BetterOffShred Posted September 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) Well its my blank thickness. So I'll carve the neck profile and route the heel to shape, and the heel will be .750" without fretboard. I'm following the design on page 82 of Melvyn Hiscock's book, with a 3/4" blank, which he then stacks a second piece at the heel to carve a Les Paul style heel, but I'm leaving mine at 3/4" to do a flat pocket bolt on like the Ibanez 7-8 string stuff. Both of my 7 strings have a 3/4" heel and then a 1/4" fretboard that is then radiused. This was my plan. -Brett Edited September 16, 2014 by BetterOffShred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted September 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2014 After looking through Curtisa's 8 string build, I'm basically copying what he did for a neck there, but my blank is not as wide as his was, and mine is a full 3/4". This should work then. I was thinking about getting one of these http://www.graphtech.com/products/brands/black-tusq-xl/product-detail/pt-4025-00-black-tusq-xl-slab-1-4- for the Nut since my width is 2-1/8". I know I have lot's of rookie questions, but hey this my first build! The books are both pretty good, but it's impossible to cover everything in a book. The biggest question marks I had were on preparing the lumber for building the neck blank. And now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'm moving on to calculating where to make my scarf joint. According to Stewart Macdonalds fretboard calculator (27" scale, 24 fret), from the face of the nut to the 24'th fret slot (centered) is 20.250" and then it looks like both of my Ibanez 7 strings have added a 3/8" extra past the center of the 24th fret. So cutting the nut shelf into the fret board, I would add .250" to my fretboard up front for the Tusq XL, and then .375" at the end for my extra fretboard past the 24th nut, and I come up with 20.875" total inches of fretboard I'll think this over a bit and read some more before I do any cutting. still have to figure out how to make my 10 degree scarf cut. -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 There's no harm in locking in your final neck blank thickness to some fixed value before carving as long as you leave enough meat at the heel to set your final depth where the neck meets the pocket. In fact it's probably preferable to plane both sides to get both faces co-planar before doing anything else to ensure that everything is square when it comes time to fitting the neck to the pocket, and to assist you in determining the correct depth of the pocket. If you have too many unfinished measurements on the neck before you start some key operations you'll struggle to ensure everything fits and lines up properly. The Graphtech nut slab you linked to is the same one I've used a few times now (and for that 8-string). Don't worry too much about cutting your fretboard length exactly at this stage. Use an over-long blank board to begin with. Get it slotted first and then measure/cut off the excess from both ends once you know exactly where the nut and 24th fret slots fall. Cutting the board to length before slotting is inviting error. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted September 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Cool thanks for the good advice. I appreciate it. My blank ended up coming out smooth when I took it down to .755" so I'm going ahead with this one -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted September 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) So I am still trying to figure out how to cut this 10 degree scarf joint, but I have this attachment for my table saw that may work, so I'm going to practice on a scrap today. I cut my figured maple into two planks with the table saw, and then planed one of them down to .265". I was getting pretty bad tearout on my test pieces through the planer, so I decided to go a little oversize to allow for hand sanding, which came out super nice on my test pieces. Here is the neck blank after gluing and planing, and my fingerboard blank A semi-close picture of the grain on this fingerboard, it's pretty nice I think I also drew up my scale with nut width etc, and I had a question about the Hipshot bridge. Stew Mac's fretboard calculator has the bridge placement it lists for popular bridges, and I am going to use the hipshot. It says 27.662".. is this to the center of the mounting holes for the bridge? That's what it indicates, but it uses language like "Forward-most" etc that has me second guessing myself. -Brett Edited September 18, 2014 by BetterOffShred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightroExpress Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Yes, 27.662" is to the center of the mounting holes. The 3 mounting holes for the Hipshot bridge are aligned slightly behind the string-through holes, though this isn't the case for many bridges. For example, a Gotoh hard tail bridge has mounting holes in all 4 corners, rather than a straight line. By telling you to measure to the forward-most holes, SM gives you a solid reference for many differing bridges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted September 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) Ok cool, thanks for the reply. That's what I figured but I wanted to be sure. The 8-string Hipshot has 4 mounting holes too. Pretty handy. http://www.hipshotproducts.com/files/all/41160-2d.pdf I think it's funny they give you a measurement into the thousandths. I have a little machinists rule that goes down to 64th's, but anything smaller than that and You can't really see it.. 21/32" is about .656" so I measured it off to there. My drill press isn't too bad, I think I can nail a 32nd. -Brett Edited September 18, 2014 by BetterOffShred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Don't get too far ahead of yourself - you still haven't made the neck yet. You're better off getting the neck made to a point and then locating the bridge. A universal way to locate most bridges without the aid of a calculator or 1/128th ruler is to adjust the treble saddle all the way forward and measure from the nut slot to the saddle break point along the strings' path up the fretboard. Move the bridge until the nut-to-saddle distance along the strings' trajectory is at your scale length and mark the bridge location squarely on the body. However you will need to have the neck built to a stage where the fretboard is attached permanently and the neck able to be fitted to the body temporarily. Pretty sure RestorationAD had a pictorial in one of his S906 build threads of this exact procedure a few years back - have a rummage around the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted September 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 Good point. I am mainly just curious for my full scale plan drawing. My dad was supposed to bring over some jig for the table saw today so I could cut my scarf joint, but we have a little bit of a wind storm going and some of his brand new metal roofing blew off so he's scrambling to screw it back on and I'll likely have to wait another day. Thanks for the reply -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtisa Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 If you have some scrap MDF lying around you can make up a jig for your router to cut the scarf. Have a look about halfway down the first post of Granted that's for a compound scarf for a multiscale, but the principle is the same for a straight/perpendicular scarf. The router rides on a "ramp" which is cut for your nominated scarf angle. All you need to do is rough cut the scarf (even with a handsaw) and neaten up the faces with the router and jig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Well it's been a long time, and I didn't give up! The family had had financial difficulties over the last year and me being a full time student means that we don't spend money on wood! Things are better now, and I got a paid internship so I'm going to work on this project again! Over the last year I've been building some effects pedals and finally set up my warmoth telecaster really smooth. I also finally successfully 'Blackfaced' my 1968 Fender Bassman head, and put in a couple mods like the adjustable Negative Feedback Loop circuit. But the call of the woods has always been there in my ear, and I'm going to start up again with my 8 string project here. I am going to start trying to finish up the neck first. I'm going to use the single rod, with two square carbon tubes next to it as suggested earlier in this thread. I also have a couple decent pieces of walnut I was going to make a fret slot cutting jig out of. I need to acquire a few more power tools, probably some Craigslist scores. I also have been buying up big vacuum hoses whenever I see them at garage sales so I can make some sort of dust accumulation and rejection device haha! Anyway, ill post some pictures of my electronics stuff that's been keeping me.like going, and fix the broken links to what I've already posted! Glad to be back -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightroExpress Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Likewise. I've wondered where you went. Good to hear from you again. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I'm looking at a fret slotting saw, and with that said let me explain my position. I want to get something pretty cheap that will work for a few builds before I go spend big money. I found this little beauty with the help of cigar box nation, https://www.scalehobbyist.com/product.php?sn=/ZNA00035380&kw=zona And it looks pretty dece. 0.020" kerf (fret wires are like 0.023" ?) So that should be ok? I understand that high quality tools work better 9 times out of 10 (or more) but im still extremely fiscally limited and want to get a lot of stretch on those bucks! Thanks for looking! -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I picked up the stewmac fret saw with depth stop, I think after shipping it came out to like $28. It's been a great tool and really easy to use with the depth stop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 If you are interested in fret sawing jigs this is mine that I made, it has worked flawlessly for me and if you are interested I can go into depth on how to make it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I saw one like this where the guy built the box, then literally sawed it in half with the fret saw, and then screwed the two halves to a piece of mdf or whatever. Is yours a similar technique? This was what I was planning. Please do elaborate thanks for looking -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 That is pretty close to it, I built the box with the bottom, sides and the walnut across the top then I cut it on a miter saw so I would know that my cut line was exactly straight and at a 90 degree angle, then I took a razor blade ground the sharp edge off and put it inbetween the two pieces to where it's barely sticking up Above the 2 bottom pieces(this is where the slotted fretboard blank you will use as a template will locate on), took my saw and put it on top of the razor blade and then squeezed the 2 pieces of the box together to make sure the width of the slot is exactly the thickness of my saw then just screw the 2 pieces of the box to a piece of wood for a base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Ah that's awesome. I will do this. Thank you so much for tip I love this forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 39 minutes ago, 2.5itim said: I picked up the stewmac fret saw with depth stop, I think after shipping it came out to like $28. It's been a great tool and really easy to use with the depth stop. You got the Fret saw and the depth stop for that price? It is 39$ just for the saw and the stop before shipping on stew mac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Only problem here I could see for you tho is for this to work you have to have a fretboard blank slotted to your scale length to use as a template, with being 8 string (not sure what scale length you are going with) but it might be kind of hard to find one. You could call lmii and see if they will slot one in your scale for you, they have done this for me in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killemall8 Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Just now, 2.5itim said: Only problem here I could see for you tho is for this to work you have to have a fretboard blank slotted to your scale length to use as a template, with being 8 string (not sure what scale length you are going with) but it might be kind of hard to find one. You could call lmii and see if they will slot one in your scale for you, they have done this for me in the past. They now CNC their fretboards and can get any scale length you want. You type in the exact scale when you order on the "fret slotting service" link. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2.5itim Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 6 minutes ago, BetterOffShred said: I love this forum I agree, I'm still a newbie at all of this and these guys have helped me out so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetterOffShred Posted March 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Well I still haven't managed to sort out the pictures yet, imageshack went full pay so that's why links are broken, and I'll have to re upload them all to photo bucket.. So I have a couple of quick questions, I was hoping someone would chime in on. I am leaning towards poplar now for the body, instead of mahogany, but I'm still looking for a top. I am probably going to buy a piece of Claro walnut and have a fella here in town split it for me for a cheap book-match. So all that being said, I wanted to bind the body with a single strip of the pearl purlfing, but it seems to be most common in 6mmx1.5mm .. So the body woods all seem to be available in only 8/4 around here, meaning of course I would have to plane it down which isn't a problem. Since I'm planning on a total body thickness of inch and 3/4 or about 45 mm, should I make the top just shy of 6mmx1.5mm thick, and make up the difference with the body so the binding will 'cap' the whole top? I'm going for a flat top simple super strat body really similar to ibanez RG size etc. There's still lots to do before this needs to be decided, but I like to have a plan, and I need to be able to pitch a list of goods to my wife and order as much as possible at once rather than nickel and dime it all. Thanks for looking. -Brett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightroExpress Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Personally, if I were to do body binding, I wouldn't want to see any top wood poking out under the bottom edge. So yeah, I'd base my top on the thickness of the binding you're planning on using, then make up the thickness with the body core like you said. 6mm is a hair under 0.25", so it's not like you're looking for a weirdly thin top or anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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