best way for fretboard's radius: sanding block or jig?

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Jean-Philippe Regnard
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best way for fretboard's radius: sanding block or jig?

Post by Jean-Philippe Regnard »

Hi everybody,

i'm building my second guitar but unlike the first construction, i want to make the neck.

After having studied the different steps of the neck's construction, I can not make a choice regarding the shaping of the fretboard's radius.

There is two way to process; the sanding block or the jig (with a router). Using the sanding block is the simplest process and I think the most used. But there is a small problem which I was even confronted with, it's the imprecision of the sanding blocks. I bought one and it was a little twisted in the length. This can create inaccuracies in the radius of the fretboard.

On the other hand, the second option requires the construction or purchase a jig, which is much more complex and expensive.

There is a third option, this is to make it's own sanding block but this require the construction of a jig too.

I would like to know if you can share your experiences with all of this. I feel like using aluminum sanding blocks is the best way, even though they are expensive.

thank you!!
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Barry Daniels
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Location: The Woodlands, Texas

Re: best way for fretboard's radius: sanding block or jig?

Post by Barry Daniels »

A jig is useful if you are cranking out multiples. But a sanding block can work fine if you take your time and periodically check your progress with a straight edge. If your sanding block is twisted I would definitely replace it.

Sanding blocks are more accurate the longer they are. Plus it helps to take long strokes and keep the block from pivoting. Sticky back sandpaper will also help precision.
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Bob Gramann
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Re: best way for fretboard's radius: sanding block or jig?

Post by Bob Gramann »

When I first started, I thought the sanding block would do it. For me, that required way too much patience. I built a router jig with a radiused base that rode on a 6” plank to which I attached the fingerboard. After routing, I cleaned it up with the radiused sanding block. The only drawback was the amazing amount of shavings produced by the router. I would get shocked repeatedly by the static generated by the refuse going up the vacuum tube. Eventually, I went back to ordering the boards with the radius already cut. When I started using woods that LMI couldn’t supply, I made another jig that I use in the drum sander which takes care of the dust much better than my old router device. This jig rotates the board a bit on each pass. 10 passes makes a pretty smooth board which I then clean up with the sanding beam (I did buy one of the long StewMac beams—it was worth it.)

There’s no shame in ordering the boards preradiused. The service charge is quite reasonable.
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