I was wondering about using plaster of paris and concrete to make tools and useful things. Like radiusing a long piece of pine, getting it perfect, then mixing up some concrete and letting it dry over the radiused blank, so in the end you have a long concrete sanding block, instead of paying rediculous prices for a stew mac long radius block. Or taking a average size radiusing block, making a plaster of paris negative, then making a duplicate out of concrete. Also to copy a neck countour with plaster to help you shape your neck. Has anyone ever tried this before, or have any tips or suggestions? Is there any reason why something like this would not work or be a bad idea?
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plaster/contrete
- Thread starter jordan_frerichs
- Start date
You're over-estimating the strength and stability of a long chunk of concrete or plaster paris. It would break... rather easily. Doing it as you've mentioned also would not be very precise due to imperfections.
If you want something rigid and strong, make it from metal. (Of course there are other materials you could choose... including wood... but I'd not suggest concrete or Plaster)
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/S...oard_Levelers.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=6012
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If you want something rigid and strong, make it from metal. (Of course there are other materials you could choose... including wood... but I'd not suggest concrete or Plaster)
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/S...oard_Levelers.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=6012
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mikeyswood
Inactive
Jordan, you can make a long radius block much more simply than that.
Rig up a simple but sturdy mount so that you can mount your router on a pendulum of a set radius. Then run a long 2x4 or something like it underneath while running the router along it through its pendulous radius (perpendicular to the length of the 2x4). You can quickly, cheaply and accurately make any length or radius block you need...
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Jordan,
Bad thing about concrete, it will level inside a Radii. Concrete will always level. You would need to forum it up to do that, even then..over time it'll chip away.
Like it's been said, takes money to make basses...... or get more resourceful
Bad thing about concrete, it will level inside a Radii. Concrete will always level. You would need to forum it up to do that, even then..over time it'll chip away.
Like it's been said, takes money to make basses...... or get more resourceful
I used the waste cutout from the back of a neck and made a really nice sanding block out it. Maple/Purpleheart/Wenge/Purpleheart/Maple solid as a rock and can glue sandpaper on it very easily.
Since I don't do radii on my basses it's flat as can be and perfect for leveling frets and other useful sandings. And it's long too!
Dirk
Since I don't do radii on my basses it's flat as can be and perfect for leveling frets and other useful sandings. And it's long too!
Dirk
The way I look at it, people were building instruments long before Stew-Mac was around, and there's no reason under the sun that someone should have to pay the god-awful price of $15 for a block of wood cut at a specific radius or $30 for damn pair of pliers that are flush-faced to snip frets. Go to harbor freight, grab a pair of nippers and get to work on a grinder leveling out the face to get a flush cut. You can also go to Lowe's or Home Depot to pickup a radiused piece of moulding or grab a 2x4 and run it at an angle along your table-saw to get an easy 10" or 12" radiused sanding block.
hehe. You could also just grab a 2x4, chances are it's got enough of a radius on it's own. Call it "custom"
