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I'm moving along nicely on my first build without much help from the Coach and in the new shop. I've been making what jigs I needed as I go but and bought a few fretting tools a while back but I am now in need of nut files. I'll most likely never build more than one or two instruments a year. What would you recommend for nut files. There's a couple on e-bay. Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to link. Norman files. Anyone tried them? at $50 they almost seem to inexpensive. There is another set that's always for sale there. They look petty similar to SM but about 1/2 the price. What works for you?

Thanks for the help,
Danny

Hey Danny, I'm pretty new at this, working slowly on build #7, but I bought a set of the norman files and have been real pleased with them. Before I had only a couple of the stew-mac files, all I could afford, and it's great having the full range of correct sizes to use. They cut good and do a nice job for me. Now one of them does seem to be getting dull and doesn't seem to cut as well, and I have heard others say they don't stand up, so that may be right if you cut a lot of nuts. For occasional use I've been pleased, but I would probably get better ones if I could afford it and had enough work to justify the expense.

Joe

Danny bro try Pilgrim's Projects - they have Grobert and I just received mine a couple of weeks ago and think they are the best that I have ever used. And the folks at Pilgrims Projects are super nice people to deal with too: http://www.pilgrimsprojects.biz/nut.html

I have cut bout a dozen nuts with my norman files, I think I'll probably get another dozen out of em

I have the Ibanez nut file set from Allied. Not to pricey and they seem to work fine for me. No sign of them deteriorating or anything.

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When my nut files get real dull, i break off half of the cutting section. This lets you use the fresh and sharp part of the file closer to the handle without bumping into the tuners.

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Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

Norman nut files are made from feeler gauge stock, I took a set of feeler gauges and cut slots across them with a dremel cut off disk, I uses them for my 1st and second builds before I got a set of proper files. If you are looking for cheap get a set of feeler gauges with radius edges and make your own. If you want a decent set for a reasonable price check out these http://www.warmoth.com/supplies/supplies.cfm?fuseaction=files I got the NFS8 set.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Three, then they were too dull to use.

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I'll recommend Pilgram's Projects too. Great folks to deal with and they sell good stuff!

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I would put the 50 bucks toward a set of better files. The NFS8 at Warmoth (see Fred's post) look pretty good and at $64, not much more than the Norman set you mentioned. The NFSB7 set look pretty good as well ($70).

I've had two of the StewMac double-sided files long enough to make and setup at least 50 bone and mammoth ivory nuts now. They're ready for the trash almost but I think I will try Jordan's idea and break them off and see if that will buy a little more time. Otherwise I've been happy with them.

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"We might not be big but we sure are slow"

I use the Warmoth files and am happy with them.

Thanks for the tip about Boggs...that's about 30 minutes from me.