Pain in the custom neck

[fleabag]

Another parcel arrived today

 

Kerchiiiing !!

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by fleabag

[fleabag]

And so did some bits n bobs.

 

M4 thread inserts with M4 countersunk machine bolts,  Wilky 14mm  Tuners,  CTS pots,  Metal knobbage set.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by fleabag

[Andyjr1515]

Looks nice stuff

 

Today was a bit of experimenting.

 

Because we are leaving a full overhang on the neck, there wasn't a lot of offcut - just the two ends I used to screw the board to the radiussing jig.  Happily, I'd already radiused one of the ends when I was checking out how well the double sided tape worked.  So I tried my conventional fretting technique.

 

Started with a light file of the slot edges with a triangular needle file:

 

Then, after detanging the ends, ran a teeny bead of titebond along the tangs followed by a whack both sides and a whack in the middle with my fretting hammer:

 

The glue squeeze-out doubles as an indicator of whether the fret is fully seated.  If not, it is a few more whacks!

Then I clamp a radius block on while I (usually) move on to the next slot:

 

Looks OK to me...

 

 

[BigRedX]

I wondered why there was no new Andyjr1515 build thread...

[paul_5]

2 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

 

 

Are you making this one for Adam Clayton?

[Andyjr1515]

14 minutes ago, paul_5 said:

Are you making this one for Adam Clayton?

No - he's far too busy trying to help Doncaster Rovers hold onto their position in the League 

 

[andyaber]

Just a thought but if Richlite is difficult to glue, what is used to stick the fingerboard to the neck?  

[Andyjr1515]

19 minutes ago, andyaber said:

Just a thought but if Richlite is difficult to glue, what is used to stick the fingerboard to the neck?  

They recommend epoxy.  No ironing this one off

 

[andyaber]

I had a bass some years ago with an Ebonol fingerboard which I think was phenolic based.  Richlite, from the pics looks like it has more texture to it though, just like wood.

 

I remember, from my apprenticeship a thousand years ago, a material called Tufnol which was, I think a paper filled phenolic.

 

Richlite looks like a step up from these though.

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by andyaber

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, andyaber said:

I had a bass some years ago with an Ebonol fingerboard which I think was phenolic based.  Richlite, from the pics looks like it has more texture to it though, just like wood

I think Richlite is, essentially, Ebonol.  They are both paper based.  

 

The confusing (maybe intentional, maybe not) Rocklite Ebano is wood based.  I actually own the first-in-the-world top back, sides and fretboard Rocklite Sundari guitar (the rosewood-look version) and it's very impressive.  However, I've come across issues with some of the Ebano fretboards and personally hate the binding - I find the wood fibres are  short and are almost impossible to bend without the fibres springing out, even on the non-taxing curves of an acoustic dreadnought.  That said, Tonetech pretty much only sell that nowadays some presumably many folks find it OK.

 

So far, though, for an ebony fretboard alternative I actually prefer this Richlite material even though it feels and looks less like wood than Rocklite.  But for a rosewood alternative, the Rocklite takes some beating.

Edited March 18, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[Andyjr1515]

I've learnt over the years that a stop-and-review approach is by far the best in this hobby.  So before I cut the fretboard to shape - which means taking it off the fretting template - I'm going to do one additional thing.  I'm going to put the board back into the mitre block and deepen the slots by a mm.

 

The reason is that, because the Richlite is so tough, any slot that is even a smidge shallow would mean that the fret just isn't going to seat.  With a wooden board, a decent enough whack with a hammer would sort minor variances (or so I'm told  ) - but this would just bounce off.

 

So that is what I'll be doing between naps today

 

[Andyjr1515]

And running out of excuses to do the scary bit of cutting this to shape.  Slots are deepened and the board is off the template:

 

 

Oh - and a 'by the way'.  I've promised @fleabag luminlays for the side dots.  My small stash is running low and so I went onto the Luminlay site in Japan to order some more (they still haven't set up any distributor arrangements, as far as I can find out, in UK and Europe but the shipment from Japan is usually quick and efficient) but no...they can't ship to UK or Europe at the moment due to the flight route sanctions resulting from the invasion of Ukraine.

 

I've spotted some on ebay shipping from the USA - I'll have to try that, costly or not. 

 

[andyaber]

15 hours ago, Andyjr1515 said:

I think Richlite is, essentially, Ebonol.  They are both paper based.  

 

The confusing (maybe intentional, maybe not) Rocklite Ebano is wood based.  I actually own the first-in-the-world top back, sides and fretboard Rocklite Sundari guitar (the rosewood-look version) and it's very impressive.  However, I've come across issues with some of the Ebano fretboards and personally hate the binding - I find the wood fibres are  short and are almost impossible to bend without the fibres springing out, even on the non-taxing curves of an acoustic dreadnought.  That said, Tonetech pretty much only sell that nowadays some presumably many folks find it OK.

 

So far, though, for an ebony fretboard alternative I actually prefer this Richlite material even though it feels and looks less like wood than Rocklite.  But for a rosewood alternative, the Rocklite takes some beating.

I hope you don't think I was questioning your expertise or choice of materials.  I am ignorant of these materials and genuinely curious.

 

When I mention my apprenticeship, it was in a washing machine factory, so not much use for this type of thing. 

 

I was glossing some skirting boards a couple of weeks ago wishing there was a wood and resin based material alternative that never needed painting.  I wonder... 😀

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, andyaber said:

I hope you don't think I was questioning your expertise or choice of materials.  I am ignorant of these materials and genuinely curious.

Never!  And so am I, most of the time   This is actually the first time I've worked with it so I am on a 'journey' as they say.  

 

1 hour ago, andyaber said:

I was glossing some skirting boards a couple of weeks ago wishing there was a wood and resin based material alternative that never needed painting.  I wonder... 

Well - a quick look up on Google, it's clear that this type of product has been around for years and, I think, used in worktops, etc..  So you never know. 

 

[benh]

Gotta love an @Andyjr1515 build thread. Always lots to learn!

[pete.young]

On 18/03/2022 at 18:38, andyaber said:

 

 

I remember, from my apprenticeship a thousand years ago, a material called Tufnol which was, I think a paper filled phenolic.

 

 

 

I remember that stuff too. Turned beautifully on a lathe. Made loads of screwdriver handles out of it.

[Geek99]

On 17/03/2022 at 11:23, Andyjr1515 said:

OK - 20 minutes before the next nap.

 

So...yes.  Maple neck with a Richlite fretboard.  First time I've used this material so should be (is already) interesting.

 

The project started with a bag of bits from @fleabag, including the Richlite blank, truss rod, nut blank and a set of EVO gold frets.

 

First job, after clarifying the spec (which we repeat a few times a day on account of my age - "Have you switched the kettle off? Have you switched the kettle off??  I SAID HAVE YOU SWITCHED THE KETTLE OFF!!!???" - was to be radiusing the board to the requested 20" (I checked a few times).

 

And here was the first challenge.  I use an industrial-quality double-sided tape when I'm routing to hold the blank to the jig.  This stuff would hold insulation tiles onto the Space Shuttle very happily...but not Richlite...

 

I then tried the old trick of two sides of masking tape held with CA glue...nah!

 

In the end - I had to SCREW it to the jig!  Hmmm...this is going to be fun 

 

 

 

I use the excellent G&W jig. 

 

 

The Richlite routed, well...just like ebony.  10 minutes or so of final sanding with a radius block to remove the router lines.  It sands like, well...just like ebony :

 

And it was done.  And it looks, well...just like ebony.  Except, of course, you can no longer get jet-black ebony due to sustainability measures :

 

Next job, still ongoing, was cutting the fret slots.  But I see it's already Horlicks time. 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you saved the dust, mister 

[Jakester]

Edit: read the SECOND page of the thread before commenting, doofus! 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Jakester
I'm a doofus

[Andyjr1515]

OK - one scary bit done - cutting the taper.  I cut around 2mm oversize and then slowly sneak up on the final size with planes and sanding beams.  This is at the 2mm oversize stage:

 

 

Tomorrow, I will finish-size it and start on the fretting.  

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, Jakester said:

Edit: read the SECOND page of the thread before commenting, doofus! 

Thankfully you’re the only one who ever does that <rolleyes>

[Andyjr1515]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

Thankfully you’re the only one who ever does that

 

I do it too...and usually on my own threads 

[Andyjr1515]

By golly, this is tough stuff.  I used a combination of jointer plane, block plane, micro plane, sanding block and full-length levelling beam to straighten up and narrow the sides by less than a mm each side.  And it took best part of a couple of hours!  There is, of course, a lot of taking it out of the bench vice and checking with the calipers (it had to be spot on - overshoot is not an option) but for an ebony board this would be a 30 minute job.

 

And the fretting begins!

 

A lot of builders add the frets after they glue the fretboard to the neck - and there are some advantages in doing that - but my preferred method (linked with the facilities I have and just a sequence that I find works best for me) is to fret the board first, level and bevel the edges and then glue the fretted board to the neck. 

 

And for this, I'm glad I've chosen it that way round.  The amount of hammering needed is WAY heavier than for a wood board - and the stability from doing that on a flat solid surface is pretty essential.

 

At the time of typing I'm over halfway - 10 still to do including the zero fret - but my hands are pretty comprehensively knackered so I'm going to call it a day and finish it off in the morning

Edited March 22, 2022 by Andyjr1515

[fleabag]

Its my fault 

 

 

[Richard R]

54 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Its my fault 

 

 

Yes, yes it is. And if your indestructible fretboard breaks Andy then the entire forum will be round your way with pitchforks.

[Andyjr1515]

3 hours ago, fleabag said:

Its my fault 

 

 

Let's face it...it's all I deserve.  That's MrsAndyjr1515's opinion, anyway