The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bill's Shop: Projects, Mods & Repairs => Topic started by: ack1961 on April 22, 2014, 09:48:28 AM
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This tool might be old news to some of you...
I've had a dilemma where some fretless necks that I've needed to re-finish have an unconventional 8 degree radius.
I was going to make my own 8 degree radius sanding block, but I found this neat little tool today:
(http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz62/ack1961/Music/20140422_122019.jpg) (http://s814.photobucket.com/user/ack1961/media/Music/20140422_122019.jpg.html)
(http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/zz62/ack1961/Music/20140422_121843.jpg) (http://s814.photobucket.com/user/ack1961/media/Music/20140422_121843.jpg.html)
You loosen the lock and the contoured surface relaxes and conforms to the fingerboard radius. Tighten the lock back up and it stays where you set it. The nice thing about it that you have one block for all different radii fingerboards.
I'm easily impressed by stuff like this.
Steve
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NIIIIICE!!!
And it even has a name like something out of Star Trek!
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It's nice . But I think it's not wide enough...? Or?
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It's nice . But I think it's not wide enough...? Or?
It might make the job a bit quicker if were the full width of a fb, but it's a great size in that it fits the hand perfectly.
We'll see how many fbs I can destroy before I get the hang of it.
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It's nice . But I think it's not wide enough...? Or?
It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.
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It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.
You've obviously never directed porn movies. A terrible gap in your professional experience.
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It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.
You're such a Teutonic tease!
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Since it's narrower than the fretboard, it looks like it will be very difficult to do an even job and keep your centerline, especially since almost all fretboards taper in width along their lengths. More power to you if you can.
Stew-Mac used to sell an adjustable radius block, it must not be made anymore. I have seen a homemade one made from a length of aluminum c-channel with turnbuckles installed between the two sides of the channel. You tighten them to form it into whatever radius you need.
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Mind you, the principle is worth further investigation...
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You've obviously never directed porn movies. A terrible gap in your professional experience.
To my erectile credit, my resumé is graced by working for two years as an anouncer and DJ in a peep show and adult movie center in the Frankfurt Red Light District. And I had all those porn movies on about a dozen small monitors before me during my 7 hour shift - six days a week. Let me tell you that the excitement wanes after about three shifts. :mrgreen:
As regards that yellow sanding block, I think the idea is a good one and I could see it work with some patience and a steady hand (no porn movie connotations whatsoever!!!). Nothing speaks against offering a wider one though.
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Since it's narrower than the fretboard, it looks like it will be very difficult to do an even job and keep your centerline, especially since almost all fretboards taper in width along their lengths. More power to you if you can.
That's what I meant
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To my erectile credit, my resumé is graced by working for two years as an anouncer and DJ in a peep show and adult movie center in the Frankfurt Red Light District. And I had all those porn movies on about a dozen small monitors before me during my 7 hour shift - six days a week. Let me tell you that the excitement wanes after about three shifts. :mrgreen:
Clearly, this is an excellent preparation for a career in law. If nothing else, I'm sure it gives one perspective. (Pun intended.) :o
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Cute, but I don't think it's wide enough for the job. A simple wood block would be safer and more effective.
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Cute, but I don't think it's wide enough for the job. A simple wood block would be safer and more effective.
Can you explain, because I really don't understand?
If the radius of the fretboard doesn't change (in this case, it's a constant 8 degree radius), then why would it matter if the block isn't as wide as as the fretboard, just as long as I stay on plane while I sand?
Since the radius doesn't change, isn't it theoretically feasible that I can move the block anywhere along the width of the fretboard, sand lengthwise, and still maintain the 8 degree radius?
I also don't see how a simple wood block (which is flat) would be safer - I'd be way more worried about knocking down the radius in spots with a flat sander.
Again, I'm just trying to learn and better understand the trepidation before I begin.
Thanks
- Steve
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Can you explain, because I really don't understand?
If the radius of the fretboard doesn't change (in this case, it's a constant 8 degree radius), then why would it matter if the block isn't as wide as as the fretboard, just as long as I stay on plane while I sand?
Since the radius doesn't change, isn't it theoretically feasible that I can move the block anywhere along the width of the fretboard, sand lengthwise, and still maintain the 8 degree radius?
I also don't see how a simple wood block (which is flat) would be safer - I'd be way more worried about knocking down the radius in spots with a flat sander.
Again, I'm just trying to learn and better understand the trepidation before I begin.
Thanks
- Steve
A fretboard that tapers in width is like a cone. Picture this: suppose you center the sanding block by the nut and draw two parallel lines going to the body end of the board. Easy enough to sand that parallel to the board's centerline. But you will have a long, narrow triangle outside those lines on each side. Each of those sections would have to be sanded exactly parallel to the centerline of the board, not parallel to the sides of the fretboard. It's doable in theory, difficult in practice.
I agree that a flat block won't work. That's fine for fret leveling, maybe Bill was thinking of that.
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A fretboard that tapers in width is like a cone. Picture this: suppose you center the sanding block by the nut and draw two parallel lines going to the body end of the board. Easy enough to sand that parallel to the board's centerline. But you will have a long, narrow triangle outside those lines on each side. Each of those sections would have to be sanded exactly parallel to the centerline of the board, not parallel to the sides of the fretboard. It's doable in theory, difficult in practice.
I agree that a flat block won't work. That's fine for fret leveling, maybe Bill was thinking of that.
Gotcha, thanks Dave. Your example makes sense, but here's where my confusion comes in:
Question: An 8 degree radius sanding block (one that overlaps both edges of the fingerboard) is a constant radius, not tapered. Isn't the idea of a radiused sanding block to center the block on the centerline of the fingerboard and sand it down evenly?
Q Pt.2): Is it because the full-width sanding block can cover the entire fingerboard without moving off the centerline the trick to keeping the constant radius while the fingerboard width fans out?
Thanks for all the help here.
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Yes, that's the idea, but unless the board's width is constant, it's very difficult to sand it evenly when the sanding block is narrower than the board.
Q Pt.2): Yes, that's it exactly.
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Yes, that's the idea, but unless the board's width is constant, it's very difficult to sand it evenly when the sanding block is narrower than the board.
Q Pt.2): Yes, that's it exactly.
Thanks....appreciate the knowledge transfer.
Wanna buy a sanding block?
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Perfect for a mando...
Clearly, this is an excellent preparation for a career in law...
... As in screwing people ... ? :vader: ;)
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A fretboard that tapers in width is like a cone. Picture this: suppose you center the sanding block by the nut and draw two parallel lines going to the body end of the board. Easy enough to sand that parallel to the board's centerline. But you will have a long, narrow triangle outside those lines on each side. Each of those sections would have to be sanded exactly parallel to the centerline of the board, not parallel to the sides of the fretboard. It's doable in theory, difficult in practice.
I agree that a flat block won't work. That's fine for fret leveling, maybe Bill was thinking of that.
I meant a radiused sanding block if you want to maintain the curve of te frets. Flat blocks are for leveling as Dave said when you have a lot to take off. Issue both types of blocks.
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Yup...understood.
8 degree radius is apparently an anomaly in the fretboard world, I could not find a block anywhere.
I could make my own, but that would take years and cost thousands of lives.
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Yup...understood.
8 degree radius is apparently an anomaly in the fretboard world, I could not find a block anywhere.
I could make my own, but that would take years and cost thousands of lives.
I hear ya on that one! Doing the radius would be a major pain.
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I could make my own, but that would take years and cost thousands of lives.
Buy a 7.25"R block (vintage Fender radius). Wrap a sheet of 120 sandpaper or close to that around your 8" radius neck and secure it (grit up) at the heel end. Recontour the block on the sandpaper wrapped neck to match the 8 inch radius.
I'd dust a very light coat of black spray paint on the block before you start sanding it to size. Then you'll know when the recontouring is correct.
I didn't make up this technique, it's a common way of getting a nonstandard radius from a standard block that's close to what you need.
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Buy a 7.25"R block (vintage Fender radius). Wrap a sheet of 120 sandpaper or close to that around your 8" radius neck and secure it (grit up) at the heel end. Recontour the block on the sandpaper wrapped neck to match the 8 inch radius.
I'd dust a very light coat of black spray paint on the block before you start sanding it to size. Then you'll know when the recontouring is correct.
I didn't make up this technique, it's a common way of getting a nonstandard radius from a standard block that's close to what you need.
Great idea. I wouldn't have thought of it.
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Buy a 7.25"R block (vintage Fender radius). Wrap a sheet of 120 sandpaper or close to that around your 8" radius neck and secure it (grit up) at the heel end. Recontour the block on the sandpaper wrapped neck to match the 8 inch radius.
I'd dust a very light coat of black spray paint on the block before you start sanding it to size. Then you'll know when the recontouring is correct.
I didn't make up this technique, it's a common way of getting a nonstandard radius from a standard block that's close to what you need.
That's awesome - thanks.
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That's awesome - thanks.
You're welcome. May be something I read in one of Dan Erlewine's books.