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Fretboard Radiusing

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syntholabo
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Been thinking hard about how to radius the wood.

Don't fancy the router jigs out there.

Here is a great design, that I have replicated from LuthierSupplies.com.

It's a 12" radius, built by the seat of my pants... Does anyone have any words of caution with respect to getting the job done effectively, using this drum sanding method?

The fretboard support is laminated Maple, so that will not deflect. 

Ta!

 

IMG 2012
IMG 2013
This topic was modified 5 years ago by syntholabo

   
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mark bailey
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Looks great!

Practice on scrap...

Proceed with care - take small passes...

You will still need to do some work by hand after gluing - see here:

https://guitarmaking.co.uk/lesson/level-the-fretboard/

and here

https://guitarmaking.co.uk/lesson/level-the-fretboard/

Would be really cool to see some pics of it in action and the final result?

 

Measure twice, cut once...


   
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darrenking
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I designed a jig many years ago to enable me to machine a radius on to some long vertical blind sections using just a hand router. It would be pretty simple to adapt the design to achieve the same on a fretboard blank. I ended up being able to machine a 3m length in about 20 minutes so a fretboard would be a doddle. Let me know if anyone is interested in this and, if so, I will make a version specifically for fretboards. The design allows for easy selection of radius.

Cheers

Darren


   
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syntholabo
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IMG 2080
IMG 2086

It 'works' !

Not so sure about final symmetry, but this is a good initial attempt. I shouldn't have set the table height with the fretboard parallel to drum sander- I started again setting up from one edge first, otherwise I was taking too much off the middle.

This post was modified 5 years ago by syntholabo

   
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mark bailey
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Not bad for a first try!

You could sand the thinner edge of the fretboard to regain symmetry...(along the flat side)

Measure twice, cut once...


   
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