newbie sander question

Hi all just gathering information at this point, I'm considering my first build.

I want to use a swinging jig to radius the neck. Does anyone know if the work area on a 6x48" sander has enough space to do this? What sanders work best?

Of course I am thinking a tele or strat 25.5 scale. Thanks.

Yes but you would have to get, make a jig like this
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Radiusing-Sander/G0574

Thanks shoretyus the jig is not a problem, just was not sure if the work area would be large enough... The belt size on the grizzly is 6x80, but don't want to spend that kind dough. Thanks again

Those jigs have been described as crap in every review I've seen on them. Better off to make your own anyway.

If you are not going to be doing a compound radius, check out my router radius jig on Mimf.com, or Official luthiers forum.com. The pic and discussion of mine is on mimf, and a guy named Todd Stock took mine and modified it a bit and put a tutorial on the OLF. It is easy to use, smallish, cheap, and works great.
Marty

Thanks Shepeard and Guitarbuilder I appreciate your input.

guitarbuilder - the problem I have with compound radius fretboards - and I own a number of guitars with them - is that the fret level/crown worn then becomes a bit more free-handed with a leveling bar. With the standard radius - like 12" - I get the same feel, but the leveling of the frets can be done easier with the same block I use on the fretboard.

A single radius 12" fretboard just comes out better for me in the end. Perhaps there is a reliable way to do fret work on a compound radius, but I don't think it's worth the extra pain. is there a better way to level a compound radius fretboard than a 1" leveling bar?

Those jigs have been described as crap in every review I've seen on them. Better off to make your own anyway.

I said like :mrgreen:

Koolaide

I have been considering the same approach to neck radiusing. The 6x48 sander has a platten length of 14 1/2 inch which would be too short for a tele neck,

6x80 looks to have a 30 in platen should be good

Stewmac lists the tele fingerboard at 20 3/8 and the bass at 26 inches.

Hope this helps

Koolaide

I have been considering the same approach to neck radiusing. The 6x48 sander has a platten length of 14 1/2 inch which would be too short for a tele neck,

6x80 looks to have a 30 in platen should be good

Stewmac lists the tele fingerboard at 20 3/8 and the bass at 26 inches.

Hope this helps

+1

and you should consider the option to build basses too in the future.
I'm using a 40" platen to get more life out of the sanding belt.
On this type of jig only a very narrow area in the center is coming in touch with the material and therefore "kills" the belts very quickly. I recommend 60 grit for shaping and 80 grit for smoothing and a rubber cleaner during and after each radiusing job.

Making a jig something like the one below only takes a little while and you can set it up to do any radius you want - except compound. If you are not going to make any radius flatter than 12" you can make it a lot smaller as well.

http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/misc/swingarmjig.jpg

I've seen some really nice jigs to radius fretboards and profile necks (like Bill Scheltema's) and if you are going to go into production thay can be a real asset. But here is the way I look at it... I can radius a fretboard in about 15 minutes with a radiused sanding block. It probably takes that long to get your fretboard setup properly in the jig.

Last night I profiled the back of a neck with a rasp, a microplane and a scraper. I went from...

THIS...
http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/misc/anders029.jpg

TO THIS...
http://i334.photobucket.com/albums/m408/apolloguitars/misc/anders037.jpg

...in a about half an hour.

I kind of like doing as much with my hands as possible. You can feel it as you do it and take a bit more off here or there as needed. You can stop yourself faster than you can stop a machine.

Jigs might give you a bit more consistancy (maybe), but I doubt you will save any time.

Jigs might give you a bit more consistancy (maybe), but I doubt you will save any time.

Good point John. Making a radius block was a tedious process too. It took me probably the same amount of time as you to radius it but I found it hard the first couple of times to really get a handle on the finer points when it's done. My first neck got fretted three times before I was happy with the fretboard.

The back of the neck I found easy. But I have done lots of carving and shaping of wood before.

If I build another neck I will seriously consider building a jig like that for my shaper. Thanks