Klingspor: One Sanding Block to rule them all

[ack1961]

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:




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

[Pilgrim]

NIIIIICE!!!

And it even has a name like something out of Star Trek!

[Basvarken]

It's nice . But I think it's not wide enough...? Or?

[ack1961]

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.

[uwe]

It's nice . But I think it's not wide enough...? Or?

It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.

[Pilgrim]

It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.

You've obviously never directed porn movies.  A terrible gap in your professional experience.

[TBird1958]

It's not size, Rob, it's technique and persistence.

You're such a Teutonic tease!

[Dave W]

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.

[Highlander]

Mind you, the principle is worth further investigation...

[uwe]

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. 

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.

[Basvarken]

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

[Pilgrim]

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. 

Clearly, this is an excellent preparation for a career in law.  If nothing else, I'm sure it gives one perspective. (Pun intended.) 

[drbassman]

Cute, but I don't think it's wide enough for the job.  A simple wood block would be safer and more effective.

[ack1961]

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

[Dave W]

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.