fyb Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 (edited) I'm taking a stab at a neck build from scratch and have a neck blank and preslotted & radiused fretboard. I'm worried that if you just clamp the heck out of the blank and board, you can damage the fretboard by denting it or screwing up the radius if you put too much pressure in one spot...but you need some good pressure to get a good seam. What's the best way to glue the fretboard on in this situation? Thanks! Edited October 28, 2006 by fyb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primal Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 Take a strip of wood (preferably hardwood) to use as a clamping caul to help even out clamping pressure along the fretboard. I used a pre-radiused board and didn't have any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvyn Hiscock Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 You don't want to be using so much pressure that you dent the wood as this would also tend to squeeze all the glue out of the join. You can make a caul with raised sides if you are worried about the edges not going down properly. Make a caul the size of the fingerboard from, say, 3/8 in ply and then add some small strips of 1/16in ply along the edges. Clamp that down and don't overtighten. If you have to use a lot of pressure to clamp anything you have done it wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Magni Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 A simple fingerboard clamping caul I made from scrap pine. The two bottom edges are cut at angles that approximate the fingerboard radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted October 28, 2006 Report Share Posted October 28, 2006 also, I used the stew mac sanding block, along with a flat piece of wood, with 2 layers of cardboard. the cardboard curved with the radius and the wood held it tight.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postal Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 I'm in the same boat right now. gluing flat fretboards are so much easier... I urge anyone to use some type of straight block to support the neck during the glue up. I found out the hard way about accidentally gluing in a backbow once, and I dont wanna go through that again, ever. I like Melvyns' (thanks for writing that book!) and Son of Magni's approach, assuming that Sons' block is nice and flat the length of the FB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 I use the Melvyn/Son of Magni approach. Works great. I'd use sanding blocks, but I'm too cheap to buy enough for a whole board, and too lazy to make any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJD Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 What about something like item number 9850 in the below link? one is pictured in the second most photo - bottom right. http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/ttwp8.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 2x4 + Belt Sander rouded corner = clamping caul. Take a pine 2x4 and run the length of it down the belt sander's rounded corner. This will produce a caul you can shape to match your fingerboard radius. Then get you some wax paper and line the channel with it....Viola! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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