LM

"Lee Michaels"

21/08/2008 10:13 AM

Re: What is it? Set 246


"Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
>
> "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Just posted this week's set:
>>
>> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/
>>
>>
> This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the slits
> for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
>
> What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to allow
> the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
> neck slide under the saw?
>
> I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
> underneath it.
>
>
Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
Providing the ends could clear the blades.



This topic has 15 replies

SW

Stuart Wheaton

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 11:09 AM

Lee Michaels wrote:
> "Bruce in Bangkok" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> In article <[email protected]>,
>> [email protected] says...
>>> "Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
>>>> "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>>> Just posted this week's set:
>>>>>
>>>>> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the
>>>> slits
>>>> for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
>>>>
>>>> What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to
>>>> allow
>>>> the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
>>>> neck slide under the saw?
>>>>
>>>> I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
>>>> underneath it.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
>>> table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
>>> Providing the ends could clear the blades.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
>> instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
>> or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
>>
> That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
> But what you are saying does make perfect sense.
>
> How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep thinking
> about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.
>

The spacing makes sense, except that the cut off blade inside the two
last frets seems wrong...maybe it was put together in different ways for
cutting fretboards for different guitars? I would guess it mounts below
a table and fretboards are clamped into a sled that passes over it. The
end blades cut to length, and the shallow blades cut for the fret wire
Since the cut is so wide, something must push it through evenly or it
will bind and destroy the work.

SW

Stuart Wheaton

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 7:34 PM

Lee Michaels wrote:
> "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote
>>>> The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
>>>> instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
>>>> or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
>>>>
>>> That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
>>> But what you are saying does make perfect sense.
>>>
>>> How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep
>>> thinking about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.
>>
>> The owner of this saw said that the blade spacing was set up for a
>> mandolin,
>> the link below is to a photo that shows how it was used:
>>
>> http://www.flickr.com/photos/72593510@N00/2571866341/
>>
>>
> Of course! A mandolin. <smacks head> That is why it is so short. I just
> got guitar in my mind and just did not think of anything else.
>
> I should of got it because I have seen a similar setup for a dulcimer.

The dulcimer I built was a one-off so I just cut the frets in by hand
with a coping saw.

Stuart

Ss

"Steve"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 9:19 AM


"Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>>>
>> This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the
>> slits for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
>>
>> What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to allow
>> the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
>> neck slide under the saw?
>>

The slotting operation is done before the fingerboard is glued to the neck
of the guitar. The two blades that are slightly larger diameter actually
trim the fingerboard to length, while the rest cut the fret slots.

--Steve

Ss

"Steve"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 9:25 AM

The fingerboard would have to be mounted on a sled of some kind, to keep it
true and prevent binding.

I have a special saw blade that I mount on my table saw for this process -
it cuts a .023" slot. I attach the fingerboard with double-sided tape to a
template that has a notch for each fret position. I have a miter gauge with
a pin that goes in those notches. I have several templates for different
scale lengths.

--Steve

"Stuart Wheaton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> The spacing makes sense, except that the cut off blade inside the two last
> frets seems wrong...maybe it was put together in different ways for
> cutting fretboards for different guitars? I would guess it mounts below a
> table and fretboards are clamped into a sled that passes over it. The end
> blades cut to length, and the shallow blades cut for the fret wire Since
> the cut is so wide, something must push it through evenly or it will bind
> and destroy the work.

sS

[email protected] (Scott Lurndal)

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

22/08/2008 12:12 AM

[email protected] (Matthew T. Russotto) writes:
>In article <[email protected]>,
>Steve <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>The slotting operation is done before the fingerboard is glued to the neck
>>of the guitar. The two blades that are slightly larger diameter actually
>>trim the fingerboard to length, while the rest cut the fret slots.
>
>What about the two blades beyond the end of the upper large blade?

Spares, or used for other instruments. It's clear that they can be
moved around and respaced as necessary by removing the nut on the end
of the shaft.

scott

Bi

Bruce in Bangkok

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 9:33 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> "Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
> >
> > "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> Just posted this week's set:
> >>
> >> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/
> >>
> >>
> > This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the slits
> > for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
> >
> > What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to allow
> > the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
> > neck slide under the saw?
> >
> > I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
> > underneath it.
> >
> >
> Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
> table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
> Providing the ends could clear the blades.
>
>
>
>


The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.

--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

Bi

Bruce in Bangkok

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

22/08/2008 1:21 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>
> "Bruce in Bangkok" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > [email protected] says...
> >>
> >> "Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
> >> >
> >> > "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >> > news:[email protected]...
> >> >> Just posted this week's set:
> >> >>
> >> >> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> > This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the
> >> > slits
> >> > for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
> >> >
> >> > What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to
> >> > allow
> >> > the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
> >> > neck slide under the saw?
> >> >
> >> > I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
> >> > underneath it.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
> >> table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
> >> Providing the ends could clear the blades.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> > The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
> > instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
> > or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
> >
> That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
> But what you are saying does make perfect sense.
>
> How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep thinking
> about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.
>

Usually when building a guitar/banjo/etc. the neck is cut to shape and
then a groove is cut down the top of the neck to hold a steel truss rod
that strengthens the neck. The finger board, or fret board, slotted for
frets is then glued over the installed truss rod.

--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

Bi

Bruce in Bangkok

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

22/08/2008 1:27 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> The fingerboard would have to be mounted on a sled of some kind, to keep it
> true and prevent binding.
>
> I have a special saw blade that I mount on my table saw for this process -
> it cuts a .023" slot. I attach the fingerboard with double-sided tape to a
> template that has a notch for each fret position. I have a miter gauge with
> a pin that goes in those notches. I have several templates for different
> scale lengths.
>
> --Steve

Out of curosity is it practicle to make fretboards? I ask because Stew-
mac seems to sell them cheaper then I'd think you could make your own?
Unless it were a special length like the long neck banjos.


>
> "Stuart Wheaton" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > The spacing makes sense, except that the cut off blade inside the two last
> > frets seems wrong...maybe it was put together in different ways for
> > cutting fretboards for different guitars? I would guess it mounts below a
> > table and fretboards are clamped into a sled that passes over it. The end
> > blades cut to length, and the shallow blades cut for the fret wire Since
> > the cut is so wide, something must push it through evenly or it will bind
> > and destroy the work.
>
>
>

--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

Bi

Bruce in Bangkok

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

23/08/2008 8:39 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> It certainly is for me (practical to make fretboards). I usually buy
> fingerboard blanks from various sources or make them up by resawing thicker
> lumber stock. And some of my instruments have scale lengths you can't get
> from StewMac. Particularly 35" bass. I can get fretboards in a wider
> selection of woods from Luthier's Mercantile (www.lmii.com) but their radius
> and slotting services are expensive ($18 per fingerboard). So I do buy
> blanks from them, but I radius and slot them myself to save money. Thus I
> have two motivations: 1) it saves me money to make my own, and 2) it gives
> me flexibility in the types of wood, scale lengths, etc.
>
> Sometimes I buy exotic lumber from local sources or from Ebay. Wood already
> cut to fingerboard size and thickness is quite expensive compared to the
> per-board-foot cost of similar lumber in standard sizes. And it's nice not
> to be limited to what certain vendors like StewMac and LMII offer.
>
> --Steve
>
> "Bruce in Bangkok" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Out of curosity is it practicle to make fretboards? I ask because Stew-
> > mac seems to sell them cheaper then I'd think you could make your own?
> > Unless it were a special length like the long neck banjos.
> >

At one time I worked as a gunsmith and found that some jobs wern't
financially viable - they took too much time and you just couldn't bill
a large amount for the job. I had assumed that, other then unusual
lengths, fretboards would fall in the same catagory - too many manhours
for what you could charge to make one.


--
Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok

rM

[email protected] (Matthew T. Russotto)

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 4:22 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
Steve <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>The slotting operation is done before the fingerboard is glued to the neck
>of the guitar. The two blades that are slightly larger diameter actually
>trim the fingerboard to length, while the rest cut the fret slots.

What about the two blades beyond the end of the upper large blade?
--
There's no such thing as a free lunch, but certain accounting practices can
result in a fully-depreciated one.

Ss

"Steve"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

22/08/2008 2:36 PM

It certainly is for me (practical to make fretboards). I usually buy
fingerboard blanks from various sources or make them up by resawing thicker
lumber stock. And some of my instruments have scale lengths you can't get
from StewMac. Particularly 35" bass. I can get fretboards in a wider
selection of woods from Luthier's Mercantile (www.lmii.com) but their radius
and slotting services are expensive ($18 per fingerboard). So I do buy
blanks from them, but I radius and slot them myself to save money. Thus I
have two motivations: 1) it saves me money to make my own, and 2) it gives
me flexibility in the types of wood, scale lengths, etc.

Sometimes I buy exotic lumber from local sources or from Ebay. Wood already
cut to fingerboard size and thickness is quite expensive compared to the
per-board-foot cost of similar lumber in standard sizes. And it's nice not
to be limited to what certain vendors like StewMac and LMII offer.

--Steve

"Bruce in Bangkok" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Out of curosity is it practicle to make fretboards? I ask because Stew-
> mac seems to sell them cheaper then I'd think you could make your own?
> Unless it were a special length like the long neck banjos.
>

LM

"Lee Michaels"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 7:24 PM


"Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote
>
>>> The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
>>> instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
>>> or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
>>>
>> That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
>> But what you are saying does make perfect sense.
>>
>> How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep
>> thinking about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.
>
>
> The owner of this saw said that the blade spacing was set up for a
> mandolin,
> the link below is to a photo that shows how it was used:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/72593510@N00/2571866341/
>
>
Of course! A mandolin. <smacks head> That is why it is so short. I just
got guitar in my mind and just did not think of anything else.

I should of got it because I have seen a similar setup for a dulcimer.


RH

"Rob H."

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 2:44 PM


>> The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
>> instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
>> or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
>>
> That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
> But what you are saying does make perfect sense.
>
> How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep
> thinking about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.


The owner of this saw said that the blade spacing was set up for a mandolin,
the link below is to a photo that shows how it was used:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72593510@N00/2571866341/


Rob

LM

"Lee Michaels"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

21/08/2008 10:37 AM


"Bruce in Bangkok" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
>>
>> "Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
>> >
>> > "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> > news:[email protected]...
>> >> Just posted this week's set:
>> >>
>> >> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/
>> >>
>> >>
>> > This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the
>> > slits
>> > for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
>> >
>> > What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to
>> > allow
>> > the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
>> > neck slide under the saw?
>> >
>> > I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
>> > underneath it.
>> >
>> >
>> Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
>> table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
>> Providing the ends could clear the blades.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> The multi-saw is to saw fret slots in the finger board for a stringed
> instrument neck. The finger board is about 1/4" thick, usually rosewood
> or ebony, and is glued to the neck after slotting.
>
That I have not seen. The one I saw cut the slots into a full size neck.
But what you are saying does make perfect sense.

How does this 1/4" material move over or under the blades? I keep thinking
about making sure that the hand does not get near these blades.




DN

"DoN. Nichols"

in reply to "Lee Michaels" on 21/08/2008 10:13 AM

22/08/2008 1:53 AM

On 2008-08-21, Lee Michaels <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Lee Michaels" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:...
>>
>> "Rob H." <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>> Just posted this week's set:
>>>
>>> http://puzzlephotos.blogspot.com/

For whatever reason, I didn't get the original post on this, so
I'll start replying here where I have read only this discussion on one
item.

And yes, I had thought of a saw for slitting the neck of a
string instrument to accept the frets -- with a guitar being the most
likely. The spacing of the blades matches normal fret positioning, and
the blades are normal slitting saw blades for a horizontal milling
machine.

I saw it earlier, but was not into my newsreader at that time,
so I postponed posting.

>>>
>> This looks very similar to a saw I saw once that was used to cut the slits
>> for the frets in the neck of a guitar.
>>
>> What is not clear though is if there is enough room at the ends to allow
>> the two ends of the neck to clear the pillow blocks. Also, how does the
>> neck slide under the saw?
>>
>> I suppose that this devise could be mounted on top and the stock slid
>> underneath it.
>>
>>
> Thinking about this... I suppose that you could mount this underneath a
> table and slide the stock over it. Kinda like a little gang table saw.
> Providing the ends could clear the blades.

1389 (out of order))

Since there is usually an ebony fretboard glued to the neck, I
think that this is to prepare the ebony prior to gluing it in place.
This explains the two larger diameter slitting saws near the ends. But
why there are two more shallow cut slitting saws past the tuning head
end of the fingerboard -- I don't know. Perhaps for cutting off pieces
to use as nuts or bridges? But if so, why shallow cut blades instead of
deep ones?

1387) A mould for casting a lead hammer head around a length of steel
pipe to make a soft hammer.

1388) Hmm ... a portable short conveyer belt?

A small punkin chunker?

Views from other angles might help.

1389) (above)

1390) Perhaps for clamping woodwork, with soft wood held in the jaws
to contact the workpiece?

Perhaps to compress a certain style of disk brake piston prior
to replacing the pads? (It looks as though it would work for
the disk brake cylinders of my old MGA at least.

1391) A pre-GPS route to mount perhaps in a commercial truck or
a bus for an uncommon route so the driver can advance it as he
progresses.

Obviously, you are at the mercy of whoever typed up the tape to
go in it. :-)

1392) Well ... *part* of it is a beer bottle opener.

Something makes me think that the folding spiked part is for
dealing with caught fish.

Not sure what the two lips beyond the bottle opener are for.

Now to see what others have guessed.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: <[email protected]> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---


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