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What's the easiest way to radius a fretboard?

Posted by ken farmer on October 10, 2010 at 5:45pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion
I've searched through the past discussions and haven't come across the answer - my apologies if I've missed it.

Anyhow, I'm looking to build a 6-string CBG and so would like to radius the fretboard.  Not a compound radius, just a simple one like on most acoustic guitars.

I've got a safety-planer, and so can theoretically use that to do some approximate shaping.  And I've got a handplane that I'm not very good with that I could do the same thing with.  But I'm assuming that to finish this I need to create a sanding block with a radius curve on the inside.  Which of course, becomes a chicken & egg problem.

So, what's the easiest way to construct this?   I was thinking that I could create the block out of a set of 2x pieces that I cut the radius out with on my band saw (which will be very primitive).  Then find some large cylinder of the appropriate radius, put sandpaper on that, and then use that to finish the sanding block radius.   So, any suggestions on a simpler method?  (and I'm not above buying a tool - just don't want to spend $80).

Thanks in advance,

Ken

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Replies

  • Johnny Debit July 14, 2011 at 6:25pm
    The homemade 4" radius sanding block was for a 41.5" scale electric upright bass. I use a stew-mac 16" radius block for everything else. I like your idea, but in reverse. My new sign will read, "Will Sand For Beers."

    MrFied said:
    a 4" radius - is that 'playable'?

    easiest way - bought a radius sanding block (12" is good) and got a friend to do it for a couple of beers - never felt a thing :)

    A bigger radius doesn't take that long with a block
  • MrFied July 14, 2011 at 6:14pm
    a 4" radius - is that 'playable'?

    easiest way - bought a radius sanding block (12" is good) and got a friend to do it for a couple of beers - never felt a thing :)

    A bigger radius doesn't take that long with a block
  • MrFied July 14, 2011 at 6:14pm
    a 4" radius - is that 'playable'?

    easiest way - bought a radius sanding block (12" is good) and got a friend to do it for a couple of beers - never felt a thing :)

    A bigger radius doesn't take that long with a block
  • Tony Davies July 2, 2011 at 4:11pm
    Stewmac sell radius blocks
  • Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) October 17, 2010 at 1:29pm
    If your neck isn't going to have a compound radius, just buy a sanding block from stewmac and be done with it.
  • Mark Bliss October 14, 2010 at 1:46pm
    The safe-t-planer method looks promising.
    I have made similar cuts by passing over a table saw blade at an angle too.

    One additional thought. Drill presses, table saws and so forth arent really built to be subject to side loads, so take it easy. Lower grade tools especially will tolerate very little of it without creating problems and ending up with sloppy functioning tools when you need more precision.

    And be careful, some of these tricks can be a little hairy.
  • Mister Scott October 14, 2010 at 11:57am
    GPC has an 8" block for $12. They're decent (and appear to be homemade). Probably not as smooth 'n' shiny as StewMac, but they get the job done.

    Link.
  • Johnny Debit October 13, 2010 at 12:04pm
    The custom made radius sanding block method works very well. Even for extreme radiai? / radium? / radiuses? I was able to put a 4" radius on a bass fingerboard. I had to use a few layers of 1/32" plastic for a nice round curve -- 1/16" inch plywood did not have enough bend and made the curve a little pointy.



    Wes Yates said:
    Badda Frinkin' Bing!


    -WY


    MikeBoy said:
    Wes's link is basically what I ended up figuring out by trial and error(s). Here is a link to the discussion I had posted a few months back.


    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/fingerboard-raduis-advic...
  • Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates October 13, 2010 at 7:54am
    Badda Frinkin' Bing!

    -WY


    MikeBoy said:
    Wes's link is basically what I ended up figuring out by trial and error(s). Here is a link to the discussion I had posted a few months back.

    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/fingerboard-raduis-advic...
  • ken farmer October 13, 2010 at 7:32am
    You know, I didn't notice the cheap ones when I was out shopping - just saw the $80 ones. At $15, i'm fine buying one.

    On the other hand I'm planning to run some more workshops over the next year in building these. And one of the philosophies is a reasonable cost of equipment. So, a home-made sanding block made from free materials might be best in that context.



    Chuck Meyer said:
    http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Fretting_supplies/Leveling/Fretboard_Ra...

    Maybe spend $10-15 on an sanding block and spend more time making CBGs?
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