Has anyone homebuilt some sort of bench type sander that is capable of sanding a full length neck?
I have a customer that wants a fretted CBG but I dont have the time to spend sanding , and sanding ,,,,,,,,,.
I've built fretted in the past ,I'm not fond of building fretted but this guy is a nice guy and I'd like to build what he wants if I can cut the sanding/leveling time down so I dont have to charge him an arm and a leg.
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Conventional way is to build the neck, make the fretboard, slot it, glue-up then fret.
Sharpening the blade and setting up the plane are crucial to getting it to work, but well worth learning. I've got Stanley jack and fore planes, and use these pretty well every day for making guitars. I don't think I'd trust to old tools unless you really know what you are doing in terms of setting them up.
The other suggestion of using double stick tape to lay down sandpaper on a DEAD flat surface is good, as it's much easier to grip the work, apply a decent amount of pressure and achieve a flat finish -it all but eliminates the tendency to 'rock' the ends of the piece which can happen when planing or sanding conventionally.
I found a great very old hand planer in an antique store last year.I've tried it several times but never can get the hang of it. Excessive chatter.I know its my improper use of the tool but I'm at the point now where I dont dare put the planer on a piece of wood that I already have time invested in .
Maybe I'm looking at it from the wrong angle altogether.I've always built my necks bare with the frets cut in the neck itself, no fretboard.Maybe I should think about building a separate fretboard,level the neck then glue the board to the neck so if I screw the board up the necks still ok. That may be the way to go.
Planer type invention?..have you tried using an old fashioned hand plane? It's low tech, requires some little skill to set up and use but is remarkable effective. I have two old Stanley planes, they get plenty of use and are far more accurate than using an electric planer or a sanding block.
Sam, I think your right about a planer simply smoothing whatever the neck is shaped like.Looks like I'll go with a contraption like you mentioned earlier.Maybe I can smooth faster if I start with rougher grit then I used to and work up, ,,,like your supposed to do, which I do,,,,,,,, sometimes.
Thanks guys
I'd advise against a "planer" for you solution... Depending on which side's up they often just reproduce the curve on a little narrower piece of stock... some type of thickness sanding is better... try the paper glued to a flat table top trick... works good
Roger Martin said:
Right, I planned on doing the basic shaping as usual which is done on the bandsaw.I can cut out a basic 3 string shape in a couple of minutes.What I'm looking for is a quicker way to get the fretboard (top) leveled then the way I've done it in the past. I used to glue sandpaper to a heavy metal yardstick type ,the "log" type and ran that back and forth until it was level enough for frets. If I can get the leveling time down to no more then 10 minutes I can justify the build.I was thinking of some sort of planer type invention that a time challenged builder had overcome LOL
Right, I planned on doing the basic shaping as usual which is done on the bandsaw.I can cut out a basic 3 string shape in a couple of minutes.What I'm looking for is a quicker way to get the fretboard (top) leveled then the way I've done it in the past. I used to glue sandpaper to a heavy metal yardstick type ,the "log" type and ran that back and forth until it was level enough for frets.
If I can get the leveling time down to no more then 10 minutes I can justify the build.I was thinking of some sort of planer type invention that a time challenged builder had overcome LOL
Another way to skin this cat is to glue some sand paper (I like the heavy automotive 3X strips) to a longish flat table. Passing the neck over the glued down paper does the work of a thickness sand for the cost of the paper. I also use this to pre-dress the frets for level on fretboards that I fret before I install onto the neck. 80 or even 120 gauge is good for this process. lots quicker than building a sander... and works great...
Roger, my last build is a neck just like all the rest (no fretboard) But I added frets. A little attention to the nut and Bridge will allow you to compromise on the action height. High enough to slide....low enough to finger. The only added time for you would be the actual fretwork.
I have a Craftsman drill press and I rigged it as a drum sander by adding a 3" sanding drum and building a detatchable "table" (just a couple of wingnuts) with a guide.
Works pretty well, but I wouldn't try any serious stock removal with it; gets too hot.
I generally use it for a variety of lighter chores.
what are you wanting to do just level the neck or shap it? or both?
stew mack makes radius sanding block it only take 20 min or so to shape a fret board the trick is to start with 80 grit for the first part of the shaping.
Replies
Sharpening the blade and setting up the plane are crucial to getting it to work, but well worth learning. I've got Stanley jack and fore planes, and use these pretty well every day for making guitars. I don't think I'd trust to old tools unless you really know what you are doing in terms of setting them up.
The other suggestion of using double stick tape to lay down sandpaper on a DEAD flat surface is good, as it's much easier to grip the work, apply a decent amount of pressure and achieve a flat finish -it all but eliminates the tendency to 'rock' the ends of the piece which can happen when planing or sanding conventionally.
Maybe I'm looking at it from the wrong angle altogether.I've always built my necks bare with the frets cut in the neck itself, no fretboard.Maybe I should think about building a separate fretboard,level the neck then glue the board to the neck so if I screw the board up the necks still ok. That may be the way to go.
Thanks guys
Roger Martin said:
If I can get the leveling time down to no more then 10 minutes I can justify the build.I was thinking of some sort of planer type invention that a time challenged builder had overcome LOL
Another way to skin this cat is to glue some sand paper (I like the heavy automotive 3X strips) to a longish flat table. Passing the neck over the glued down paper does the work of a thickness sand for the cost of the paper. I also use this to pre-dress the frets for level on fretboards that I fret before I install onto the neck. 80 or even 120 gauge is good for this process. lots quicker than building a sander... and works great...
the best,
Wichita Sam
Works pretty well, but I wouldn't try any serious stock removal with it; gets too hot.
I generally use it for a variety of lighter chores.
stew mack makes radius sanding block it only take 20 min or so to shape a fret board the trick is to start with 80 grit for the first part of the shaping.