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Bridge saddle height - should I shim?
- Thread starter swagbotbilly
- Start date
Alright, making a nut from a blank question
Before I get started:
Before I get started:
- Am I understanding this orientation correctly?
- For thickness, do I want to sand from the headstock or the fingerboard side?
Your orientation is correct...the top of the nut slopes downward toward the headstock / machine heads. If too thick for the slot, I'd sand the headstock side. I would just place the sandpaper on flat firm surface and run the nut blank (headstock aspect) back 'n forth like an eraser. Stop frequently and check your progress.
Riis
Glad I asked. I had seen several videos where they cut their own bevel, but it'll be nice to not have to do that myself. Thanks again!
What / which bevel? Top-side? It's already beveled. The slot is flat as is the nut blank, correct?
Riis
One thing that helps me when sanding something like the face of nut blank or anything you’re trying to keep flat is to turn the blank around and sand the other direction, so to speak, every few strokes or at least whenever you stop to check the thickness.
Quite a bit. I measured the slot at 3.5 mm, and the blank started at 4.7
My first attempt came out a little uneven, so it's wobbly in the slot (headstock to fretboard) a bit. But I think I might press on with it and get a "finished" one even though it's not great, for the practice.
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Also realized that it would have been better to start with sanding the bottom for height so that any "slant" in the face wasn't exaggerated when sanding that side
Second attempt has gone swimmingly so far. Width is bang-on. Went much slower, measured constantly.
However, since the top/string side of the nut is already radius'd - how on earth do you measure for height? All the videos I've seen cut from a slab blank, so they end up sanding from the top.
Will continue to use the "bum" nut as a trial run...
However, since the top/string side of the nut is already radius'd - how on earth do you measure for height? All the videos I've seen cut from a slab blank, so they end up sanding from the top.
Will continue to use the "bum" nut as a trial run...
So measuring fret height, adding some, and then sanding down from the TOP of the nut to get to a certain height before cutting the slots makes sense...
but now I have a nice beveled top, and need to remove/sand from the BOTTOM before/after cutting my slots. What's the trick here?
but now I have a nice beveled top, and need to remove/sand from the BOTTOM before/after cutting my slots. What's the trick here?
Again, I would run it like an eraser across sandpaper on a flat surface. Bonus points if you can butt it up against an L-shaped (90 deg) support or "fence" to keep the cut & angle true. Otherwise, it's easy to tilt and create an uneven surface.
Riis
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Right, I meant roughing out the height before cutting the slots. But it occurred to me this morning that I could cut the slots first, then carefully sand from the bottom until I got the right height.
I would advise against it. You can rough-in the dimensions and START the slots. It really needs to installed as it progresses so you can re-check your work & interaction with the fretboard.
Riis
Oh, well that was my question. What is the best way to rough out the height if you're sanding from the bottom, instead of from the top? Just find fret height plus 1/8" or something?
I’d just pop the old nut as it appears to be roughly the right shape…but with mis-cut slots. Use your pocket rule, micrometer, or just trace it on the new blank. Same holds true for the slot spacing.
Riis
Update:
Would love some feedback on the "test" nut slots. This nut ended up WAY too thin so I shimmed it with a business card to make it stable enough to practice cutting slots. I stacked up some feeler gauges (fret height 1.4 mm + 0.25 mm) and drew a line across to mark the absolute lowest I could go. Just to test, I pretty much took each slot down to juuuuust above the line.
Thanks again for everyone's help. This has been both fun and nerve-wracking and frustrating (in waves, as is the DIY way).
- Took some time off. Wanted to read and study up on it, study this thread, watch some videos, etc.
- Opened up the body neck holes. Screws slip fit comfortably through now.
- Decided to go all the way on a test nut. Followed each step with my "good" nut.
Would love some feedback on the "test" nut slots. This nut ended up WAY too thin so I shimmed it with a business card to make it stable enough to practice cutting slots. I stacked up some feeler gauges (fret height 1.4 mm + 0.25 mm) and drew a line across to mark the absolute lowest I could go. Just to test, I pretty much took each slot down to juuuuust above the line.
Thanks again for everyone's help. This has been both fun and nerve-wracking and frustrating (in waves, as is the DIY way).
Shimmed how & where? Hate to say it but you may be better off shimming the underside of the original nut, re-installing, and re-cutting the slots to spec. You can use beer can aluminum or I can mail you some super-thin maple veneer.
Riis
I put a bit of business card on the headstock side. This is still the test nut. I have a blank that is the correct width, but I appreciate it! I have been using the original original nut for spacing so I feel good about that.
I mostly want to know if my slot width(?) looks okay - i.e. enough of the string in/out of the nut slot. I also have new strings that I will be putting on to get some extra length and get better break angles.
I can't tell if I need to make the bass side slots wider (more string "in" the nut) and/or the treble side thinner (less string "in" the nut)
