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Radius blocks not wide enough for an eight string?

Discussion in 'Luthiery, Modifications & Customizations' started by jwade, Jun 22, 2018.

  1. jwade

    jwade Doooooooooom

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    A friend let me borrow his radius blocks (they’re the smaller ones from Stewmac), but I’d only be able to do the first five-seven frets since it’s not wide enough.

    They were just barely wide enough to do a 7 string fb, but I’m not sure what to do about this 8.

    What do you guys do? Buying the giant ones isn’t an option right now now.
     
    jwade, Jun 22, 2018
    #1
  2. MaxOfMetal

    MaxOfMetal Likes trem wankery. Super Moderator

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    Make your own?

    Cut a ring with the radius you need out of pretty much anything. Cut that ring in increments wide enough to fit your board. Stack and glue/bolt/etc. them together. Sand and smooth the inside and apply sandpaper.

    There are various ways to do it, check out YouTube, but I've done it this way in the past with a sheet of 1/2" plexiglass. Came out pretty good.
     
    MaxOfMetal, Jun 22, 2018
    #2
  3. MikeNeal

    MikeNeal SS.org Regular

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    MikeNeal, Jun 22, 2018
    #3
  4. MoonJelly

    MoonJelly a subtle stinging sensation..

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    If you have a radius gauge and a hand plane this is also totally doable. start at the corners and check your work every 3 or 4 passes. I did a maple fretboard this way recently, and it might be my new preference over sanding. It seems to take about the same time or less as sanding, but less labor intensive.

    A standard plane about 8" long works fine, but if you can get a 'fore' plane (a long one, 12-16"), it's even easier.
     
    MoonJelly, Jun 22, 2018
    #4
  5. jwade

    jwade Doooooooooom

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    I’m just going to use a flat block and check frequently. Making blocks would require machinery I don’t have, and using a hand plane isn’t going to work for me as I have basically no experience with those, and the only one I have is some cheap p.o.s I bought used which had the handle shatter apart when I tried to figure out how to adjust the thing.

    Those big metal ones look rad, but shipping + customs would make them prohibitively expensive.

    Building without a shop/machinery/$$$$$$$$ is so ridiculously frustrating :lol:
     
    jwade, Jun 22, 2018
    #5
  6. MoonJelly

    MoonJelly a subtle stinging sensation..

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    Just make sure you buy good quality sandpaper, it will save you time+energy.
     
    MoonJelly, Jun 23, 2018
    #6
  7. jwade

    jwade Doooooooooom

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    Had a recommendation to look up a method using a plunge router (which I have) and jigs to make whatever width you like. I’ll post something if it turns out!
     
    jwade, Jun 23, 2018
    #7
  8. DistinguishedPapyrus

    DistinguishedPapyrus SS.org Regular

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    I was gonna say a fretboard radius jig should help, you can do a quick google search to get some examples.
     
    DistinguishedPapyrus, Jun 23, 2018
    #8
  9. KnightroExpress

    KnightroExpress Guitar Nerd Vendor

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    I've got one of the wide G&W ones, well worth the price and shipping wait.
     
    KnightroExpress, Jun 26, 2018
    #9
  10. KR250

    KR250 Build addict

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    FWIW, I just finished radiusing an 8 string neck with the StewMac aluminum block. It's just barely wide enough at the nut, but not wide enough towards the bridge. With some careful movement of the block while sanding, it worked out just fine.
     
    KR250, Jul 24, 2018
    #10
  11. jwade

    jwade Doooooooooom

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    jwade, Jul 26, 2018
    #11
  12. KR250

    KR250 Build addict

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    Haven't tried the shorter ones, but feel like the longer beam keeps things more consistent. Also have to factor in how wide your sand paper is to match the width.
     
    KR250, Jul 26, 2018
    #12
  13. ChAoZ

    ChAoZ Build Addict

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    ChAoZ, Jul 26, 2018
    #13
    KR250 likes this.
  14. LiveOVErdrive

    LiveOVErdrive CNC hack

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    I've been milling my own 2' long blocks out of 4"x4" oak posts and it works REALLY well. I use them to level my frets.

    So uhh... Buy a cnc machine I guess :)
     
    LiveOVErdrive, Jul 26, 2018
    #14
  15. KnightBrolaire

    KnightBrolaire Stage IV GAS

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    :lol:
     
    KnightBrolaire, Jul 26, 2018
    #15
  16. LiveOVErdrive

    LiveOVErdrive CNC hack

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    I should just mill a bunch and sell em for a reasonable price. That's probably against the forum rules though so forget I said anything.
     
    LiveOVErdrive, Jul 26, 2018
    #16
    jwade likes this.

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