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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 6:23 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7548
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Here's a method I developed to get nice clean FB edges on the top.

It's basically an extension of what I believe is the Sylvan Welles method. I forget.

Image

Anyway, first decide how much taper you want. Measure the difference between the nut end and extension end, and divide by two. Make a stick about 8" long that is that thickness.

The jig is just a stepped board with little pieces of the stick glued on at each end.

Image

Image

The sticks need to be a bit farther apart than the length of the fingerboard.

The fingerboard needs to be slotted, then cut to its final length.

Place it face down with the nut end facing right on Stick One. I'm using double stick tape, but V 2 would definitely employ toggle clamps.

Image

Take a light pass just scoring the surface.Image

Take a second pass cutting all the way through.

Flip the fingerboard end to end and place face down on Stick Two (just a double width of Stick One).

If you include the bindings in the layup, there is no need to actually measure them to get the correct overall width. Image

Do a light pass, then a full cut, and voila!Image

Bindings and fingerboard come out together to a perfect 1 3/4" board.

With sharp unsplintered edges.Image

I set the fence depth originally using scrap wood and the fine art of 'smidgeonry', then cut a piece of a scrap wood for future cuts. ImageImage

Of course, there are many ways to get this job done. But if I can make a thing foolproof, it's in my best interest .

Look left to see why...;)








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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:17 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2011 7:57 pm
Posts: 465
City: Quakertown
State: Pa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Nice Jig and setup for cutting the taper. However, I would feel more comfortable having the base go up to the blade to support fingerboard up to the cut while cutting, especially for when you have the slotted side down. This would prevent tear out even more so. Even better would be to make it a sled that runs in the miter slots.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:04 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:21 pm
Posts: 3445
Location: Alexandria MN
Nice job! The idea of flipping it end to end and making a shallow cut is ingenious.

I've been using that method ever since Sylvan posted it (9 years?). It's slick, very accurate, and works great. I've got a little different setup, two sleds and I flip the board over for the second cut. I've been using a Woodworker II blade and chip out has not been a big issue. I radius it after cutting the taper so that takes care of any small chips.

In my case the fence is set for the width of the fretboard and the fretboard has to be cut to length. I save the tapered off cuts, they come in handy especially if you need to shim a fretboard extension on a neck reset or something.

Tony Karol posted an adjustable sled a few years ago and I made one. It works just as well and is nice for custom tapers.

(The photographs are obviously staged, in real time there would be ebony dust all over the place)


Image

Image

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2014 8:12 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7548
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
What, you're saying you don't run stuff through the saw with one hand while taking photos with the other?

That's a good point about the blade. I have a dedicated Freud blade that I only use for that task...sharp blade good!


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:06 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:44 pm
Posts: 1225
Location: Andersonville
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Nice, I thought my way through it and I get it :mrgreen: Toggle clamps are the way to go.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:14 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7548
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Absolutely. I'm just too lazy to make an updated version...


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:20 am 
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Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:44 pm
Posts: 1225
Location: Andersonville
State: Tennessee
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Just out of curiosity how deep are you cutting your fret slots?


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:53 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7548
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I go about halfway through the board. I also always use fingerboard binding.


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