First build - advice on fret slot depth

PeteC

Hi Folks, 

I am in the process of tooling up and making jigs to build my first DC 59 Paul.   
I am currently building a fret slot mitre box to use with my Pax fret saw and laser cut slotting template. 
At present I am planning on cutting the slots before radiusing the board.

In deciding how deep to make my mitre box saw stop, for the saw back to run on, I realised I needed to calculate it so that the slot depth will be correct.   My saw blade is 42mm deep and I am using a 6mm rosewood board.  I was planning on using medium-wide fretwire, and am aiming for about 1.8mm slot depth. ( I think ! ) 

Am I in the right ballpark with 1.8mm or should I be going deeper for an unradiused board ?
. I just want to make sure that after the board is radiuses there will be sufficient slot depth left at the edges of the board. 

Any advice welcomed ! 

Cheers
Pete 

poopot

Cut slots...

radius board...

recut slots...

Corvus

As ^. The tang varies with different wire. I slot, radius, then final slot with a saw with adjustable depth guide on the blade.

This way variations in board thickness, radius and fret tang depth are catered for and you have a radius'd slot and no worries about too shallow or too deep and showing ugly gaps (unbound boards anyways).

PeteC

Many thanks guys - I will slot, radius and re-slot to tang dimensions - its a learning curve ! 

lysander

Cutting straight and tight slots in a radiused board is a bit of a nightmare so definitely do it twice as per above.

Filling gaps in the slots ends with superglue and saw dust is not the end of the world though if they are too deep after you have fretted.
Keep the dust from when you radius the board. 

I’m using a pre slotted fretboard on my current build and the slots are too deep so will have to do that.

And if you mess up a slot you can glue a piece of veneer inside it, then cut it / plane it / sand it flush and cut a new slot, the old one will most likely be hidden by the fret.

PeteC

Thanks - I will keep that in mind as I try my first slotting !   On with making the slotting jig now. 
Cheers, Pete