I've got some bone that i want to use for nuts on my builds, what do you use to cut it. I've got a little saw blade but was wondering what other tools people have used.
thanks
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I don;t know where I first heard of this....i want to give credit where due......probably heard it on here....maybe I thought of it myself.....I just don't remember.
I drill holes through the nut (in a line) the right size for the strings, then take down the thickness to just above the mid-point of the holes with a belt sander.....clean up with sand paper, as I don't have the small files.
I cut my bone nuts by hand using a coping saw with fine-toothed blades (i.e. for cutting metal or plastic), then shape them with metal files from the hardware store. I finally broke down and bought a handful of Stew Mac's nut slotting files and micro-polishing papers, but before that I was just using some jeweler's files and sandpaper, also from the hardware store. This method is labor-intensive, obviously. I just don't have the space for band saws and such.
I just hacksaw the blanks out, and then shape the rest with a sanding wheel in my Dremel.
I cut slots with a hacksaw and then finish them with the same torch-tip tool mentioned; I got mine at Harbor Freight.
Tons cheaper than specialty nut-slot files.
After a while you learn from your mistakes about keeping skin and fingers intact.
I've got table saws, band saws and router tables and several free hand routers.
I nearly lost the end of my fretting hand thumb (thank God it was my fretting hand thumb]
which i don't really use for fretting), but the tip almost cut clean through when it got
pushed into the path of a bandsaw blade. It grew back thankfully, but for I while I had
a hard time tying shoe laces when it was so sore..you don't realize how important the
thumb/forefinger are until you lose the use of them..even temporily.
Push sticks/tools when using power saws or bandsaws up close save a lot of fingers.
Wade said:
Yes, I removed some skin off my fingers on my bench sander... Then I realized all I really needed to do is use the bench sander while its off to get a smooth finish. Just rub the nut over the flat surface of the sandpaper and your basically done.
carverman said:
Yes, I figured..sooner or later..someone would take advantage of an obvious pun.
I shape mine on the bench belt sander...ouch..very rough! :-0 then use a fine tooth razor saw....ummm...to start the grooves. For the bass side, precision minature files to shape the contours of the string slot ..but these are probably too expensive for most hobbyists.
Wes Yates said:
BTW - Just an observation. Rude things could be said here based on the subject [big grin]. If I were more of a smartass I would say something like:
"My wife usually cuts _my_ nuts... and on a frequent basis. "
Yes, I removed some skin off my fingers on my bench sander... Then I realized all I really needed to do is use the bench sander while its off to get a smooth finish. Just rub the nut over the flat surface of the sandpaper and your basically
done.
carverman said:
Yes, I figured..sooner or later..someone would take advantage of an obvious pun.
I shape mine on the bench belt sander...ouch..very rough! :-0 then use a fine tooth razor saw....ummm...to start the grooves. For the bass side, precision minature files to shape the contours of the string slot ..but these are probably too expensive for most hobbyists.
Wes Yates said:
BTW - Just an observation. Rude things could be said here based on the subject [big grin]. If I were more of a smartass I would say something like:
"My wife usually cuts _my_ nuts... and on a frequent basis. "
Torch tip cleaners at Home Depot in Welding section of Hardware...about $4.00
Wes Yates said:
Matt, where do you find the torch tip cleaners? I can't seem to locate a company [type] that would have them.
-WY
Matt Towe said:
I cut the blank out of the bone with a bandsaw, then belt sand it to shape and fine tune with a sanding block. I cut the slots with a torch tip cleaner, but will soon have nut files.
Replies
I drill holes through the nut (in a line) the right size for the strings, then take down the thickness to just above the mid-point of the holes with a belt sander.....clean up with sand paper, as I don't have the small files.
I cut slots with a hacksaw and then finish them with the same torch-tip tool mentioned; I got mine at Harbor Freight.
Tons cheaper than specialty nut-slot files.
After a while you learn from your mistakes about keeping skin and fingers intact.
I've got table saws, band saws and router tables and several free hand routers.
I nearly lost the end of my fretting hand thumb (thank God it was my fretting hand thumb]
which i don't really use for fretting), but the tip almost cut clean through when it got
pushed into the path of a bandsaw blade. It grew back thankfully, but for I while I had
a hard time tying shoe laces when it was so sore..you don't realize how important the
thumb/forefinger are until you lose the use of them..even temporily.
Push sticks/tools when using power saws or bandsaws up close save a lot of fingers.
Wade said:
Mine are kept in a freezer. Frigidaire.
-WY
Matt Towe said:
done.
carverman said:
Sometimes I just have no willpower!Had to do it!!
Besides, If ya keep'em in a jar in the closet ... or where ever the missus wants them, ya don't hafta worry about them gettin' cut.
:)
Matt
Wes Yates said:
Wes Yates said:
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