JohnRossitter Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 In the past I have made my own radius sanding blocks by copying the convex radius of something else. For example take a 5 gallon paint bucket and glue a strip of 80 grit sand paper to the outer surface. Then take a block of soft wood like Basswood or Pine and start sanding in a perfect straight line. After a few minutes, you have a radius sander of your own that you glue sand paper to. It's a poor man's solution, but works well. Now I'm challanged to find a way to copy a 14" radius. I need to find something I can copy it from, but am drawing a blank. Can anyone think of something easily accessable with about a 14" radius, which I could copy? I was thinking maybe a spare tire. Thanks for you input.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) Someone (I forget who; sorry) suggested not too long ago that a water heater tank might just be about 28" in diameter (14" radius). [Edit: I would be careful about getting a bunch of sawdust near a gas water heater, however. ] Edited March 11, 2008 by Rick500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Someone (I forget who; sorry) suggested not too long ago that a water heater tank might just be about 28" in diameter (14" radius). [Edit: I would be careful about getting a bunch of sawdust near a gas water heater, however. ] Good one... But maybe a used one out on the curb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizzar_Guitars Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Try this: buildyourguitar.com You can make whatever radius you want. just do the calculations. Ciao, Garth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Try this: buildyourguitar.com You can make whatever radius you want. just do the calculations. Ciao, Garth Nice jig. I bet that could made into an adjustable one with some thought and wingnuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trixie Cant Act Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 ok but if you're not an engineer or math wiz are those formulas able to be but in simple terms? Or can someone come out with for such and such radius the wood needs to be this width and height... Sorry never was great at math :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 Last night I actually made a clever little modified version of that design. I'm going to take pictures tonight and post them later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 I'm a little sceptical of the way of making radius blocks, not least because my own experiments (and the picture that accompany the article!) show a curved 'v' shape, not a smooth section of a circle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 ok but if you're not an engineer or math wiz are those formulas able to be but in simple terms? Or can someone come out with for such and such radius the wood needs to be this width and height... Sorry never was great at math :-( Not sure if the jig at the above link works or not, but here are some numbers, should you want to give it a shot: R(in) R(mm) s(mm) W(mm) h(mm) h(in) 10 254 9 150 10.921 0.430 12 304.8 9 150 9.095 0.358 14 355.6 9 150 7.797 0.307 16 406.4 9 150 6.827 0.269 20 508 9 150 5.469 0.215 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 A nail, some string, and a pencil... Punch in the nail, tie some string to it. Tie the pencil to the other end of the string. Wind up the string around the pencil, until the distance between the pencil and the nail is as desired. Draw your radius, making sure the string is tight the whole time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmullet Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 I know this is kinda a afro engineering way of doing it but it should work. First you can make this router circle jig Then just set it up to cut a 14 in radius in some mdf or plywood then once you've got your 14 in radius hole just cut it into sections and glue them one on top of the other for as thick as you need then you should be good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 That's the "high-tech" version of what I suggested...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 You guys have seen this, right? http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/radius.htm About the first thing I ever posted on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted March 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 You guys have seen this, right? http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/radius.htm About the first thing I ever posted on here! Sure have I actually used it once....but Im always looking for other ways to do things Actually Radius jigs are one of the most clever things I see on this site...eveyone has their own little way. I wanted to take pictures of the one I made the other night, but the wife didn't let me get into the workshop lastnight; I will try again tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAI6 Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 You guys have seen this, right? http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/radius.htm About the first thing I ever posted on here! Looks like a clever device. I don't understand how you use it though... Doesn't in generate a concave cut? So, how would that work for the fingerboard you have pictured? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshvegas Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 Looks like a clever device. I don't understand how you use it though... Doesn't in generate a concave cut? So, how would that work for the fingerboard you have pictured? the wooden block beside the board is what you make with the router then you make the board with the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnRossitter Posted March 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 OK, So here is the scoop. I tried to make a modified version of the tool that was liked here in this thread. I would have worked in theory, but my idea of using plastic instead of MDF failed. I prooved to be way too flexible. Oh well. I trying something else tonight, if it works out (and I think this one will), I will post some pics and an explaination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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