Fanned Fret Tablesaw Sled Idea

[Myka Guitars]

Why not put a miter guide on the sled if you wanted to cut slots on an angle? Glue sandpaper to the edge so that it would not move when you cut, or use hold-downs.

~David

[Bionic Dave]

Why not put a miter guide on the sled if you wanted to cut slots on an angle? Glue sandpaper to the edge so that it would not move when you cut, or use hold-downs.

~David

This is how I do mine, I use my fret slot blade in my table saw Draw out the frets in reverse on the side I'm not using. Then use my miter guide to cut them out.

Works great.

[verhoevenc]

Hows intonation been so far?

Chris

[Bionic Dave]

Hows intonation been so far?

Chris

So far intonation has been good. The orca build should be even better seeing I took my sweet time on that one. Wanted to see if taken my sweet time while cutting made a difference at all.

[Woodenspoke]

has anyone with a CNC thought about making an aluminum template where you can use a small router and guide to cut the slots. The guide would also have to be very small and custom made but I think it may work to 24 frets.

Envision a long aluminum plate with many slots that extend over the edge of the fret board like so

[verhoevenc]

That's a sweet idea. When Mattia gets his CNC up and running I may go ahead and give that a go. Funnily enough I've been modeling fretboards with radii and radiused slots and faux binding today anyways

Chris

[Metalhead28]

I don't use a table saw for slots, so I had been thinking about a miter box similar to Stewmac's that has a key in the bottom instead of the little roll pin. Then make templates out of thicker aluminum with slots on the bottom to register on the key. It would all have to be CNC cut of course.

Or you could use 2 pins instead of a key, probably even easier.

[Jaden]

I cut my multiscale frets with the cnc, perfect everytime

[Woodenspoke]

I will throw you guys another bone but it needs to be refined. Its taken longer to write this than draw the picture below..

The table saw can be used but I still think the aluminum plate is easier for some people or to sell. And yes I want a piece of the pie Chris when you get Mike to make them...This idea can also be used in a radial arm saw removing the sled.

The basis of the design is to align the Fret slot with the blade without thinking. I like tools that take away all the guess work.. that is if I have to guess it is right I dont like that.

The design is simple using a fret slotting template you can align the short side up with a fixed pin and the long side up with a movable pin. The only reason to move the top pin is to increase the distance between two points.

The drawing is rough but what do you want for 5 minutes work.

The only issue is the pin it self. If you can visualize the angle the pin would enter into a fret template you would need to either angle both sides of the template slots to align up with the fretboard angle or devise a round pin system that allows the template to be aligned in at any angle. There may be some additional issues with the round pin and template slot; but so far it has not set off any mental alarms. You should be able to fit a round ball into a square slot as well. and Maybe just maybe a round pin will work with two existing SM templates carefully taped together using double sided tape.

You should add some sort of clamp for the movable pin side so it can be locked down as well as several Destaco clamps on the top for the board itself..

The SPOKE Multiscale template jig..TaDah...

[verhoevenc]

Actually, my friend Mattia's the one getting the CNC lol. But if/when I draw this stuff up in Rhino Mike is free to have a copy and you can bug him all you want hahahaha.

HOWEVER, I still think I'm liking the collet and tiny router bit idea best so far :S That's provided you can fit all the template guides in correctly when you get up in the smaller frets. I'm slightly skeptical... so we'll see.

Chris

[Prostheta]

When I eventually build a new shop, I plan on having a radial arm saw with a laser guide to line up the slot :-)

I don't mind doing it manually *har har har*.

[verhoevenc]

Ok, so I drew up the aluminum router template idea. I did it for a 24.5"-25.5" cause this seems like a nice logical one to me. The results are this... the distance between the 23rd and 24th fret on the short side is only a slight amount over 5/16" (like 3/64")... and the smallest collet I can seem to find anyone making is a 5/16" collet. That means the "template" material between the guide area for the 23rd and the 24th fret will only be about 3/64"... and in aluminum that WILL bend when pressed against. IE: Unless someone finds me a nice smaller collet (an 1/8" OD collet would be AWESOME!) we're **** outta luck on the router template idea.

I have another qualm about the router template idea too... a 1/32" bit is wider than a fretslot (.023")... yet I'd be a little irked using a 1/64" bit to do the job... that's one tiny bit!!!

Chris

Edit: Oh yeah, sorry, you can get a .020" diameter end mill for $15.59 from precise bits that would work better than a 1/64" bit... but I mean... still pretty frickin' tiny! You'd have to do SEVERAL passes to get a proper depth slot. And that's provided we can source the smaller collet mentioned above... seems like a lot of work lol.

[Woodenspoke]

Ok, so I drew up the aluminum router template idea. I did it for a 24.5"-25.5" cause this seems like a nice logical one to me. The results are this... the distance between the 23rd and 24th fret on the short side is only a slight amount over 5/16" (like 3/64")... and the smallest collet I can seem to find anyone making is a 5/16" collet. That means the "template" material between the guide area for the 23rd and the 24th fret will only be about 3/64"... and in aluminum that WILL bend when pressed against. IE: Unless someone finds me a nice smaller collet (an 1/8" OD collet would be AWESOME!) we're **** outta luck on the router template idea.

I have another qualm about the router template idea too... a 1/32" bit is wider than a fretslot (.023")... yet I'd be a little irked using a 1/64" bit to do the job... that's one tiny bit!!!

Chris

Edit: Oh yeah, sorry, you can get a .020" diameter end mill for $15.59 from precise bits that would work better than a 1/64" bit... but I mean... still pretty frickin' tiny! You'd have to do SEVERAL passes to get a proper depth slot. And that's provided we can source the smaller collet mentioned above... seems like a lot of work lol.

With a lathe you can just make a custom brass guide (I may have said collet by mistake) to fit the tiny bit. The only issue is the threads..I was thinking a locking ring using a few set screws would be easier than buying a tap and die of that size..

As far as collets precision bits carries those http://precisebits.com/gateways/ColletsNutsHome.htm

They are made for the bosch colt, bosch and PC routers

[verhoevenc]

****, I meant bushings/guides too. Not collet. To problem is bushing size. We'd need one smaller than 5/16" diameter. I have a lathe... but it's a wood lathe with all wood cutting tools and god knows my hands aren't accurate enough to make a perfectly 1/8" OD bushing guide. Now if someone were to want to make some of those... set screws are fine instead of threads... I might be persuaded to continue my Rhino Model of the template so someone could put those out to. THAT SAID... we'd all be stuck with a 24.5"-25.5" scale, 1 3/4" nut with 2 1/16" bridge spread with the 5th fret perpendicular... it's kinda specific hahahah. But still super fun if those are the kinda fanned fret guitars you'd be interested in making. God knows that's what I am. It's like a Gibson/PRS style with scales that allow you to use it with a standard Gibson/PRS style body.

Chris