Official Luthiers Forum!

That is too cool, Sheldon!!!!!

Nice jig Sheldon. Any chance of getting some more photo's of it....with a fretboard on it.

Paul

I'm simply in awe of the ingenuity of this fixture and it's multiple uses.   Been trying to think of where I've ever seen the idea of a contoured saw cut using the actual part as the pattern. "Elegantly simple"!

Thanks for the props.  Sorry to take so long getting some photos done.

There are a couple of close ups of the spring loaded support pins, cam lock, slotting process and a bad one of the radiusing fixture on an edge sander.

Sheldon, thanks for the photo's. How are you registering this jig to cut the fanned frets?

Paul

[QUOTE=PaulK]

Sheldon, thanks for the photo's. How are you registering this jig to cut the fanned frets?

Paul

[/QUOTE]

Two pins on the table directly inline and under the blade path.  They key into the holes on the front of the neck fixture and slots on the back.  The slots maintain side to side alignment while offering a bit of forgiveness for accuracy.  Laser cut steel is pretty accurate, but it does expand slightly as it heats up when being cut.

I use bits ranging from .018 to .023 in a Makita Router at 24000 rmp.
Since I make dulcimers not all my fretboards are ebondy or rosewood. In the softer woods I use the smaller bits.
My bits are from several sources... Enco, MLS, Robbjack...
Feed rate is 9 ipm. and I take two passes to make a slot .070" deep.
I do a radius cut also - like many folks, I "invented" that myself.
I'm using a Shopbot CNC.

Thanks to everyone for all the great tips, info and resources.

David

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