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To make up for my bad vision and hand planing skills I whipped up a template for a classical-flamenco 650mm scale fingerboard on the CNC machine at work out of Delrin plastic. 52.5mm wide at the nut, 64mm wide at the 12th fret. I was not sure how the ebony would cooperate with regards to chip outs and corners using a table router with a flush cut bit to cut the outline; but in the end it worked out great. Now I have a perfectly symetrical fingerboard for Numero Dos. I was thinking of dyeing this particular board as it is very gray in places. I have some dye purchased from stew-mac. If anyone has used the dye with good results, please let me know how, and when you applied same. Thanks!

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John Nowicki

The way to insure to not get chip outs on any project you do is to know the direction of the grain runout and to always use climbing cut when running into the grain. I have always used my router table to taper my fretboards.

Thanks for the tip.

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John Nowicki

What means did you secure the wood to the template? ny template is one sided taper with mirrierd centerline regerance markings . I use 4 equally spaced togel clams to secure the wood in place to aid in eliminaing chatter. I cut the board on onside, turn it around and index to the center marks, clamp and cut the other side. once tried using a simular tenplate to yours using double sided tape but had the tape give way once costing me a fretboard blank.

I have two 1.5mm dia holes drilled on center on the template at the 1st and 11th fret locations. I also drill two 1.5mm holes in the fingerboard in the same locations. I used two 1.5mm roll pins and double sided tape to hold them together. It worked this time....

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John Nowicki

That will probably work every time

All double sided tape is not equal. I've had some stuff that's absolute crap, and I have a roll of some stuff right now that I don't like using on wood because it is so tenacious that it's a very long process using wedges to get it to release without destroying the work! Depending on the forces on the work, or for lining stuff up, pins help a lot.

With a climb cut (on wood with uncompromised integrity), chipout is never a problem except on right-hand corners (or angled cuts) coming into the end grain. Dealing with those cuts is a big component of cutting wood with maximum speed.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Thanks very much for your input! As you can see in the pic, I fretted the board today and so far am very happy with the result. Soon another flamenco negra will be born...

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John Nowicki

I use a jig similar to Michaels, but I use it with a table saw. I have to measure how much is hanging off the jig. The other side of the jig goes against the fence. I suppose I should make something more............... Woody proof.

I use 2 sided tape with some stuff. I've got some called "carpet tape" that's way strong........too stong for most stuff. I've also got some that's not strong enough for most stuff.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I also made a fret end file holder. I took a mill file, whacked off the handle with a cut off wheel so the file is 8" long, took a 2 x 4, ripped an 8" piece so it was comfortable for the hand, and cut a dado at 35° (from verticle) to put the file in. Now that the board is on the neck, using the file made shaping the ends at a uniform angle a breeze. I ran the file up & down until I put a tiny bevel on the top edge of the FB. I used the EVO wire. All ends look alike, see pic.

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John Nowicki

I don't think you really need to dye it. The gray streaks pretty much disappear after you play the guitar for a while, there is a big difference between how it looks when freshly planed and how it looks played.

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Build log

Thanks Alexandru,
I don't think it needs dye either. I appreciate your opinion. Now I have to do my finish sanding and finishing. Thanks again.

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John Nowicki