Preparing the Fingerboard

20210116
Next I prepared the fingerboard.
I had on hand a pre-slotted ebony fingerboard which I use for this project.
I marked the centre line and the width at the nut end and the width at the 12th fret.
The fingerboard is just nice for the taper spread at the 19th / 20th fret end,
After that I saw away some waste using my saw, and then started to shoot the fingerboard square and to the marked width.

After shooting to size, I taper the bottom end at the bass sides.
I mark the part to plane more using pencil lines so that I wont remove from the wrong side.
The thickness is 7mm at treble side and 6mm at bass side.
The forward angle can be adjusted at the neck portion when the neck is glued to the body.
So the finger board can stay at teh same thickness through out.

Marking and sawing away the waste

Shooting the fingerboard to size

Fingerboard done ready to be glued.

20210130
The fingerboard is then glued next.
20210131
After gluing, I discovered that the alignment has shifted.
Apparently the alignment pin is not inserted deep enough.
So I proceed to remove the fingerboard
I use iron to heat up the fingerboard.
Not having frets on makes it easy to apply the heat directly to the fingerboard.
After that I inserted the palette knife to separte the glue seam.

Gluing the fingerboard

After checking that alignment has shifted, proceed to remove the fingerboard.
Heating up the fingerboard

Fingerboard removed

20210203
Next the fingerboard is scraped clean to remove the glue remnants of the 2 surface. After that the fingerboard is reglued.

Glue remnants scraped clean.

Applying glue to the surface

Glued and making sure this time the pin is aligned correctly.

Fingerboard all aligned correctly.

Shaping neck and Fretting the fingerboard

20160506
I also clean up the neck by thinning the neck profile and sawing away the 2 side excess.
As the neck blank is pretty thick I still have a long way to go.
I also need to clean up the back of the head.

Sawing the excess neck by the sides

Sawing the other side

Cleaning the edges until it is flushed with the fingerboard

Sides of the neck are now aligned with fingerboard.
Now to thickness the fingerboard.

20160512
I sanded straight the fingerboard and began to fret the fingerboard.
The steps are like my previous builds.
Straighten the fingerboard, Reduce the fret barb size, Cut the frets to length, trim the end fret tangs. Round the ends and install the frets.
But my progress is slow so I only manage to install 3 frets only.

Reduce the fret barb size

Trim the end tangs

Install the frets

20160513
I fretted until 12th fret and then string up to try the guitar.
The sound seems to get better than last time I tried (cant really be sure though mainly just a feeling.)
I did notice some buzz so I remove the fret and level that part of the fret board.
One thing I noticed is that it seems pretty easy to play the guitar.
Think this will be a winner.

Fretting done till 12th fret.

Close up view.

20160606
Just an update, I fretted the fingerboard to 12th fret and tried the guitar.
While the guitar sounds great, the fret work isn't.
There was buzzing at 4th 5th fret for the bass strings.
Visually I check the straightness of the fingerboard; it was straight.
Not sure where the problem is.
So I ordered a straight edge for checking and now waiting for the tool to come.


20160701
The straight edge came and I check the fretboard against the straight edge.
Indeed I was quite right the fingerboard was more or less straight.
So I proceed to fret and tried the guitar.
Still it was buzzing almost every fret.
Then I noticed the action was pretty low so I remake a saddle with higher action and viola... no more buzzing.
The action was now 3.5mm (T) and 4 on (B) and I can lower them a bit more.
Previous action was more like 2.5 / 3 ... no wonder it buzz like mad...
Anyway I finished up the fret to 18th fret and now it plays nicely.
Now to finish up the instrument and get ready for finishing...
What's left is to adjust the neck thickness and heel cap.

Finished fretting (well almost)

20160705
After solving the string problem, I began to reshape the neck.
I just use the spokeshave and the sandpaper.

Sanding the neck straight after removing the bulging area by spokeshave

Sanding the heel

The texture feels nice after sanding.

20160708
Before I start the finishing, I need to touch up some remaining parts.
So I glue cut the heel cap and glue it onto the heel.
The heel cap is made from the bridge cut-off and smell really nice when I sand it.
It is slightly over-sized and will trim it once I glue it on.
(On hindsight, I should make it correct size and trim the heel instead (easier to carve).
But if glued out of position, I won't have much to play around with. (So a locating pin will solve that).

Cutting to shape.

Filing to shape

Ready for gluing

Glued on

20160715
I shape the heel cap and neck.

Shaped the back of the neck

Shape the heel and heel cap

20160805
I cut the string clearance slot at the head and sanded the headplate and top.
This time round I did some design with the slot instead of a straight cut.
I also rounded the edges for the head.
I like a curve round edge look actually, though a straight cut usually will emphasize worksmanship usually...

Cutting the slots

Chisel away the part for string clearance

Done.

Shaping neck and Fretting the fingerboard

20160506
I also clean up the neck by thinning the neck profile and sawing away the 2 side excess.
As the neck blank is pretty thick I still have a long way to go.
I also need to clean up the back of the head.

Sawing the excess neck by the sides

Sawing the other side

Cleaning the edges until it is flushed with the fingerboard

Sides of the neck are now aligned with fingerboard.
Now to thickness the fingerboard.

20160512
I sanded straight the fingerboard and began to fret the fingerboard.
The steps are like my previous builds.
Straighten the fingerboard, Reduce the fret barb size, Cut the frets to length, trim the end fret tangs. Round the ends and install the frets.
But my progress is slow so I only manage to install 3 frets only.

Reduce the fret barb size

Trim the end tangs

Install the frets

20160513
I fretted until 12th fret and then string up to try the guitar.
The sound seems to get better than last time I tried (cant really be sure though mainly just a feeling.)
I did notice some buzz so I remove the fret and level that part of the fret board.
One thing I noticed is that it seems pretty easy to play the guitar.
Think this will be a winner.

Fretting done till 12th fret.

Close up view.

20160606
Just an update, I fretted the fingerboard to 12th fret and tried the guitar.
While the guitar sounds great, the fret work isn't.
There was buzzing at 4th 5th fret for the bass strings.
Visually I check the straightness of the fingerboard; it was straight.
Not sure where the problem is.
So I ordered a straight edge for checking and now waiting for the tool to come.


20160701
The straight edge came and I check the fretboard against the straight edge.
Indeed I was quite right the fingerboard was more or less straight.
So I proceed to fret and tried the guitar.
Still it was buzzing almost every fret.
Then I noticed the action was pretty low so I remake a saddle with higher action and viola... no more buzzing.
The action was now 3.5mm (T) and 4 on (B) and I can lower them a bit more.
Previous action was more like 2.5 / 3 ... no wonder it buzz like mad...
Anyway I finished up the fret to 18th fret and now it plays nicely.
Now to finish up the instrument and get ready for finishing...
What's left is to adjust the neck thickness and heel cap.

Finished fretting (well almost)

Making the fingerboard

20160413
Next is to prepare the fingerboard.
Basically the process is pretty simple: Slotting, Sawing off the excess sides, thicknessing, final shaping (at sound hole part), sanding.
I use the LMI fret slotting jig which essentially is a mitre box.
It works very very.
To help cutting, I first use my ryouba saw before final cutting with the fret saw.
I also sharpen the fret saw with my saw file.

The 3 fingerboard blank for #7 #8 #9. 2 Ebony fingerboard and 1 Madagascar Rosewood Fingerboard.

Marking the centre line for the fingerboard. The raw fingerboard is double sided taped to the fingerboard template.

Sawing the fret slots

2 Ebony fingerboard done. For the MadRW fingerboard I still pondering to cut 640 or 650 scale length.

20160421
The fingerboard was then shaped into the standard wedge shape and thicknessed accordingly.
As the fingerboard is one of the factors affecting the neck geometry, I did regular check to make sure the neck geometry is correct.
I also trace the sound hole shape and saw and cut it.
I included a small unobtrusive 20th fret.
As the end of the fingerboard is rounded the fret slots become visible, so I patch it up with ebony dust and epoxy.
Now the fingerboard is ready to be glued to the neck.

I also cut the head curve part of the neck.
This 2 curve will narrow nicely into the fingerboard.
Also I thickness the back of the head.

Shaping the sides into a standard wedge shape.

Thicknessing the fingerboard.

Scraping the underside smooth.

Checking the neck geometry

Cutting the curve portion of the fingerboard

Filling up the fret slot gaps.

Shaping the head portion to curve into the width of the nut end of the fingerboard.

Fingerboard ready to be glued.

20160425
The fingerboard is glued to the body.
Firstly is alignment problem, I use the centre line of the fingerboard to be in line with the centre line of the top and the head.
I use a ruler to place on the top to clearly show where the top's centre line is.
After satisfied that the alignment is good, I lightly clamp down the fingerboard and drill the 1 mm alignment pin holes.
But I have to be careful to coincide the holes with the fingerboard caul which I will be using later on for clamping.
So before drilling, I marked out the approximate marking for the alignment pin holes.

After drilling I inserted the 1 mm wire (handed down by my father who is very fond of using the metal wires to secure almost anything)
It's really useful.
So I practise dry run for the clamping the fingerboard while the hide glue warms up.
When it's ready I applied the glue, heat it up and glue it to the neck using the alignment pin.
I double check the alignment to make sure it dead on before put in the caul and applying the clamps.
Now to wait for the glue to dry.

Saw away the nut end excess fingerboard.

Check the alignment with top and head and fingerboard's centreline.

Drill the 1mm alignment pin holes thru the fret slots

Check the caul fitting the pins

Dry run clamping

1mm Alignment pin holes

Apply hide glue

Apply the clamps

Another view.

Fingerboard glued.