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Over the 15 years I've been messing around with this stuff I have tried all sorts of ways to jig up for side dots but have always just gone back to free handing them after marking the locations. I usually install them after the fretboard is on and leveled just before fretting.

Here is a little trick that works pretty well for that. I usually try to put them all the same distance from the top edge of the fretboard. I like the way that looks. My edges usually come out to around .2" so I measure .1" down from the top. I found that if I wrap some tape around the ruler at the 1" mark thick enough to register on the fretboard edge it makes it easy to get that .1" mark consistent. I mark it with a sharp awl.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Nice tip! To go one step further, even with a good mark made with a center punch I always had trouble getting the holes drilled straight in with no wandering because of the curvature of the fretboard. Then one day I thought to put a little fence up on my drill press like this. Whether the fretboard's on or off the neck, this makes it infinitely easier to get the drill bit straight into the board right on the mark.

Agreed it can be a pita --- here's one of our fixtures. Its designed for a drill press. I did plan to use hardened drill bushings but the hard Maple has held up well. After each session we drizzle a little thin CA in the holes.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

As Terence has done away with jigs, so have I. I just center in two directions, mark with an awl and drill with a hand driven jewelers drill. I find this for me to be the easiest and most accurate.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

That's slick.

I have something like this but on an individual hole basis. Here it is. I have holes for 1/16"and 3/32" set. It's a piece of aluminum angle with a piece of birch plywood screwed to it. I just mark out the dot locations on the top of the board and clamp the jig in place and use my hand drill. This way (Like Ken's) they're all registered the same distance off the bottom of the fretboard.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

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Freehand always worked for me.

A brad point bit pretty much solves the "wandering" problem, but can be tricky to find in the really small diameters. LMI carries small sizes at reasonable price.


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Anyone seen this at the 4:20 point?

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Marking out with an awl first can save a lot of mistakes. I do it marking out for tuners, dots on the face of the fingerboard. bridge pins, and end pin as well.

Brent

I use the little pointed scribe StewMac sells for inlay work as a marking awl and have the small LMI brad tipped bits. That has pretty much solved the wandering problem.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

After having these on my list for years and messing around with random bits here and there, I finally upped my drill bit game a few months ago. These are available in sets and individually, also in imperial and metric.

HSS Brad Point Bits

HSS Twist Drill Bits

I picked up the set of 7 brad points, 10mm (for tuners), along with 3/32", 7/64", 9/64", 5/32" to cover all of the common screw sizes, and a few sizes in twist.

They're incredible. Sharp to the point that I handle them with care just so I don't slice myself. Highly recommended.

I do it just like Terence. And Tom apparently! Seems like good company

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Burton
http://www.legeytinstruments.com
Brookline, MA.

Yep

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I do it the same way Terrence, et al, as well but have never thought of that simple little tape trick. Thanks for the tip!

I mark mine after the board is glued to the neck but before the neck is carved. I came up with this little jig, and it solved all my problems.

I do it like Haans


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I eyeball the location and poke with an ice pick.
Then drill with a small palm sized cordless drill.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Awl, #1 center drill, wire gauge drill.

https://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-centerdrills.htm

IMHO, center drills are very handy for the times you need accurate placement of holes. I use a #2 to drill bridges and a #2 or #3 to drill pegheads.

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John

John, Are you using the center drills in a hand drill? I use these on my lathe but have never tried using them by hand. Guess I could just try it.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Sure. Hand drill, lathe, drill press....it's all good.

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John