Rick500

I get where you are coming from dean. The last thing I want to do is to rush this and screw it up. By the way I am thinking of getting a router table and some drum sanders to create a make shift spindle sander. Is this a good idea?

If you're thinking about chucking a sanding drum into a router, no, that's a very bad idea.

Just a quick thought: You could probably use an electronic stud finder to find where the truss rod ends.

Several people here have built them. Mine's on this page.

Yep, good point, Kenny. I bought my sanding block before I realized I could have just made a sled for my radiusing jig and made it myself.

Everyone will have a different way that works best for them.

You specifically asked about something to put the crown back on the frets. The double-sided fret file I mentioned does that. Each of the two edges of the file has a different sized semi-circular profile.

Looks good to me.

DON'T HAVE

Fret press arbor and caul

Fret bender

Fret end dressing stick (strip-of-sandpaper-on-a-stick)

Fret leveling file

6" Fretboard leveler

6" Fingerboard leveler (this is great for taking the sides of the fretboard down to flush w/ the neck, also for taking inlay down to level with the fretboard)

Double edge fret file

Fret end dressing file

.023" kerf Dozuki saw (for fret slots)

Spokeshave

Router fretboard radius jig

Fret saw miter box & 25" template

16" long, 12"-radius sanding block

So of the items I DON'T have, which ones are essential?

Fret press arbor and caul -- not essential

Fret bender -- need something to do this job... the one I used was a DIY version (I have a "real" one now, but the old one was adequate)

Fret end dressing stick -- not essential

Fret leveling file -- not essential, but need something that will do this job

6" Fretboard leveler -- not essential

6" Fingerboard leveler -- not essential, but if I were to buy just one non-essential tool on this list, this would probably be the one

Double edge fret file -- need something to do this job... some sort of file, and I really like this one

Fret end dressing file -- need something to do this job, some sort of file... and this one is nice because there's a rounded edge that won't mar the fretboard

.023" kerf Dozuki saw (for fret slots) -- unless you're going to get a preslotted board, you need a fret saw. I used Stew-Mac's saw first, but it didn't cut well for me. This one is 10 times better, IMO.

Spokeshave -- not strictly speaking essential, but I would not build a neck without one. You could do it with just rasps though.

Router fretboard radius jig -- not essential, you can do the whole job with a (preferably 16" long) radius sanding block

Fret saw miter box & 25" template -- not essential, but it makes life a lot easier. You could cobble something together on your own that would serve as a miter box.

16" long, 12"-radius sanding block -- I'd say essential. Substitute your radius of choice.

And a good flat-edge.

If you consider tools used building the fretboard and fretting as well, I built my last one with:

Jointer

Planer

Band saw

Half of an old credit card (glue spreader)

Lots o' clamps

Router

Rasps

Spokeshave

Drill press

Router fretboard radius jig

Oscillating spindle/belt sander

Random orbit sander

16" long, 12"-radius sanding block

Fret cutter

Fret press arbor and caul

Fret bender

Fret end dressing stick (strip-of-sandpaper-on-a-stick)

Fret leveling file

6" Fretboard leveler

6" Fingerboard leveler (this is great for taking the sides of the fretboard down to flush w/ the neck, also for taking inlay down to level with the fretboard)

Double edge fret file

Fret end dressing file

Nut slot file

.023" kerf Dozuki saw (for fret slots)

Fret saw miter box & 25" template

...that said, you don't need all that stuff. In fact, you're probably better off starting to build one without all the convenience tools -- you'll find soon enough which ones of those are worth it to you to buy.

I like the little "swoop" shape of the back of the neck pocket.

I don't know, I think it's worth a try with Tru-oil. Unlike a lot of oil finishes, it does build on top of the wood in addition to soaking into it.

Had me going for a couple of sentences there.

I'm not sure if it would work with Tru-oil or not. Seems to me like it probably would, but some testing would be in order.

The general idea most definitely works, though. I have a few guitars that have a "natural binding effect" created by having masked off the edge of the maple top and leaving it uncolored, just cleared over, while the top and the rest of the sides are stained.

+1 on Wez's advice.

I've done what Mitch mentions, to a koa guitar body, and it worked great.

I used the corner of a damp towel, and an iron (laundry type, not soldering).

Hard to say without knowing what body shape is going with it. Out of those 6, and without knowing what the whole guitar is going to look like, I'd have to pick C.

I use Stew-Mac's miter box and steel template, and LMI's Dozuki fret saw.

I radius the board first (with a router jig), then cut the slots, then rough cut the taper on the band saw, then apply the fretboard to the neck and take it down to near final dimensions.

Very cool!

Is that the machine that cut my headstock logos? Very impressive. Now I want one.

I really love the look that the black veneer gives it.

I need to use that in one of my builds.

Is that colored veneer, or one of those pressed fiber products?

David Andrew Crusader/Bladerunner

I think it'd look better a little more smoothed-out/rounded. Looking great though!

Agreed. You can always use ferrules for the neck bolts, with no neck plate.

You'll get the feel for it pretty quickly. Just practice for a few minutes on some scrap.

actually Thanks alot guys! i found what i needed!

http://www.fretfind.ekips.org/original_tools/newFretfind.php

the scale is now rounded to the nearest 16th of an inch. i might go 32nds

but now i got my ruler mesurements like i wanted! WOOT haha i love this forum

I really don't think the nearest 1/32" is going to be close enough.

Looks really great. Love the back of the neck.

Cavities are probably shaped that way because it was easier to drill four big holes than haul out the router.