Hi folks,
I'm finally making saw dust after making all the jigs & patterns!
I've cut the truss rod slot as per the course video and using the truss rod and cutter as supplied by Mark & Carol.
I popped it in just to see how it's fitting and all is good except the welded on cylindrical adjustment piece is slightly wider than the slot and the rest of the truss? It's about 7mm wide when the ready is the rod is about 6mm.
It's fiddly sanding the only option?
Cheers
Dan
Brian Walker 26/06/2023 8:47 pm
@dhawkes1gmail-com Hi Dan, I’m about the same stage as you in the build and had the same problem. What I did was enlarge the area where the adjuster sits. I marked it out carefully and then used wood chisels to take out waste to the lines, working slowly and carefully. Remember to make the slot a bit deeper here as well as wider to give the adjuster room to work. If you’re not confident with using chisels then maybe a Dremel with a suitable bit could do the job. Remember that the fretboard will cover this area.
Good luck and enjoy the rest of the build👍😃🎸
AwRaBest,
Brian.😃
Dan Hawkes Topic starter
26/06/2023 9:36 pm
Thanks for the replies folks. I think I have been over thinking it.
I suppose it could be a good time to practice my chisel skills, although a Dremel is a good suggestion.
After posting I had thought of getting a file/sandpaper in there from the headstock end after if cut the headstock angle.
Cheers all!
If it was me, I probably wouldn't overthink it. If it is just the round nut that is slightly wider than the slot you cut, I'd probably just mark the start and stop of the nut and then I'd grab a chisel and slightly widen the hole where the nut is. I think it would all be covered by the fretboard anyway so just keep it as neat as you can and just shave a little out.
You usually need a wider bit for that end, or if you used a rounded router bit you need to square off the bottom of the channel for the blocks. Check the size of the nut with vernier callipers though, it's maybe 7mm or so.
Thanks. Maybe I've not found it yet, but there's no mention of needing another router bit to fit the truss rod in the course vids and only the one cutter for electric guitar truss rods in the shop.
I guess I don't want to go too big, but any idea what size bit I'll need?
Cheers
NSJ 26/06/2023 9:39 pm
@dhawkes1gmail-com measure the nut, they vary in size. I often just run a 9mm for the nut and the access channel. As long as the main part of the rod is snug it's fine.
Here's a live Mark did, shows you what I'm on about. It's possible he missed something when doing the video lessons, I haven't watched them.
Another possible is you haven't gone deep enough, the nut often sits deeper than the rest of the rod.
Dan Hawkes Topic starter
27/06/2023 6:44 am
Thanks buddy, this is very useful. Appreciate you finding the vid for me!
Hi again Dan, I was getting ready to install the truss rod on my neck today and thought I should check the ability to get an Allen key in to the adjuster, make the necessary adjustments and get the tool out again. Well there just wasn’t the space for even getting the Allen key in!! Cut a long story short, I extended the slot out into the headstock so that it was 30mm from the back of the nut and 10mm wide to allow lateral movement of the Allen key in making adjustments.
Hope this is useful, always pays to check and try to think ahead.
Brian😃👍
Dan Hawkes Topic starter
04/07/2023 6:20 am
Hi Brian, appreciate that thanks buddy. Following the previous replied and the YouTube that NSJ shared mine's all sorted now. I just used a 1/2" router to widen the slot as you mention.
I've come up against a couple of other issues (of my own making!) And resolved as I've gone along. I'll post them up at some point too.
As your day, checking and thinking ahead is really useful.
Cheers!