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yes, that's my alternative doing rails in the bed where I routed and why I routed the way I did (see above post). I will carve this which will make it decidedly less clunky, I won't make a choice either way, just getting some options together.
I think I have this about as "delicate" as I can make it and still have structural integrity. It's surely less obtrusive than it was as a block, but it still has certain weight. I can take about 3/16" of height off it (though exactly how I would do that is in question at this point). I'll keep this and see what else I might be able to do around the bridge before making a definitive decision.
yes, exactly or at least "big block"Looks like it should have "Hemi" written on the side
The fretless board came in this morning. That storm did weird things with delivery times, USPS said it was "out for delivery" last night before 8:00PM. This morning at 6:00AM I had a postal guy running up my driveway. I wish there was some way to tell everyone involved that it's important, but running up a snowy driveway at 6:00AM is really not necessary for a fingerboard.
The board is beautiful, just like it's other two sisters.
I clamped it on the neck, drew on the sides, cut in where the fret markers will be (much easier to do this when the board is square then after) and got the sides roughed in
I radiused the board using a sanding block, it cut very easily and took about 20 minutes to complete. The center of the board is 5/16" thick and the fretted one is 1/4" thick at the same point, so I think I'm good without needing any shims.
After bringing the bass side in closer on the oscillating drum sander and sanding block, I started cutting the sides for fret markers.
I'll grab some minutes between calls today to get the rest of the slots cut and probably install maple slats in there. This wood is dark enough that there will be enough contrast, famous last words. While I know white plastic will not absorb oil and remain very visible, I just like wood better for the organic look.
The board is beautiful, just like it's other two sisters.
I clamped it on the neck, drew on the sides, cut in where the fret markers will be (much easier to do this when the board is square then after) and got the sides roughed in
I radiused the board using a sanding block, it cut very easily and took about 20 minutes to complete. The center of the board is 5/16" thick and the fretted one is 1/4" thick at the same point, so I think I'm good without needing any shims.
After bringing the bass side in closer on the oscillating drum sander and sanding block, I started cutting the sides for fret markers.
Cheater lines installed. I use wood glue for this step I think the longer dry time allows the maple to absorb the glue and swell into place. Side dots are next I guess. I usually use a drill guide that's meant to work off the top of the board, but I also normally use that before I radius. Hmmm, can go off the bottom of the fingerboard on the fretless neck, but the fretted neck is already glued up. It will be hard to have them exactly the same if I'm using two different drill guides, but maybe not such a big thing.
I made up a new drill guide that works off the bottom of the neck, probably a one time (ok two time) use thing as I don't think every neck I make will be this dimension front to back, but who knows. I started with calipers measuring the spread on the fret slots, then put the number into a spreadsheet set up to divide by two, then use that number to set up a centerline for the dots. Yeah, I can do division in my head, but this is simple and zero chance of mistakes (plus when I do the next neck I've got the numbers already).
The block works well, just line up the centerline on the neck with the line on the block, drill and you're good to go. I had to prop the neck blank up to accommodate the neck taper. I had a slight slip on the first dot where I had the depth set on the drill press without realizing it, the drill hit the fretboard, but just barely. The second time down I was slightly off, it filled in with CA glue, we'll see how it looks after sanding. One tip - erase any pencil lines before gluing, it can be hard to sand off just enough to remove the glue and the pencil mark, much easier to erase a line beforehand.
I bought this hundred pack of 2mm abalone dots off Ebay, as you can imagine there's quite a variety of colors in there. I dumped a bunch out and picked the whitest ones and put them in the holes with tweezers. I've done dots many times, but this is probably the most controlled in placing dots and selecting dots. I'll wait for the CA to dry then sand it down.
The block works well, just line up the centerline on the neck with the line on the block, drill and you're good to go. I had to prop the neck blank up to accommodate the neck taper. I had a slight slip on the first dot where I had the depth set on the drill press without realizing it, the drill hit the fretboard, but just barely. The second time down I was slightly off, it filled in with CA glue, we'll see how it looks after sanding. One tip - erase any pencil lines before gluing, it can be hard to sand off just enough to remove the glue and the pencil mark, much easier to erase a line beforehand.
I bought this hundred pack of 2mm abalone dots off Ebay, as you can imagine there's quite a variety of colors in there. I dumped a bunch out and picked the whitest ones and put them in the holes with tweezers. I've done dots many times, but this is probably the most controlled in placing dots and selecting dots. I'll wait for the CA to dry then sand it down.
Attachments
That's the way I used to do it as well, but I never got a perfect straight line. This way is foolproof, for my foolish hands and eyes.
I did things out of order here, but I love polishing a fretboard. I need to check the string paths on the fretless, so it's probable I'll be back at 220 grit. I'll do that and dots in the morning. The two necks look great. It looks like I need to put a small spacer on the end of both of the head pieces, otherwise the nut will be a bit narrow.
I need to figure out if I'm going to do CA on the fretless. I really like running roundwounds, and despite what some say they do eat up the board, maybe I just play hard (I do slap quite a bit). I think I just answered my question. CA is a pain in the butt to do, but it's not that hard, I guess.
I also need to design something for the bottom of the fretboards, it will go a half inch or so beyond the 24th fret. I want them to be the same (obviously), I just haven't been able think of anything. I did a half circle on the last one and I like that, maybe I'll just do that again.
I need to figure out if I'm going to do CA on the fretless. I really like running roundwounds, and despite what some say they do eat up the board, maybe I just play hard (I do slap quite a bit). I think I just answered my question. CA is a pain in the butt to do, but it's not that hard, I guess.
I also need to design something for the bottom of the fretboards, it will go a half inch or so beyond the 24th fret. I want them to be the same (obviously), I just haven't been able think of anything. I did a half circle on the last one and I like that, maybe I'll just do that again.
I'll document it with pictures - basically put CA on, sand it off, repeat until it's smooth.
I got up early today and got an hour or so in the shop. Work travel is about to pick up so things will slow down for a bit after tomorrow.
I got the side dots installed on the fretless. I ended up just putting them in the same place relative to the bottom of the neck as on the fretted. You can really see that this neck is taller than the fretted neck (which is good, I guess).
I also added a piece of maple to the end to shim out the headpiece, I just needed a little more space for the nut
And finally I added a little piece to the bottom of the fretted neck to cover that roundover. I drilled a hole in a piece of wood that had the same radius as the roundover cut it out and glued it in place.
I've got to do a neck profile then start carving necks. I get to do two this time, my favorite part of the build.
I got the side dots installed on the fretless. I ended up just putting them in the same place relative to the bottom of the neck as on the fretted. You can really see that this neck is taller than the fretted neck (which is good, I guess).
I also added a piece of maple to the end to shim out the headpiece, I just needed a little more space for the nut
And finally I added a little piece to the bottom of the fretted neck to cover that roundover. I drilled a hole in a piece of wood that had the same radius as the roundover cut it out and glued it in place.
I've got to do a neck profile then start carving necks. I get to do two this time, my favorite part of the build.
[QUOTE="
I also need to design something for the bottom of the fretboards, it will go a half inch or so beyond the 24th fret. I want them to be the same (obviously), I just haven't been able think of anything. I did a half circle on the last one and I like that, maybe I'll just do that again.[/QUOTE]
A bass clef maybe?
I also need to design something for the bottom of the fretboards, it will go a half inch or so beyond the 24th fret. I want them to be the same (obviously), I just haven't been able think of anything. I did a half circle on the last one and I like that, maybe I'll just do that again.[/QUOTE]
A bass clef maybe?
A bass clef maybe?[/QUOTE]
I may reverse myself on this at some point in the future, but I wouldn't ever put a bass clef on an instrument, too cliche for me. Sorry, that sounds elitist or whatever, but I just don't find that appealing.
now that I could see doing :-D
I'll likely just do a half circle on the bottom, I don't think I want to do any inlays or anything too fancy.
