DIY notched straight edge

[ikay]

Notched straight edges are horribly expensive. I'm thinking of getting an aluminium ruler and filing out the notches as a cheaper alternative. I realise this wouldn't be precision ground to a thousandth of a cats whisker, but surely it would be good enough to do the job. Wouldn't it?!

 

Something like this - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-RULE1000-Aluminium-Rule-39-inch/dp/B000C750F6/

 

[Lo-E]

I did something similar with a long strip of sheet steel. It’s not as accurate as a precision ground rule, to be sure, but it’s been accurate enough for my purposes for years. 

[Velarian]

These aren’t very expensive:

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_notched_straightedge_bass.htm

[ikay]

10 hours ago, Velarian said:

These aren’t very expensive:

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_notched_straightedge_bass.htm

Thanks, I hadn't spotted this one

[pfretrock]

As good a way as any for ruining a cheap ruler. One side is 30" scale, I think the other is 32".

Not worth doing unless you have access to  a notching/guillotine tool - way too tedious to file!

[BreadBin]

I got one of these a few years ago, not sure how that would work now we are post-brexit. Mine was a little poorly finished but nothing a quick go over with a stiff wire brush couldn't sort and I got a partial refund too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NOTCHED-STRAIGHT-EDGE-for-Electric-Bass-Guitar-Neck-TOOL-34-35-/131803388753?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Edited October 8, 2021 by BreadBin
Needed another a

[ikay]

13 hours ago, pfretrock said:

Not worth doing unless you have access to  a notching/guillotine tool - way too tedious to file!

I just bought the ruler but don't have a fancy notching guillotine so have a few hours of filing to look forward too!

[Maude]

23 minutes ago, ikay said:

I just bought the ruler but don't have a fancy notching guillotine so have a few hours of filing to look forward too!

An electric or air grinder would make short work if the notches, if you have access to one. Then just a quick tidy up with a file/sandpaper/wire brush etc. 

 

I have considered doing this myself but that HB one looks good value compared to a tenner steel rule plus my time. 

[Velarian]

I’ve had the HB one for a while now and it’s been really useful. I was ordering some other stuff from Thomann so I just chucked it in with order to get it over the free shipping threshold. 

[pfretrock]

4 hours ago, ikay said:

I just bought the ruler but don't have a fancy notching guillotine so have a few hours of filing to look forward too!

Actually should not take that long. Frets are under 1.5mm high so a 1/4 inch fine round file should be quite quick, put a 3or 4 mm notch at each position. Looks like the ruler is Ali. ? A bit thicker than mine so shoud not bend, (mine did) if it's bowed not easy to see the alignment on the neck.

My 30" gauge was for a kit built short scale which had neck and fret problems.

[Downunderwonder]

You should be able to scribe the centre line of your notches to the nearest 0.1mm if careful. Practice elsewhere on the ruler first.

 

Doing that before setting to with the files will aid massively in keeping the divot where you want it.

[ikay]

Et voila!  Thanks for all the input chaps. Next on the list is a DIY fret crowning tool of some sort. Any ideas welcome!

 

[bassman7755]

On 11/10/2021 at 18:14, ikay said:

Et voila!  Thanks for all the input chaps. Next on the list is a DIY fret crowning tool of some sort. Any ideas welcome!

 

I made myself a fretboard rule like you have but my attempts at an improvised fret crowner failed so I ended up buying one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guitar-Crowning-Dressing-Repairing-Luthier/dp/B07KTNBT3P