Fretboard small dot install - already radiused FB

[chinjazz]

Looking for a few tips/ideas on installing 4mm Pearl dots on a pre-radiused fret board.

I'm getting these from StewMac in a few days: Invalid Link Removed

My goal is to place them lower between the D and G string. They're not really thick "Perfectly round 0.050" (1.27mm) thick", so is it no big deal drilling flat against the curved radius, or is it better to figure out a way to 90 degree the drilling angle?

Thanks!

 

[Bruce Johnson]

The best way to install 4mm dots is with three drill bits. Start by laying out the positions with a pencil and ruler. Do a light centerpunch on the locations. First, drill a teeny hole, like 1/16", right in the centerpunch mark. Go maybe 1/4" deep.

Next, use a 5/32" brad point drill bit. One of the sheet metal type "pilot" bits will also work. The purpose is to make a shallow hole that's approximately flat bottomed. Be careful about the depth. You only want it 0.040"-0.050" deep, which isn't much. You don't want the dot to fall down in below the surface. The pilot or point in the the teeny hole will keep it centered on the right location.

The last step is to gently ream the hole with a #21 drill bit. This is because 4mm is just a tiny bit over 5/32". You may want to do this by hand. Hold the bit in some drill chuck or pin vise and lightly give it a few turns by hand in the hole. You are only taking the hole from 0.156" to 0.159", which isn't much.

Yes, you may be able to find a 4mm brad point bit somewhere, but it's still a good idea to ream the hole with the #21 bit. The #21 bit is just slightly larger than 4mm. You don't want the dot to be a force fit into the hole, when you are trying to install it with superglue. That gets messy fast.

Put a dot of superglue in the hole, set the dot in the hole, spray it with Kicker. Gently file it down to the surface with a flat fine tooth file.

For small thin dots like these, you can do the drilling with a small cordless drill. Drill perpendicular to the fingerboard surface, right at the spot you are drilling. If you are off the centerline and using a drill press, then tilt the neck slightly.

 

[chinjazz]

The best way to install 4mm dots is with three drill bits. Start by laying out the positions with a pencil and ruler. Do a light centerpunch on the locations. First, drill a teeny hole, like 1/16", right in the centerpunch mark. Go maybe 1/4" deep.

Next, use a 5/32" brad point drill bit. One of the sheet metal type "pilot" bits will also work. The purpose is to make a shallow hole that's approximately flat bottomed. Be careful about the depth. You only want it 0.040"-0.050" deep, which isn't much. You don't want the dot to fall down in below the surface. The pilot or point in the the teeny hole will keep it centered on the right location.

The last step is to gently ream the hole with a #21 drill bit. This is because 4mm is just a tiny bit over 5/32". You may want to do this by hand. Hold the bit in some drill chuck or pin vise and lightly give it a few turns by hand in the hole. You are only taking the hole from 0.156" to 0.159", which isn't much.

Yes, you may be able to find a 4mm brad point bit somewhere, but it's still a good idea to ream the hole with the #21 bit. The #21 bit is just slightly larger than 4mm. You don't want the dot to be a force fit into the hole, when you are trying to install it with superglue. That gets messy fast.

Put a dot of superglue in the hole, set the dot in the hole, spray it with Kicker. Gently file it down to the surface with a flat fine tooth file.

Great, thanks for the advice Bruce!
I’m such a stickler for details and really want to do things with efficiency and detail - luckily I’m patient.

 

[chinjazz]

The best way to install 4mm dots is with three drill bits. Start by laying out the positions with a pencil and ruler. Do a light centerpunch on the locations. First, drill a teeny hole, like 1/16", right in the centerpunch mark. Go maybe 1/4" deep.

Next, use a 5/32" brad point drill bit. One of the sheet metal type "pilot" bits will also work. The purpose is to make a shallow hole that's approximately flat bottomed. Be careful about the depth. You only want it 0.040"-0.050" deep, which isn't much. You don't want the dot to fall down in below the surface. The pilot or point in the the teeny hole will keep it centered on the right location.

The last step is to gently ream the hole with a #21 drill bit. This is because 4mm is just a tiny bit over 5/32". You may want to do this by hand. Hold the bit in some drill chuck or pin vise and lightly give it a few turns by hand in the hole. You are only taking the hole from 0.156" to 0.159", which isn't much.

Yes, you may be able to find a 4mm brad point bit somewhere, but it's still a good idea to ream the hole with the #21 bit. The #21 bit is just slightly larger than 4mm. You don't want the dot to be a force fit into the hole, when you are trying to install it with superglue. That gets messy fast.

Put a dot of superglue in the hole, set the dot in the hole, spray it with Kicker. Gently file it down to the surface with a flat fine tooth file.

For small thin dots like these, you can do the drilling with a small cordless drill. Drill perpendicular to the fingerboard surface, right at the spot you are drilling. If you are off the centerline and using a drill press, then tilt the neck slightly.

Thanks for the extra detail on drilling

I was placing an order for StewMac #20 and accellerator and just thought wouldn’t it be a bit cleaner to get the Brush on accellerator as opposed to the aerosol spray? I would drop in the accellerator after the ca and not actually brush...

 

[Arie X]

-well, whatever you do measure your dots first just to be sure.
-gather up some fine rosewood sawdust for fill as needed. minimizes that off color border one sees around some inlay work.
-after roughing do a final level of the dots with a razor or a scraper for a clean install.
-someday you will own a small table top milling machine. that way you can just use a 4mm endmill and dial out the distances and depths with greater accuracy.
-fwiw, i'm a bit of a multi-tasker and also tend to build with the least amount of chemicals involved. with 4 instruments in play right now i can do another job while waiting 30 minutes for CA to dry thus i do not actually use accelerator.

post a picture when you've got it done!

 

[chinjazz]

-well, whatever you do measure your dots first just to be sure.
-gather up some fine rosewood sawdust for fill as needed. minimizes that off color border one sees around some inlay work.
-after roughing do a final level of the dots with a razor or a scraper for a clean install.
-someday you will own a small table top milling machine. that way you can just use a 4mm endmill and dial out the distances and depths with greater accuracy.
-fwiw, i'm a bit of a multi-tasker and also tend to build with the least amount of chemicals involved. with 4 instruments in play right now i can do another job while waiting 30 minutes for CA to dry thus i do not actually use accelerator.

post a picture when you've got it done!

Cool! Thanks for the advice Arie!

I'll measure each dot for sure. I actually got some of the smaller dots for the side as well that I'll measure as well. I have some extra rosewood at the end of the board that I can practice drilling on as well. I'll practice with the drill press and by hand... Just got the dots yesterday and the drill bits on my lunch break.

I'll definitely post pics here or on my build thread. Thanks again, Cheers!