Finished! A Bridge Too Far?

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1493726503' post='3290134']
Beautiful touch Andy...it'll be little things like this that will make the design.

Well chuffed with the progress.
[/quote]
Excellent - that's what I like to hear

[JPJ]

That's even better than I imagined it, well done that man. Now go easy with those chisels, one slip could be costly

[Bastav]

That came out great!

[stearstree1304]

If I had the skill to do just that little bit behind the bridge, I would spend the next two weeks admiring it before remembering I was building a bass for someone!!

Lovely work as ever - really enjoying seeing this take shape

[Andyjr1515]

Thanks, folks. With any luck, it will look properly finished when the side fillets are in place and the back carved

I'm waiting for a 20" radius block to arrive and then will start working on the fretboard and top carve. I'll do the back carve last when I know how much wood I've got left to play with....

[JPJ]

No sign of Andyjr1515 for three days, should we be sending out a search party?

[Jabba_the_gut]

Hey Andy,

I presume this will be finished for the Midlands Bass Bash?.....

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1493986408' post='3292384']
No sign of Andyjr1515 for three days, should we be sending out a search party?
[/quote]

[quote name='Jabba_the_gut' timestamp='1493988080' post='3292401']
Hey Andy,

I presume this will be finished for the Midlands Bass Bash?.....
[/quote]
Yes - It absolutely will be at the Bass Bash
and Yes - It absolutely will [b]not[/b] be finished for the Bass Bash!

[Andyjr1515]

The reason that there's been no Andyjr1515 for a few days, apart from the prohibition order, is that I've been waiting for these:


...which arrived about 30 minutes ago

So this weekend is fretboard weekend And it's a long one. This might take some time!

[Norris]

Ooh - nice slotting jig. Is that from G&W?

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1493997149' post='3292508']
Ooh - nice slotting jig. Is that from G&W?
[/quote]
Yes. It's very nicely made. I've generally used a square block clamped to the fretboard, but it does give me the heebie-jeebies everytime I do it. Design-wise, the Stewmac and LMI ones are better because they incorporate a clamp but they are quite a bit more expensive. Nevertheless, this will be much more sure in the positioning than my present method

Edited May 5, 2017 by Andyjr1515

[Norris]

Does it do angled cuts?

The G&W one isn't exactly cheap either

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1494013313' post='3292666']
Does it do angled cuts?

[/quote]
No...which is why I didn't invest when I was doing the piccolo fan fret.

Also, I've realised I need to get the wide plate for this build (another 45 Euros) because the fretboard blank is much wider than normal as it will extend the full length of the body. Ditto for the sanding block. I remember thinking that but then got distracted and went into 'auto' when I placed the order...

Bummer...means I can't make any progress until sometime back end of next week based on the shipping time for this order!

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1494015087' post='3292688']
No...which is why I didn't invest when I was doing the piccolo fan fret.

[/quote]

Actually, Norris, when I think about it, I'm not quite right here. Yes you can offset the two sides of the mitre box to produce a square but angled cut (if that makes any sense). However, you couldn't use the template plates, which is the one of the main attractions of the system...

[Andyjr1515]

Of course, just because I'm waiting for some bits doesn't mean that there is NOTHING I can do.

This morning, I slimmed the maple fretboard blank down to just a tad over 6mm:


...and then dimensioned it to slot into the top. I am able to rough-shape one half too - I have to leave the top edge straight as the datum of the fret cutting jig:



Don't worry about the lower horn join - it isn't carved yet!

[Andyjr1515]

By the way - for any of you who have been following the design thoughts along the way, the fretboard is a couple of mm proud up to the 24th fret (it will radius down flush with the body halves) and then drops away a few mm progressively to the tail. You can see that effect a bit easier here:


What this should do is give at least a few mm clearance from the top for the playing hand, although the playing experience will still be pretty close to that of playing with a bridging-plate (I think there's a current thread around on bridging plates?)

Edited May 6, 2017 by Andyjr1515

[Andyjr1515]

Having given the fretboard and the fret-cutting jig a good telling off - the former for being too wide and the latter for being too narrow, I thought the only way for them to understand was if it hurt.

So, with only a hint of malice, I sliced up the offcut from the fretboard and attacked the jig with an allen key and forced the two to cooperate with each other. Let THAT be a lesson to them both!



You can almost hear the humble apology from the fretboard here as it obediently fits into place in the jig... :


It might be hard knocks, but they'll thank me in the end

...and it means I can get on with the fret slot-cutting

[Merton]

This is insanely awesome

[JPJ]

Sometimes tools need a little tough love, but it's good for them in the long term 😂

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='JPJ' timestamp='1494110710' post='3293406']
Sometimes tools need a little tough love, but it's good for them in the long term
[/quote]



So to fret slotting.

I tried out the Guitar & Woods jig on some scrap. The jig is screwed down to the workbench (using some old neck fixing screws, of course!) and then I am using the vertical bench clamps to firmly hold the fretboard (stuck to the jig template with a couple of small strips of 2-sided tape):


...and then using the real fretboard:


Using the jig is SOOOOO much easier than using a block, which is how I did the last one.

However, the jig is not perfect. Three of the bottom bearings retaining bolts came loose in use - and one dropped out with its bearing that could have been disastrous (you can see in the shot above - the bottom bearing of the top left hand unit - and that's after just 4 slots)! Then, when I tightened them up properly, realised that it locked the bearings - so I had to use them loose and just hand tighten them back up a few times as I went up the fretboard. I will email G&W - it should be easily fixed with the correct size washer retaining the bearing or a spot of loctite on the thread but renders the jig actually not fit for purpose without keeping a very close eye on it (those bearings are, after all, the whole raison d'etre of the flipping thing).

Anyway, that aside, here they are, all slotted:


Before I fret it up (which, in any case, will be after the board has been radiused and fitted), I'll agree with Mick whether he wants frets to extend the whole width of the body area, or stop short in line with the others with maple veneer filling the excess a bit like a lined fretless.

Tell you what, though....look at that for 24th fret access!

[Andyjr1515]

Took the mitre box rig off the bench and had a proper look. It's a bit of a shambles and presently not fit for purpose. Wrong size washers, washers in the wrong place, leaving 5 of the bearings loose and not able to be tightened without siezing.

I am going to need to check all of the slot positions tomorrow to make sure I don't need to scrap the fretboard and start again. In the meantime, a firm and clear email has been sent to G&W (who, I am sure, will respond quickly and fix it. I'll let you know if they do...and I'll let everyone know if they don't

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Andyjr1515' timestamp='1494187860' post='3293918']
Took the mitre box rig off the bench and had a proper look. It's a bit of a shambles and presently not fit for purpose. Wrong size washers, washers in the wrong place, leaving 5 of the bearings loose and not able to be tightened without siezing.

I am going to need to check all of the slot positions tomorrow to make sure I don't need to scrap the fretboard and start again. In the meantime, a firm and clear email has been sent to G&W (who, I am sure, will respond quickly and fix it. I'll let you know if they do...and I'll let everyone know if they don't
[/quote]
No - the fretboard's a scrapper. About 8 of the fretslots are out of position - one by 0.5mm! Bummer....

No word from G&W yet... I'll let you know

[stearstree1304]

That's a shame Andy - can't believe that something specifically designed to do an accurate job turns out to be inaccurate!!! Hopefully you will get something sorted out.

[Norris]

That's not good to hear

Edit: Good job you hadn't done the radius sanding yet!

Edited May 8, 2017 by Norris

[Andyjr1515]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1494237908' post='3294148']
That's not good to hear

Edit: Good job you hadn't done the radius sanding yet!
[/quote]
Yes indeed

...and also good job it wasn't the £180+ piece of snakewood I've just got from the States for a 'special' project!!!!