like exactly 90 deg perpendicular to the neck)?

No no no.
To get good fretless voicing, the mwaahh we're all looking for, you need as flat a board as possible end to end. Any dips or bumps in the board will kill mwah and might even introduce unpleasant buzzing, like fret-buzz.
You want a pretty long sanding block and sand with it parallel to the fret board. As you sand don't stay in one spot for more than a few strokes, keep moving up and down the board and side to side across the radius. You might flatten the radius, but the end to end flatness is way more important.
I eventually got a radiused block from stewmac and it deffinitely help, but for working on a cheap bass like you are it isn't necessary.
I found this video to be very helpful for defret technique: fretless bass conversion(PART 1) - YouTube

**Matthew_84** · #9 09-03-2011, 10:01 AM

Oh, okay, I get what you're saying now.. I thought you meant the end to end flatness was more important on the radiused block. No wonder I was confused, LOL.

Well, I would prefer a bit of a radius as opposed to it being flat side to side, but in the end, yes, for it to be perfectly level from the nut to the heel is of the utmost importance.

So you tried the method I talked about to get a radiused sanding block (sanding off the fretboard), but you couldn't hold the block steady enough and the radius on the block didn't turn out well? Hmm, I didn't think that would have happened.

Well, I'll give it a whirl anyway, and if not then yes, I'll just use a flat sanding block, if I also can't find something good around the house. I really can't justify buying a Stewmac one for this neck, when I'm likely going to get a custom ebony one a bit later on anyway.

Thanks,

Matt

floatingaxe · #10 09-03-2011, 10:42 AM

Sure thing, give it a try.
As I said before I use balsa because it's so soft it was easier to shape.
Even if you use a flat block you won't get rid of all the radius or you have sanded way too much. It just won't be exactly the same as it was originally.
Have fun. Fretless is a blast!

**Matthew_84** · #11 09-03-2011, 11:06 AM

Good points, thanks.. And I am truly looking forward to it. I've got some good plans with this bass, gonna put on some tapewounds and a foam mute and take out the bridge p'up for as close to an upright sound as I can get on an electric bass. Should be awesome... Thanks again.

testing1two · #12 09-03-2011, 02:14 PM

The radius block thing is overrated IMO. You need a fairly long, perfectly flat block if you're going to sand a fingerboard. You will naturally follow the radius of the fingerboard as you sand since you're not trying to reshape the board, only to level out the high and low spots. Here's a buddy of mine demonstrating the technique on a '63 tele: Sammy Sanchez fret job on vintage guitar Video by Sammy - Myspace Video

berwick63 · #13 09-03-2011, 03:47 PM

I took a long 1x3 piece of pine with some paper taped to it, and held it at a 30 or 45 degree angle to the board. That allowed me to work side to side and create a radius. Definitely not a true radius, but by my eye, it looks fine, and plays well. As stated before, end to end straightness of the fingerboard is the crucial part of fretless. I personally kind of like flat boards a little(radius wise)