Marking out a blank fretboard - couple of questions

randella

I've searched for this one, but searching for 'fretboard' on The Fretboard... well.  You can probably guess

I've got a nice slab of bird's-eye maple for a fretboard, jointed square and thicknessed down to about 5/8".  I'm wanting to cut the slots, but am weirdly nervous about it.  As my dad says, "the worst you can do is knacker a plank of wood", but I'd still like some wisdom - always appreciated.

1) I'm planning on using the Stewmac calculator, but want to do this in Metric.  Would you enter 648mm (quoted by Fender) for the scale length, or 647.7mm (exactly 25 1/2")?

2) The mechanical pencil I use for marking stuff has 0.3mm lead.  Is this fine enough, or would you use a knife?  The advantage of the pencil is that I can re-mark if I make an error!

3) The big one - is rounding to the nearest 0.5mm when marking OK?  Given the pencil width, the fact my rule only has half millimetres, and the fact the fret slot saw I have has a 0.57mm kerf, I can't see much scope for going down to the hundredth mm that SM suggests in their calculator.

I'm probably overthinking this, I managed to make the body without much fuss.

Also I will post a build thread if anyone's interested in my neck adventures.

WezV

5/8" is very thick - is that an accurate measurement.?

1)  either - you won't be able to tell the different and its well within tolerance

2) use a sharp blade and then mark with a pencil

3) buy a vernier caliper to measure  you fret to fret distances, you can get to the hundredth and should do your best to do so at this stage.   cross reference the fret to fret distance with the nut to fret distance before slotting.   measure thrice before slotting

plan for a practice board... check, check again, and double check.     you can always use both sides of it before doing the real thing


Post a build thread - we all love a build thread

randella

WezV said:

5/8" is very thick - is that an accurate measurement.?

@WezV ;; - thank you for the pointers, will have a good mull.  I do have some digital vernier calipers as well, useful things.

As re. the thickness, it's slightly over the requisite Fender 1/4", so I meant 3/8".  You can probably see why I want to measure the slots in metric, I try and get the swing of imperial but then this!

WezV

well since you board is too thick, it you mark one in the wrong place with the knife you can always sand it off again.   the cut helps align the saw on the slot 

GSPBASSES

To save you all the grief, send it to me I'll slot it for you, just pay the return postage.

If you do decide to do it yourself, my advice would be do not measure fret to fret always measure from the nut, then check with a digital vernier gauge the fret to fret measurements. It's worth reading the Stew Mac instructions on slotting a fingerboard without a jig.

WezV

Actually that’s a much better idea.  Here i am putting off slotting my next fanned fret board- why haven’t I just messaged @GSPBASSES   like last time

GSPBASSES

@WezV ;  Before you ask me to do fan  fret fingerboard for you, I'm afraid I don't do them many more. Reason being when I downsize my workshop and move back to the workshop at the bottom of my garden, some of the products I was making had to get the chop. fan fret was the first to go. However, if you care to drive down to Eastbourne you can have the pull over chop saw and all the necessary jigs to make fan fret fingerboard's. 

I still do all the standard fingerboard slotting from 24" scale up to 36" scale as this is done on a different saw table that I also use for making kerf linings.

WezV

Thanks for the offer @GSPBASSES .  Sadly i will have to decline as its a bit far for me

I have done a fair few of them myself before so it will be alright.

randella

@GSPBASSES - that's a very kind offer, thank you. I'm going to give a go this time just for the sake of trying though. @WezV has given me some useful pointers so I've plenty to go on.

Typically though I've just this day been diverted on to finally sorting out the utility room (combined workshop and laundry!) so I'll likely be building racking for the next few weeks. Not quite as precise as a fretboard, but I've got dot and dab walls to contend with which, I'm learning in this new house, are nigh-on impossible to mount anything on. 

Bah. Never mind. I'll get on those build threads soon anyway, at least I've made a start.