2 Questions ! Cambering And Binding

[sekler]

Hey guys,

I'm new to all this. I bought 2 books on guitar making and basically pretty got all my components and tools (morecwill be bought as it'll go on).

I have a question regarding cambering the fretboard.

I got my fretboard pre-slotted but I have to sand the proper radius..now I read that since the sanding will decrease the depth of the slot, it'll have to be sawed a lil deeper but also not straight, following the radius..what is the best way to do such a thing without messing up or cutting too deep in some places ? seems hard to have an even radiused slot.

other question is regarding the neck binding. since the binding would add a little extra width on the neck, I basically cut a small channel on the edge of the 2 sides when the fretboard is glued on the neck right ?

thanks again, I'll see you guys around

[mammoth guitars]

Some pre-slotted fretboards have fairly deep slots and you need to check the length of the fret tang before sawing the fret further. Most of the time the fret tang is shorter than the slot even after the fretboard has been radiused. (and with binding you won't see the extra fret slot depth).

For binding on the fretboard you could cut a channel after you installed the fretboard, however all you really need to do is cut the fretboard to width less the thickness of the binding x2 (for both sides). Then glue up the binding for either side and install it onthe neck. Binding the fretboard before neck installation 1) allows free access to the fretboard so you can move it around easier and 2) there is little chance you can nick or cut the neck. And its easier to fret before its installed on the neck and with binding you have special tang cuts unless you do it like Gibson.

[Arseneau]

You only have to cut the slot deeper if radiusing the board makes the slots shallow enough that the ends of the frets stick up. The slot itself does not have to be radiused to match the board exactly per se, just deep enough to take the whole fret, rougly following the camber of the board. I generally have bought pre-slotted, un-radiused fret boards and have rarely had to cut the slots any deeper after radiusing (unless I get over zealous with the radius sanding block )

As for the binding, cutting a channel after the fret board has been attached sounds like a recipe for disaster. Instead, simply make your fretboard 1mm (or whatever) narrower all around and add your fret board binding before you glue the whole works to the neck. Not sayng it absolutley wouldn't work your way, just that this way is MUCH easier...

G

[sekler]

thanks guys you rock...actually, since my radius is very small (think like a gibson LP, more like 10 or 12'') I guess I may be alright for all this..we'll see in due time.

IT's an ebony board..I read about pieces of the fb breaking away while cambering after the fret slots were cut..but since it's ebony and stronger than rosewood, do you think it should happen ? I guess I just have to not put too much pressure when I sand.

[Mattia]

Ebony will chip out more easily than rosewood (it's more brittle, see. Harder, but more brittle), but if you're just sanding, you should be fine. Zero risk, pretty much. If you were planing, that would be a different story.