Official Luthiers Forum! :: View topic - Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?

Terence Kennedy wrote:

Slot then taper. For my table saw slotting setup the first slot is the nut (which also gives around .012 nut compensation) so I think for me it would be hard to do that on a tapered board and get the nut width just right.

I also use a variant of the Wells tapering method linked by clinchriver which is amazingly accurate.

Very interesting. Never heard of the Wells tapering method. Any other good write ups or demos out there? Is this type of method really accurate down to 0.001" or at least within 0.010"? You must have to touch up the edges of the board on the edge sander to remove saw marks, correct? Which would remove a few thousandths of an inch more. So you must have to build a bit of compensation into the jig for slightly extra edge material on the fretboard?

Author:	Irving [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I was taught to taper the board and then slot it. I feel like I've maybe seen more people doing the opposite and slotting an untapered board and then tapering it to the desired dimensions. Which do you do? Do you think there is a good reason for choosing one method over the other?

Author:	SteveSmith [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
Slot then taper. I slot on the table saw so easier to keep everything square.

Author:	Chris Pile [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I usually taper them after I've glued them on the neck...

Author:	kjaffrey [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I slot then taper. This stems from slotting my first several by hand using a square as a saw guide so the edge had to be square. Now that I think about it I could probably taper then slot now, since I use a template on the tablesaw, and that would leave me more strips for fingerboard binding and less waste.

Author:	Irving [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I slot on the tablesaw as well. But I've always tapered first. I put a perfect center line on both the fretboard and the slotting template. Line them up as perfect as possible. Comes out well. But I've been wondering lately if it may be better to slot first then taper. When slotting first the tapering I guess you just have to make sure as best as possible that you taper the edges accurately so that you don't mess up your center line. And when you taper first you have to be as precise as possible that you cut the slots accurately with your already tapered edges.

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Author:	doncaparker [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I slot, then taper.

Author:	DennisK [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I usually taper first. Some fingerboard blanks have the grain slanted a little one way or the other, so by tapering more from one side I can correct it. I also harvest as many binding strips as possible, but that can still be done before slotting and tapering. Fan frets need to have the high and low scales laid out along the string paths, so for those it's convenient to have it tapered first so I can just lay the scales out near the edges, cut the slots, and then glue binding on to add edge space.

Author:	davidmor1 [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:08 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I also slot then taper. I like having a straight square edge to put in my slotting jig that is perfectly perpendicular to the blade. In my mind it is much easier to get accurate straight slots this way.

Author:	bobgramann [ Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I slot, then taper. Any tearout along the edges from the fret saw blade gets cut off when the board is tapered later. Also, when I have the slotting jig set up, I can do a bunch of boards before I have even considered what the neck widths will be on the instruments they will go on.

Author:	Clinchriver [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:41 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
Slot then taper, I use Ed Bonds (Meddlingfool) excellent method for a perfect taper viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=42858&hilit=fingerboard

Author:	Terence Kennedy [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:23 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
Slot then taper. For my table saw slotting setup the first slot is the nut (which also gives around .012 nut compensation) so I think for me it would be hard to do that on a tapered board and get the nut width just right. I also use a variant of the Wells tapering method linked by clinchriver which is amazingly accurate.

Author:	ernie [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:33 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I slot first on the Ts cut outside my taper line on the BS and finish trimming the taper with a L/N microbevel la jack plane , leaves a vy smooth finish no tearout no sanding and I can take a .001 shaving to my target width at the nut and 12 th fret

Author:	Irving [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:09 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
Terence Kennedy wrote: Slot then taper. For my table saw slotting setup the first slot is the nut (which also gives around .012 nut compensation) so I think for me it would be hard to do that on a tapered board and get the nut width just right. I also use a variant of the Wells tapering method linked by clinchriver which is amazingly accurate. Very interesting. Never heard of the Wells tapering method. Any other good write ups or demos out there? Is this type of method really accurate down to 0.001" or at least within 0.010"? You must have to touch up the edges of the board on the edge sander to remove saw marks, correct? Which would remove a few thousandths of an inch more. So you must have to build a bit of compensation into the jig for slightly extra edge material on the fretboard?

Author:	Clinchriver [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
Irving wrote: Terence Kennedy wrote: Slot then taper. For my table saw slotting setup the first slot is the nut (which also gives around .012 nut compensation) so I think for me it would be hard to do that on a tapered board and get the nut width just right. I also use a variant of the Wells tapering method linked by clinchriver which is amazingly accurate. Very interesting. Never heard of the Wells tapering method. Any other good write ups or demos out there? Is this type of method really accurate down to 0.001" or at least within 0.010"? You must have to touch up the edges of the board on the edge sander to remove saw marks, correct? Which would remove a few thousandths of an inch more. So you must have to build a bit of compensation into the jig for slightly extra edge material on the fretboard? 95% of the time i use a freud 7"-1/2" 60 tooth skill saw blade, in my tablesaw, it leaves a very nice finish, and the "Wells" method is very accurate.

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Author:	Terence Kennedy [ Sun Jan 15, 2017 6:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Taper then slot your fretboards or slot and then taper?
I use a Forrest Woodworker II blade which also leaves a great edge, no cleanup needed. Sylvan has all the details in one of his articles on his website http://www.wellsguitars.com. Basically you calculate the taper of the board by the difference between the widths of the nut and the end of the board. if the nut was 1 3/4" and the end of the board 2 7/16 the taper would be 11/16. The first notch is the 1/2 the taper or 11/32 the second the taper or 11/16. I cut the board to proper width, in this case 2 7/16 and very close to final length. The table saw fence is set to fretboard width. The nut end is placed in the smaller notch and the other end against the fence and the cut made. Then I use the holder with the deeper notch and flip the board over and repeat the cut on the other side. If the notches are correct it is quite precise. I have seen a lot of variations on this concept on this forum and I am sure they all work great. This is just what I evolved into. Tony Karol posted an adjustable jig for custom jobs. I made one and it works fine. It might be in the archives somewhere.