Woodenspoke

ever since i cleaned my c7's fretboard with 0000 steel wool and lemon oil it has never felt the same.

It has some very unwanted friction on the fretboard making bends a pain because my fingers stick to the fretboard.

I tried letting the fretboard dry out for two weeks and nothing happened. I also tried fender fretboard conditioner and nothing. I also tried finger ease but that is just a temporary solution.

I swear before i cleaned the fretboard it had like a nice glossy coat on top, now it is just dark rosewood.

anybody know what i can do to revive it? I want my fretboard to feel slick again.

thanks

I would try using some mineral spirits to remove all that junk you added to the board. If it is still sticky go over it again using the steel wool. then clean up the board and dust with mineral spirits(2nd go round). As long as the rosewoods in good shap I see no reason to add anything unless it is drying out.

I was wondering about fret tang v. saw kerf sizes as well... If the fret tang is 0.023, for example, does the saw kerf need to match exactly? Or should you look for a saw that is slightly undersized (e.g: 0.022) in case the cutting action makes the slot slightly wider?

I my opinion the harder the wood the more exact your slot should be as you do not want to force a tang into a smaller slot as it will put a back bow in the neck. On some softer woods it should not be a problem. You can always add CA to an over-sized slot but you have to widen an undersized slot.

Fretwire can vary slightly even within the same batch or spool. Most kerfs are .023 or .024 as sold by LMI or SM in both saw blades and hand saws.

I keep pretty much all my scrap on the basis that odd shapes make great cauls and bits to hash temporary jigs together every once in a while.

So you have a small shop and a huge scrap bin.

A 3 piece neck with the grain running all in the same dimension with no voids is very different than a sheet of crappy ply from Home Depot.

+1 Everything I can think of with guitar constructon can be run through any machine during any stage regardless of glue type. Now if you were using a steel body??????

# 3 and use pins. Look for a current build where this was just discussed.

As long as it is not a resin filled wood sure. I dont remember anyone mentioning Titebond giving off toxic fumes when its burned. When I had some where to burn my wood a bit of glue never stopped me.

Its good for the land fill not to toss it and you will be saving energy. Its the green thing to do. "I hate that phrase Green" now used for everything even toilet paper. LOL

Excellent point.

I just thought of something. Drill the knots out out and plug up the holes. Align the grain in the plug with the body

You can get it in a can, clear & de-waxed. Flexner suggested Zisser, even noting that that brand has a pretty good shelf life (for shellac).

It would have been easier to just choose some better pine boards than have to even worry about knots.

Lets see Knots are filled with resin. When Knots age they dry and crack. There is a very small chance you could stop this from happening.

My 2 cents

That's how I paint everything - rattle cans. The tricky part would be getting the tip right against the hole and NOT getting paint on the surface. Clearly, I'd be taping the heck out of the surface.

Another thought I had that would be a LOT less risky would be to pour some black paint into the chamber through the back, then "rolling it around" while looking through the f-hole for coverage. It might be easier to funnel it through the dragon.

I COULD try to stick the spray can through the back and spray in that general direction.

I still gotta think about it for a while.

You could try some black tinted shellac and add some to the cavity using a Hypo needle. Then slosh it around in there until it coats the back side.

Great except for the knots??

meh... who cares! its a tele made out of pine the way leo intended

maybe we need to start thinking of knots as tone enhancing portals or something equally BSish

soild finish so knots be damned

Have you ever painted over a pine knot? Thought so.

Great except for the knots??

I get the Lee Valley email newsletters, and noticed that they now have a fretsaw in their catalog:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...618&p=61618

I don't imagine it's very different from the similar offerings from Stew Mac and LMI, but for Canadian PG'rs who live near a retail outlet it might be a savings on shipping, and if you're like me and order a fair amount of misc. things from LV, it might be easier to tack it onto an order from them rather than waiting to have enough needed stuff to warrant an order from SM or LMI.

I don't know, the price isn't really that different from Stew Mac or LMI (although I have no idea the prices from Grizzly or other sources), and it's not like finding a suitable fretsaw is difficult, but it's always cool to have options. Perhaps Lee Valley will begin carrying more luthiery tools, I don't know.

I don't really have anything to gain from this, just noticed it. I like Lee Valley, they've always done real well by me.

Interesting but I wonder why they chose .021 rather than .023. I like the pull stroke setup this makes it a bit easier as I have given up on western saws. I found a few Japanese saws with the correct kerf to cut frets as well. This from lee valley the royba here is .022 http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...amp;cat=1,42884. However a two sided saw may not be for everyone.

btw, i have selected the following two bits from amazon to buy:

Bit #1

Bit #2

are they suitable for routing neck pockets, electronic cavities and pickup cavities etc?

thanks!

You are making me work here, I wish the dimensions on amazon made a bit more sense. Both of the bits you chose are the same length 3/4" not a good choice.

#1 body work 1/2 shank 1 1/4" long http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-456966-...9397&sr=1-1

#2 This one you do have selected http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-675131-...9796&sr=1-8

Now this can be used for the pickups and the neck pocket.

If you can afford it also buy this as well as it is in between http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-868626-...0414&sr=1-5 1" long 1/2" wide and 1/4" shank THis would be a better size for the neck pocket and it is only 1/2" wide for a crisper (more square ) corner

Again the second two are not ideal but will work fine, you just have to make a few adjustments

Sorry for the ignorance, but am I right in assuming the 'shank' is the part of the bit that 'connects' with the router?

If I'm correct, can a router take both 1/4" & 1/2" shanks, or can they only take one of the other?

Anyway, what I was planning to do was to buy one of these bearings and put them on my router bit.

http://www.infinitytools.co.uk/shop/131/133/index.htm

So for example, I would buy this and use it with the 1/2" diameter bit that came with the router:

http://www.infinitytools.co.uk/cgi-bin/tro...showprod_PBK109

Would that work? Or would I need to get a bit that already has a bearing on it?

Thanks a lot guys, I really appreciate your help!

Some manufacturers use the same thing, they just add a bearing and a collar to hold the bearing in place. Just make sure the bearing is the same diameter as the cutter and you will be fine.

As far as routers go if it takes a 1/2" shank bit it will also take a 1/4" shank bit, it will not work the other way around. The collet which is the thing that holds the router bit can be swapped for a smaller collet ( routers usually come with two if they handle 1/2" shak bits) or a 1/2 to 1/4" adapter can be bought.

The adapter looks like this http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/browsep...et-Adapter.HTML

Also I did a quik UK search and found these. Most are under 4 pounds, much cheaper than the US. http://www.amazon.co.uk/silverline-Router-...0031&page=4

thanks alot for your help and insight dudes, i really appreciate it.

would a 1/2" bit be alright for routing a humbucker cavity?

i cant seem to find a 1/4" bearing bit.

I think you mean the shaft not the bit. 1/2 shaft is OK only the diameter of the bit will be 3/4" min. A 1/4" shaft will be 1/2" min . I generally use the smaller shaft for the pickups and the larger shaft for the body. You may not be able to find a 1/2" shaft 1/2" deep bit I have not seen one but dont take my word for it. The 1/2" bit fits into the corners of the pickup rout I have not looked at a 3/4" bit to see if it will make it into the corner. Also use a fostner drill bit to remove most of the wood from the pickup before you rout as the job will be easier.

Maybe you should provide a web link to bits you are thinking of buying someone will most likely have an opinion. Or tell us where you are going and we will help you choose.

here is some links for the two bits I mentined above, they dont have to be this brand.

http://www.amazon.com/Kempston-152004-Patt...1513&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Kempston-152421-Patt...613&sr=1-19

you cant find a 1/4" one, because they dont make one.

Nonsense look at this http://www.routerbits.com/cgi-routerbits/s...171778_15585+47

After reading the materials, you guys are correct in the fact this joint will eventually fail... I SOOOOO want to keep on going though lol. The decision on weather to keep on going, or to listen to logic, reason, and you guys is obvious... I'm going to keep going for now, and if the joint fails by the time I start routing, then I'll cut it off and redo it with a like grained piece.

Even a different species glued up right will work. may not be the perfect choice but its a cheep one ( the vermont way ).

Yeah, about the recent moisture here, my grass is loving it!

just more to cut, ugh

I would not worry. It's the dry that cracks it. As long as it was built in a dry environment and the guitar has survived the normal Denver weather you should be fine.

Yeah I have been thinking what happened to the weather these past few weeks. Its like the Northeast???? The humidity in my shop went up 15%, I had to stop working in my guitars until the humidity is back to normal.

It's a Texas Mossman, built in Dallas (fairly humid) in 1985. I moved here in 1987, 1 1/2 years later. But it has been fine this long though, so...

Yeah, about the recent moisture here, my grass is loving it!

As working man says a humidifier may be a good idea if the guitar is worth anything.

I now run both pieces through the router seperately using my template first then Glue as Xanthus says. My template extends past the end of the fingerboard as it is a set neck tenon. Routing the two together after gluing would leave a huge gap under the template at the heel end after the fingerboard ends. I dont want to play with shims to keep the template stable while I rout. Also if I screw up I only ruin one piece. Sloted but not radiused board, I add the inlay before I glue or glue then radius.

If you already have a fingerboard / neck template here is how you make it so you can use pins. Now the pins can be anything solid. I would try a small rod of brass or aluminum 1/8" would be a good start as you can nip off a piece easy and its not flimsy. Even some 12 gage copper wire will work.

First I make some drill guides. A steel round with the size of the pin drilled through the middle. It does not matter if the hole is off center just straight through the insert (straight being the optimal word). I use a 1/2" MDF template so my insert is 1/2" long.

Put the inserts in the template in opposite corners, figure to stay away from the edge and any fret slots when you place them. One side is designated as the fingerboard on your template and one side as the neck (does not matter which). When you flip the template over it aligns the pins to the opposite piece. I usually drill the holes for the pins when the template is set up to rout, the fingerboard taper and the neck. Just remember to flip the template so the pins are not on opposite sides.

This one happens to be 1/16" pin (I had a left over box of them) and I wish it was bigger. Martin uses a short 1/4" roll pin, its huge.

The whole process takes only a few minutes to make and is well worth it if you use templates and hate chasing your fingerboard around when you glue.

Also Lee valley sells drill guides about $10 to convert your template using a pre drilled guide (removable) and insert. Just drill a hole and hammer in the insert, several minutes of work.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=...180,42311,42321

Anyone try these yet?

Fingerboard_Band_Clamp

I use them with pins as they dont help with the sliding all that much. Also use clamps as well in between. They may help with back-bow if you introduce it into your neck with your clamping, just a thought.

I would not worry. It's the dry that cracks it. As long as it was built in a dry environment and the guitar has survived the normal Denver weather you should be fine.

Yeah I have been thinking what happened to the weather these past few weeks. Its like the Northeast???? The humidity in my shop went up 15%, I had to stop working in my guitars until the humidity is back to normal.

Most planers will go down to 1/8"

I have taken acoustic sides down to size on the drum sander .095". It is well below the minimum recommended thickness (like a spec would stop me). That said the worst that could happen would be sandpaper to sandpaper contact (delta) ruining the carrier belt. I would be a bit hesitant to get my grizzle 15" monster planer that low without a backing board for fear of flying planer blade pieces. I suspect it may go down to 1/8" but I dont think I would feel warm and fuzzy. Like starting the thing while lying on the floor type of fear.

To the original post I think wenge is a bit chippy using a router but I havent used the one board sitting in my shop. It was for a custom bass and wenge neck but my friend had some money issues so it may be going in my next guitar. If someone has planed wenge it might help our poster.

Sorry to be a downer no matter what the reasons for making that joint were I would spend the bucks and fix it. Why

Most likely the seam will show after you paint it up, i suspect it will open up quicker rather than later. I dont expect it to fall apart if its a clean joint but It may, that really depends on the wood you are using and how it was cut (quartered or flat sawn). As J Pierce rightly points out the two grains (long and short) will shrink at different speeds and in two different directions not together. No amount of biscuits or tendons will help with the woods natural movement. The joint is doomed to fail or be a painted eye sore. sorry.

here is some info http://www.woodworkdetails.com/Knowledge/Wood/Movement.aspx

Spoke,

I feel that only works if you dont have to sand AT ALL around the heel area. If you do, then your neck pocket template is then too small.

Then put some masking tape around the neck template to shim out the pocket before you make the template. I would think you would want the pocket smaller from what you said not bigger which means adding some masking tape to the edge of the three pieces of wood before you rout the pocket template. Maybe I missed something, I also use set necks but it should work both ways.

I disagree. A good woodworker factors out the margin for error, and doesn't make mistakes within their expertise

I have never met a woodworker who does not make mistakes, its part of the job. Yes you can limit your mistakes because of repitition and proper peparation. A really good woodworker knows he has made a mistake and fixes it without making a big deal of it. Then doesn't tell anyone about the mistake because its part of the process. If someone says they dont make mistakes get out the lie detector, LOL

"I never make the same mistake twice, its just the new ones that get to me" SPOKE