Fret slotting jigs; what are you using?

[LtDave32]

Boys, I have a pretty basic method of cutting fret slots in boards.

I print out a template from the Wfret program, cut the template out carefully with scissors, glue it to the board, use a square and a very square block of maple butted up to the square, move the maple block to just a hair to the right of the mark, clamp it tight, recheck, then draw my saw while holding it against the block.

Tedious as hell, but quite accurate.

But I'm tired of the tedium.

I know about the SM miter box, metal fret template with index notches that works with the SM miter box, etc, but that will only do separate fret boards. It does not work for a one-piece Fender-style neck.

But I do have an old radial-arm saw. The motor's about worn out, but it might do the job, providing I get that .023 circular sawblade SM is selling, get one of those index-notched metal templates, or do the operation on my table saw, which I could use some how-to advice on from some of you that use a table saw to cut slots.

So, what's your rig, or jig, or?? for slotting for frets?

 

[Baylin]

I'm still at your "tedious" stage but one day I dream of an easier more mechanised solution...

 

[Ripthorn]

I use a metal template from StewMac, but made my own miter box for it that is wide enough for one piece necks. I made the miter box from MDF, then cut the slot basically using your method with the fret saw and a good speed square. Then I drilled for the 1/16" indexing pin. I have done at least half a dozen guitars that way, possibly upwards of 10. All have turned out fine. I am starting to notice a tiny bit of play in the indexing pin, so if I were doing it again, I would wick some thin CA into the hole after drilling and then run the drill bit through it again to strengthen it.

 

[Freddy G]

I've been using the stew mac templates (and my own for oddball scale lengths), their circular saw and my table saw for 30 years!

Can you say fast?! less than 2 minutes per board...


Why fool around with laying out every time? Even for a one off build with an oddball scale, I will layout and cut a notched plexiglass template.

which I could use some how-to advice on from some of you that use a table saw to cut slots.

specific questions? What do you want to know or see?

 

[Skyjerk]

I only did 4 fretboards the old fashioned way before the tedium got the best of me and I bought the stewmac circular saw blade and rigged up a simple jig to align the fretboard and stewmac templates on my table saw. Not only is it a thousand times faster, but my slots are tighter and more consistent.

I'm impatient by nature .

Of course I'm limited to the standard scale lengths on stewmacs templates, but at this point I have no particular desire or need to do an oddball scale.

Right after that I built the radius jig too. Between those two things I saved several hours of tedium per guitar.

Freddy uses a plane for that, but my planing skills aren't up to the tsk of doing that consistently...

 

[LtDave32]

Boys, I've got to trot out of the house on a water crisis. I'll be back to ask my questions.

 

[blaumph2cool]

Like some I don't have the disposable cash to "invest" in the SM or LMI fret saw blades. I was just thinking the other day "are there no alternatives to the SM and LMI fret saw blades"? so i went poking around and the best i came up with was this:

0.023" thickness 72 tooth "slitting" saw blade
McMaster-Carr

and the 1" to 5/8" arbor adapter.
McMaster-Carr

I thinking of giving it a try because of the price.

 

[fatdaddypreacher]

i think we all appoint you as our guiena pig and let us know how it works, but you might want to do some measuring first to see if it comes up above the top of your table saw. it's pretty small in diameter.

 

[Ripthorn]

You will likely run into lots of trouble with that slitting saw blade. Those are made for metal, so there is no rake for the teeth and the gullets are very shallow. They are made to be run very slowly, and wood will likely clog the gullets pretty quickly. Of course, you can totally try it, but by the time you get the blade, the adapter, some sort of flanges or stiffeners, you are probably looking at almost the cost of the stewmac blade. Then take into account that with a sled on a table saw, that blade won't be able to cut a slot in your board. I'm not saying you can't do it, but you won't be saving very much money and you will likely give yourself quite a headache.

Then again, the first fretboard I ever slotted I did by manually laying out the lines and cutting the slots with a battery powered makita saw with a 4" blade or so. I never even measured the kerf, just cut and go. Amazingly, only the 23rd fret was off on that guitar...

 

[blaumph2cool]

Ripthorn, I appreciate your candidness. One of the reasons i put it out there is for input from the community.

Very good point on the blade clearing the sled. I'll have to do some measurements and see if that's doable.

Too bad i don't have a milling machine, i would just mill down a normal blade to the correct thickness and be done.

 

[ARandall]

Some things are just worth the hassle to buy. I am still in the 'doing it by hand with the SM mitre box' camp, but I'd go to the dropsaw and the blade if I were doing a lot more guitars.
For me there is a certain charm in doing it all yourself, like with doing the f/b radius with a sanding block....or is that just the blisters talking!

 

[pshupe]

I borrowed a Stew Mac mitre box and then made up some stainless steel templates with index slots on each side for different scales, and it also doubles as a inlay routing template.

Works pretty well. I'm with ARandall. If I was doing quite a few guitars I'd probably buy the table saw blade, but honestly this does not take me very long to do a fret board.

Cheers Peter.

 

[KnightroExpress]

I have a link somewhere to a company that'll make custom length $tewMac-compatible scale templates. Will post when I remember who!

 

[Ripthorn]

Of course, you kind of have to go back to the most basic methods once you go multiscale, but it's worth it!

 

[pshupe]

If there is enough interest I'll make a bunch up. Volume is the key. I already laser cut quite a few templates, so I get over to the place quite regularly. PM me and I'll see if it makes sense to do a run and get enough to have a decent price.

Cheers Peter.

 

[LtDave32]

I've been using the stew mac templates (and my own for oddball scale lengths), their circular saw and my table saw for 30 years!

Can you say fast?! less than 2 minutes per board...


Why fool around with laying out every time? Even for a one off build with an oddball scale, I will layout and cut a notched plexiglass template.



specific questions? What do you want to know or see?

Freddy, what do you use for indexing/ keeping the slots accurate? Got a pic or two of the setup?

 

[Marty M.]

I have had an old Lmii miterbox. It was basically decent plywood and a couple De-sta-co lever clamps along with a machined pin and plastic template. You used double sided tape on it.

I used that for years. The newer templates for the new design didn't fit the old design ( 80's) so I decided to buy the stew mac one with the pull saw. It does a nice job, but I would rather have an indexing pin rather than a little nub of metal imbedded into the side like what the stewmac version uses. I ruined my first fretboard because I had the fretboard covering up the nub and a hunk of wood felt like a nub.... failed. There is also a bit of play between the aluminum template and the saw front and back which I don't care for. I was paranoid my slots wouldn't all be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the side of the fretboard. So on each cut, I held it against the back. It shouldn't be that difficult.

I have tried slitting saws. Don't bother. They are for cutting metal on milling machines and have no set at all. They heat up and warp, even with metal supports.

 

[Freddy G]

Dave,

I have a delta tablesaw. I install a long piece of oak that is planed flat on the cross-cut fence. The reason for the oak is just because it's longer than the face of the crosscut fence, and also I drilled a 1/16" hole in the oak for the indexing pin which I superglued in.

It's so simple really.

Do I need to slot a fretboard at the moment? No....but I will just for you Dave! I'll take some photos tomorrow.

 

[LtDave32]

If there is enough interest I'll make a bunch up. Volume is the key. I already laser cut quite a few templates, so I get over to the place quite regularly. PM me and I'll see if it makes sense to do a run and get enough to have a decent price.

Cheers Peter.

I would go for this, providing others are inclined as well. Especially if they're indexed.

 

[LtDave32]

Dave,

I have a delta tablesaw. I install a long piece of oak that is planed flat on the cross-cut fence. The reason for the oak is just because it's longer than the face of the crosscut fence, and also I drilled a 1/16" hole in the oak for the indexing pin which I superglued in.

It's so simple really.

Do I need to slot a fretboard at the moment? No....but I will just for you Dave! I'll take some photos tomorrow.

You're awesome, Fred.

Thanks man. Love to see some pics, close up of the process. Particularly the setting up of the pin, etc.