Starting out in guitar building - There will be questions!

SteveF

davros said:

If you have a short bearing bit and a thick enough template then you won't need to worry about the bushing or offsets.

That’s the plan. I think I will try and make the bigger outer one and then make the smaller one so it stacks on top with some index pins the way I should be able to rout the bigger one and then add the smaller template on top nice and centred because of the index pins. In my head that should work?

Roland

A ferrule block template is one of the simplest things to make. 

davros

SteveF said:

davros said:

If you have a short bearing bit and a thick enough template then you won't need to worry about the bushing or offsets.

That’s the plan. I think I will try and make the bigger outer one and then make the smaller one so it stacks on top with some index pins the way I should be able to rout the bigger one and then add the smaller template on top nice and centred because of the index pins. In my head that should work?

Good thinking!

TTony

Roland said:

A ferrule block template is one of the simplest things to make. 

Don't forget that you need 2 templates, unless you want the lip to sit proud of the back of the body.  I always recess mine to keep it nice and smooth.

Roland

I make my ferrule bars from 1/4” square section brass rod. There’s no lip.

TTony

Roland said:

I make my ferrule bars from 1/4” square section brass rod. There’s no lip.

I hope you make your own brass too?

SteveF

Roland said:

I make my ferrule bars from 1/4” square section brass rod. There’s no lip.

Can we see a pic? Bet they look cool in situ 

SteveF

So, the internet appears to be divided.  Fretting the neck - before or after carving the profile?

PeteC

I do it before - so that I have a flat back to the neck and can either hammer or drill press the frets in more easily 

TTony

PeteC said:

I do it before - so that I have a flat back to the neck and can either hammer or drill press the frets in more easily 

Or, if you've got a suitable support for the underside of the neck, you can shape first, fret second

WezV

I've done it both ways, prefer to do it after shaping even if its a bit fiddlier to get a good position at the transitions.


What I can't abide is fretting the board before its even attached... but some do, especially with Gibson style binding with nibs

Roland

I do it after. It means that I can clamp the neck to the bench without damaging the frets.

davros

I don't actually remember which I do first...maybe I've done a mixture on different builds! I think last time I mostly shaped the neck, fretted it, glued it in the finished the transitions at the ends.

SteveF

I do have one of these: 



Is that the main/only benefit of doing the frets first? I wondered about leaving them til after in case I messed up the carve and therefore wouldn't waste the fretwire. 

TTony

Roland said:

I do it after. It means that I can clamp the neck to the bench without damaging the frets.

SteveF said:

I do have one of these: 

One of those is what you need.

WezV

SteveF said:

I do have one of these: 

Cut a block of wood to go under the heel to match that
..  then the neck is fully supported when fretting above the transition from neck to heel

SteveF

Thanks Wez, will do  

SteveF

Got the headstock thicknessed and the transition from the fingerboard done today. 

SteveF

Question re: drill bits.  Is there a particular name for the long ones that have a straight shank except for the last few inches? I’m struggling to find via google. 

WezV

What job is it for?