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Danny da Cruz [da Cruz Guitars]
Forum Replies Created
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To be clear on option #2 above, I mean gluing veneer to the bottom of the fingerboard to build up total thickness.
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Thank you Ian. And do you mean scuff the spray on poly after I spray it over the decal, or scuff the poly before putting the decal and spraying it with poly. I hope I’m being clear 🙂
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Good advice, as usual. I actually went back and tried to re-level the planer’s infeed and outfeed foldable ledges — very hard to do perfectly because they are fundamentally at slightly different planes. But I made a few cuts and it seems better already. Will try to fine tune it and see if I end up with something good.
I also wonder if I’m not obsessing too much (especially after the recent adjustments, which leave average variations at about 1/10 of a mm at different points. After all, once I glue the fretboard and sand it flat, that should end up being a flat reference surface, which will be followed by further levelling at the fret tops. Still, I’d like to tend to perfection throughout.
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I feel this is a big missing element in my workshop (for guitar making at least). But where I live all tools, and especially machines, are a good 2x the price in the US or UK. So I have to think long and hard about what to prioritize. After reading your comment, I actually looked up making one and am thinking of putting this DIY drum sander on my project list https://youtu.be/eeiszkNAZbQ?si=kfPsd0ioe-1CCVXa. Looks reasonably simple and very adjustable.
For context, I’m not a professional luthier — I build for myself, but do care about making the highest quality instrument possible. Thanks for the follow ups.
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You’re right that the sled is quite a bit longer than the blank. I don’t know if what you’re describing is meant to deal with snipe (I left more than enough space at each end to allow snipe and just trim it off). But I’ve seen this advice and will try it as well.
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Thanks for the additional replies Paul. I did go back and try it with extremely light passes (barely turning the handle) but still the same outcome. I’m beginning to doubt the sled so will make one from doubled up laminated plywood (glued together clamped on a granite kitchen counter) and see if that does it.
As for the wood, it looks pretty uniform — and in fact is the first board I find that is flat sawn, with perfectly vertical grain. Will report back. Thanks!
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Thanks Paul — I take a quarter turn on the handle as recommended in the machines’s manual. I might try it again with an even smaller turn between cuts and see if that narrows the gap. Thanks!
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Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get up this learning curve then. Thanks Ian.
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Thank you Paul — appreciate the reply!
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Forgot to mention that I can try to get the filler.
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No problem Ian — and thanks for being all over this forum.
It looks like I might be able (maybe) to get the TotalBoat kit linked below from a neighboring country to which I could drive. Am I correct in understanding that the filler is a must or is it optional given the tight fit of the carbon rods in their channel — ie, no gaps to fill? Thanks!
https://www.totalboat.com/collections/epoxy-resins/products/5-1-marine-epoxy-resin-kits
totalboat.com
TotalBoat 5:1 Traditional Marine Epoxy Resin Kits
5:1 Marine Epoxy Resin Kits include epoxy resin, hardener, and mixing pumps so you can tackle epoxy repairs and fiberglass projects.
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Thansk Ian — the problem is that I cannot find West Systems, Total Boat and other mainstream brands at all where I live (Bahrain) and can’t import them 😕.
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Thanks Bryan! That sounds sensible — will get some spray on. I also used Minwax wipe-on on the two guitars I have built and it went well — until I realised the issue with slide on decals. Thanks for sharing your experience.
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😀
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I hadn’t thought of that. Perfect. Thank you.
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Excellent. So laminate the bottom of the fingerboard? (As opposed to laminating the top of the blank, before routing the truss rod channel?). Thanks for your patience.
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No I haven’t yet. It’s still just a neck blank.
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Thanks very much Ian.
