Inspiration For A Fret Cutting Machine.

[Jehle]

One search after another on cigar box guitars led me to this contraption. To me, it's begging to drive a set of spinning saws to slot an entire fretboard at once.

[Xanthus]

My lord, that's frightening :-P

But isn't that how "the man" cuts his fretslots? With 24 blades at once?

It's definitely a cool invention, but I don't see how one would be able to make one and get good results. It seems too much "precision work" to be built at home.

[thegarehanman]

And I guess you'd just slide the fretboard through that sideways? Sounds like a good way to free your hands of all those pesky, heavy fingers. I'd venture to say, based on machining costs, the cost of the blades, the cost of a big enough motor, and the cost of the linear bearings and bars, you could build a 24 fret, slotting saw for about 2k. Probably under 1k if you have a lathe and know how to use it. Obviously, to get reasonable results, you'd need a design where the fretboard is clamped down (a vacuum clamp would be ideal) and the blades slide over the fretboard.

Not very cost-efficient for most of us, probably not even for myka, doug or perry, really.

peace,

russ

Edited December 7, 2007 by thegarehanman

[Xanthus]

And then halfway through the machine, the fretboard flies right out and smack into your workbench.

Heh, you could make it more exciting and actually use it to launch things INTO the WOD.

[soapbarstrat]

That's not how the big boys like Jackson use such a device. The fret-board is above on a swing, pretty much like they have a fret-board on a swing over a belt sander to sand a radius onto the board.

Yes, a hell of a lot of set-up work and cost too, but it is a way to cut slots that are radiused with the board.

[Acousticraft]

I do recall seeing a setup like that. Isnt there a picture in Melvyn Hiscocks book of one?

[Mattia]

It's not uncommon, but yeah, pricey. Hell, you could probably set up for a CNC fret board cutting tool (that will radius as well) for about the same price (if you make it small enough and only powerful enough for fret slotting and radiussing).

[ihocky2]

There are two in Melvyn's book that when combined will give you that. They picture one built by a luthier in Europe that built a cross cut saw with stops, from a electric food mixer motor. Then they picture the one from Wall bass' and that one has the multiple blades, but they are mounted on the bottom like a normal table saw.

While it is a simpler version and easier to build, I agree that the one in the picture looks like a great way to remove fingers and hands.

[Woodenspoke]

A mock up of the absurd.

I think with all the time wasted making that never can or would be used contraption; you could have bought a single table saw fret blade from SM. I agree with all the injury comments from the group if those are indeed real blades (looks fishy to me).

I have seen fret saws laid out like that but they are made for production work. They require precision (all steel) setups down to .001 and more power than that lower end Dewalt drill you must have added as a joke (I can only assume it was a joke). Not to mention many other features which would allow you to slide a board under the blades (or swing it down across the blades as Soapbar mentioned).

Like the robot said on the ancient TV series "lost in Space" "Danger Will Robinson Danger"

[maikman]

^he didnt say he built it, he found it on a search

[Woodenspoke]

^he didnt say he built it, he found it on a search

"One search after another on cigar box guitars led me to this contraption". Humm not really sure it wasnt his from that statement........ My points are valid none the less, whats your point on Jehle's post?

[marksound]

I could be mistaken, but I believe, gentlemen, you've just been punk'd.

[zyonsdream]

I always wanted the ability to make a fret board with only 9 frets! I'd like to know the tang size because those blades look to be about 1/8 thick. No variable cordless drill is going to have the torque to cit 9 slots into ebony without crapping on you. I sill do my boards with a miter box and a hand saw. God, it only takes me 10 minutes to make a 24 fret ebony board.

[Dean]

Thats not a guitar tool concept.It's a S& M toy for your special man or women.It was probably posted in a guitar section by accident.

[billm90]

if you watch "How it's Made" on discovery channel.

they visited the godin factory and they had exactly that, well better. all slots cut at once. 24 blades. machine done, or so called by "the man"

[Woodenspoke]

I could be mistaken, but I believe, gentlemen, you've just been punk'd.

Seems to me if you look at most questions here you get the feeling your being Punk'd.

The other point of the message is someone may actually believe that something like that could work, whether it was some idiotic post to elicit a response or just the usuall clueless poster, most people come here for help not to get injured. Ihockey2 at least had the balls to speak up about loosing fingers.

I dont feel so bad about responding to idiotic posts I do it all the time LOL.