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My fret slotting jig
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=29130		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Matt Shumway [ Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:37 pm ]
Post subject:  My fret slotting jig
Something I made recently. I am a pretty new builder and cheap too, and didn't feel like spending $200 bucks or whatever on an already made one.
Thought some of you may be interested.

Didn't have a fretboard blank to slide in, but I found a scrap about the right height.

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I bought a fret template and pin from LMI, and put a copper spacer that I bought from McMaster-Carr in the side hole so that the pin would slide in and out real smooth. The toggle clamp I can use to hold the template and fingerboard blank tight in the jig, which I hold to the bench with clamps.

I have those bolts in the top, with some washers and a nut underneath the washers, to use as a height adjustment. Just unscrew or screw them into the threaded insert I put in the wood to raise or lower the saw. I admit its not a very good solution, as once I start sawing, it ends up screwing or unscrewing one or more of the bolts which changes the height.

I may end up scrapping that and just cutting a block the right height that I can just sit on the ledge where the bolts are now and have the saw resting on it once its at its lowest position.

If anyone has any better ideas for height adjustment I would be open to them.
Author:  AlBDarned [ Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Well I'm no expert by any means, and prob won't work with your jig as currently configured, but those holes in the saw blade allow you to bolt blocks of wood directly to the blade to control the depth of cut ...
Author:  Matt Shumway [ Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
AlBDarned wrote:
Well I'm no expert by any means, and prob won't work with your jig as currently configured, but those holes in the saw blade allow you to bolt blocks of wood directly to the blade to control the depth of cut ...


Yeah that's what I was originally counting on using, however I decided that putting something on the sides wouldn't give enough room to allow the blade to seat securely between the blocks. If that makes any sense.

The solution I use it similar to whats on the LMI jig, which is where I got the idea.
Author:  Antonio [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
[clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  ChuckB [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Matt, can you plane down the saw guides enough to give room for a locking nut? The locking nut will tighten against the top of the guide (on the same bolt as the washers but below) stoppping rotation of the bolt. If you use jam nuts, you won't need to plane very much since they are thinner.

Chuck
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 9:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Hey! That was my idea! Check the LuthierCom post, Matt. Don't let him steal my idea! pfft gaah :D
Author:  Dan Pennington [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Instead of washers for the saw depth limiters, you could use bearings. The bolts can be tightened down on the center hub so they won't move. While the outer race can spin with the action of the saw, providing both lateral support and a depth limit.
Author:  Matt Shumway [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
penndan wrote:
Instead of washers for the saw depth limiters, you could use bearings. The bolts can be tightened down on the center hub so they won't move. While the outer race can spin with the action of the saw, providing both lateral support and a depth limit.


This would be ideal, and I looked into it but couldn't find anything inexpensive. The bearings I found were pretty pricey.

ChuckB wrote:
Matt, can you plane down the saw guides enough to give room for a locking nut? The locking nut will tighten against the top of the guide (on the same bolt as the washers but below) stoppping rotation of the bolt. If you use jam nuts, you won't need to plane very much since they are thinner.

Chuck
WaddyThomson wrote:
Hey! That was my idea! Check the LuthierCom post, Matt. Don't let him steal my idea! pfft gaah :D


This isn't a bad idea and actually I had been thinking about something like this.... ill have to look and see if I can find some that are nice and thin. It does decrease the amount I can raise and lower the bolts, but like you guys mention maybe planing it down some might work.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Before you plane it down, make sure you twist your inserts down a turn!
Author:  Bob Shanklin [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Matt

Rollerblade wheel bearings are cheap, and are great when building jigs and fixtures.

Bob
Author:  Matt Shumway [ Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
WaddyThomson wrote:
Before you plane it down, make sure you twist your inserts down a turn!


Yeah I did :lol:

bobalou95 wrote:
Matt

Rollerblade wheel bearings are cheap, and are great when building jigs and fixtures.

Bob


Oh ill have to look these up. thanks!
Author:  Matt Shumway [ Tue Sep 21, 2010 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Fret Slotting Jig 2.0
New and Improved!

I think this will be the final iteration unless someone has some genius idea. I ended up fixing the rolling bolts problem in a very simple way, no bearings needed.

Previously I had two washers on the bolt, one small one, and one larger one. The distance between the vertical face of the saw guide and the bolt required the larger washer.

So I simply removed some wood from both inside vertical faces of the guide. Now I only need the smaller washer, and that fixed the rolling bolts problem. They don't move back and forth anymore. I think its because the larger washer wasn't ever centered well on the bolt, it didn't fit and I had to eyeball it then lock it down with the nut underneath. Since it wasn't ever perfectly centered, depending on the turn of the bolt sometimes the washer came into contact with the saw blade with more pressure than at other times.

I also drilled a hole in the top of the jig to hold the pin when its not in use. That thing could get lost really easily.

So, after a coat of shellac, this is it.

Image
Author:  Darrin D Oilar [ Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: My fret slotting jig
Rollerblade bearings can be picked up nearly free at a yardsale. Plenty of kids "had to have it" inline skates at them. You'll probably end up with 12-16 of them for very little money.

Darrin
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