Making a NUT?

All,

What are the minimal tools I need to make my own nuts? I would like to use either bone/horn or graphite ( open for other suggestions as to what material to use)

What tools do I need to cut them down, and set them correctly?

Thanks so much for your input.

Cut with a hacksaw. Sand a smooth edge somehow; I hold the nut blank against a belt sander. Then draw a line 1/8" from that smooth, flat edge, and sand to the line. After that, you'll need some files; there are several threads that tell you how to move on from there.

My own tool list:
A belt sander.
A hacksaw or bandsaw.
A halved pencil.
A .010 nut file from StewMac (I do every slot with this file, then widen with a set of...)
... Welding tip cleaners.

I've gotten it down to about 5 minutes from a chunk of bone to a finished nut.

I've gotten it down to about 5 minutes from a chunk of bone to a finished nut.

:shock:I'm impressed!

Cut with a hacksaw. Sand a smooth edge somehow; I hold the nut blank against a belt sander. Then draw a line 1/8" from that smooth, flat edge, and sand to the line. After that, you'll need some files; there are several threads that tell you how to move on from there.

My own tool list:
A belt sander.
A hacksaw or bandsaw.
A halved pencil.
A .010 nut file from StewMac (I do every slot with this file, then widen with a set of...)
... Welding tip cleaners.

I've gotten it down to about 5 minutes from a chunk of bone to a finished nut.

I am more than impressed in the 5 minute time to make a nut......
Would love to see a pic of the 5 minute nut.....

5 mins... geez, it takes me longer than that to find my pencil on the bench....;)

doesn't bone stink when you grind it... pewweeee....

achoooo atusq atusq koff.... sorry it was the imaginary dust.... ;)

what type of bone is used?

I have a Makita hand held mini belt sander I was lucky enough to find for 35.00 on CL, it's like having a power file. I have 5 files from StewMac for the nut slots 12-42 and I need to add a larger one probably for acoustics. I also have an assortment of mini files and various sizes from Harbor Freight. There's less than 100.00 invested there. The easiest material is Tusq from Graph Tech, I use a lot of bone/buffalo horn laminations for my bridges and nuts on my CBG's but generall stick with Tusq for the electrics. Yes bone and horn REALLY stink, definately wear a good mask and work outside. Good luck...I've never been able to do a nut in 5 minutes, but I did use welders tip cleaning files for a short time..they are doeable tools but bend easy and are a little on the short side for a decent cut...they take more patience than I possess sometimes:lol::wink:

I found that my electric hot water tank had the near enough internal radius for 9.5 fender type curved nut slots, testing with an orig,..... holding sandpaper on the tank and sanding the bone away....and checking with the fretboard...

and to get the same top curve I found a 14" steel rim in the yard and held s/paper on the internal face of the under side of the rim while I got a top curve.....

I've also got a hacksaw blade and ground one end flat and checking with a micrometer for 11/12 thou to use for cutting the first 6 slots.... round the teeth a bit so the slot isn't square... but there's still teeth on the edge to cut the slots.... then widening with welders cleaning tips,..I'm a metal worker.. plenty of sets of them about...

. they are flimsy /bendy though for a true flat bottom if you push too hard... they don't last long straight...

bush nuts,...;)

I made my own bone nut for this rebuild. Scroll down near the end to making the nut, day 4. A hacksaw, vise, sandpaper and nut files. A good set of nut files will be used over and over in your life probably. I could get away with 4 files I think or even one like has been said. I would do it again due to cost for sure and will again soon:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/other-guitars-other-instruments/334101-epiphone-special-model-refinish-refret-hopefully.html

Corian makes a great nut. I use it on all my guitars now. It works real easy and you can get any color you want from HERE (http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/where_to_buy/order_a_sample.html)...Give it a try...By the way...PRS uses Corian for all their nuts and solid colored inlays....Can't go wrong. Here are some pics...

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/ehawley/DSC03480.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/ehawley/DSC03482.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/ehawley/DSC03595.jpg

I use it for solid color inlays also...

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/ehawley/DSC03485.jpg

Great info gents - thanks so much!

I am more than impressed in the 5 minute time to make a nut......
Would love to see a pic of the 5 minute nut.....

+1

Here is a quick and dirty way to make a nut. (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/314349-building-two-piece-neck-limited-resources-5.html#post4149766)

I would recommend nut files. It makes the job sort of pleasant.

what type of bone is used?

A "BIG" bone. Actually, a great source is the local Pets Mart. Get a dried/bleached dog bone and you can cut several nuts from it. You can get a "REAL, REAL, BIG" bone from your butcher (cow leg) but it will probably be too "ripe" for quite a while before it is suitable for making a nut. Ironically, the reason bone is good for nuts is that it retains some of the natural "grease" from being alive, back in the day. But a fresh bone is a bit too greasy. So check out the pet store and see what you find. It'll work fine.

Good luck,
Rex

I've not made as many nuts as some, but I do have some observances. I've made plastic, bone and aluminum nuts. The last guitar I made had an aluminum nut and I like it. It was easy to fashion and easy to slot...not much more difficult than bone to work with. The last bone nut material came from the pet store.

You can make a nut with minimal tools it's true. I don't have nut files, but have some feeler gauges that have teeth cut in them (I did that using my dremel cut off wheel). Now that I've used those feeler gauges on a few nuts, I find myself wanting to order some real nut files. To me, and this is only my experience, I find that using the feeler gauges makes for a sloppier nut slot that I have to spend more time tweaking. Maybe I'd get the same result from nut files, but I don't think so.

So, my advice would be to spend your money on some 'real' nut slot files...you'll be way ahead if you do so. I plan on getting some with my next gig money.

Other than that, just follow the good advice of others, like Colt, and you'll do good your first time.


All,

What are the minimal tools I need to make my own nuts? I would like to use either bone/horn or graphite ( open for other suggestions as to what material to use)

What tools do I need to cut them down, and set them correctly?

Thanks so much for your input.

A "BIG" bone. Actually, a great source is the local Pets Mart.
That's where I get mine from. I wrote up how I prepared it at http://damacleod.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/making-guitar-nuts-from-bone/ but if you can't bothered with the long read, boil for 3-4 hrs changing the water every hour. Cut into approximately nut and saddle shaped pieces and then leave to soak in naptha (zippo lighter fluid) for 3+ weeks. After that just like everyone else; hacksaw, sandpaper and a miscellaneous collection of files.

Don't want to hijack the thread, but does the naptha smell burn off fairly quickly??

That's where I get mine from. I wrote up how I prepared it at http://damacleod.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/making-guitar-nuts-from-bone/ but if you can't bothered with the long read, boil for 3-4 hrs changing the water every hour. Cut into approximately nut and saddle shaped pieces and then leave to soak in naptha (zippo lighter fluid) for 3+ weeks. After that just like everyone else; hacksaw, sandpaper and a miscellaneous collection of files.

Don't want to hijack the thread, but does the naptha smell burn off fairly quickly??

Yes, as a matter of fact, if you try to burn it off, it will leave instantaneously, leaving your bone, your fingers, and the surrounding area blackened. The naptha solvent smell will be replaced by a distinctive char smell. :lol:

On the serious side, being very volatile, naptha will evaporate quickly, and the smell should also leave, too. Leave the bone pieces outside in the sun for a while.

The naptha soak is to remove any grease that hasn't been removed by the detergent boil process. Any similar solvent, such as acetone (an excellent de-fatter and degreaser) should work. (But won't smell any better until it evaporates.)

Ronsol lighter fluid = Naptha

This is why it's a good idea to proofread, especially when you're on vacation and using someone else's unreliable keyboard.

I meant 45 minutes, not 5. A five-minute nut would be a real achievement.

:oops:

This is why it's a good idea to proofread, especially when you're on vacation and using someone else's unreliable keyboard.

I meant 45 minutes, not 5. A five-minute nut would be a real achievement.

:oops:

I'm trying really really really hard not to say anything...............oh what the........If a five minute nut is a real acheivement, a 45 minute nut..............no no no..........

The type of bone that is sold by most luthier suppliers is bleached cow shin bone. The front legs take most of their weight and are denser than other bone.

A customer gave me a piece of moose shin bone years ago. That stuff is REALLY hard and sounds awesome! I have refit all my acoustics and mando with it, and the difference is instantly noticeable. The obvious drawback is it is not that easy come by, and it usually arrives with the hoof and skin still on, which means it will be worth a lot to you once it's clean and usable.
I personally won't share mine because my next door neighbour threatened to call haz-mat when he smelled mine cooking off in the back yard. ( a steel garbage can and a tiger torch ) Never again. It was GROSS!!

What we will do for tone....

Problem with pet store bones is most of them have been cooked, and weakened.
Bleached bone has much of the grease removed, which lubricates the string slots nicely. Bleached bone is erm, white, but the bleach used is not household bleach, that stinks, try "wood bleach".

Best bone will be ox bone from a big old bull, the thigh/fore-leg "marrow" bone is the biggest bone on the animal, shin is good too. It is tough and difficult to cut up. If you have a big dog, he will be delighted to show you how it can be broken into suitable pieces, in seconds, scary watching those 10 ton per square inch bolt cutters in action.

Besides the dog, other tools might include -
nut files (Vee cut, round edge)
toolmakers micro saws (also aka nut files, straight cut)
jewellers slitting saw (very thin model makers back saw)
gent's saw (very small back saw)
dovetail saw (small back saw)
wet and dry, various grades, 100 - 2000 grit
engineers files, flat and curved, large and small
Swiss needle files
carding files
riffler files
plate glass (flat surface)
jewellers rouge & leather pad (polishing)
engineers callipers (measuring/marking)
smooth jaw vise
engineers clamps
profiling tool
steel rule
engineers square
engineers scribe
patience

On the economy front, I think in one of Dan Earlewine's guitar tuning books, he talks about making nut files using a set of automotive type feeler gauges and a small triangular file.
Takes a while, but if you've got the time and not so much money, you file small saw teeth into the appropriate thickness gauge to make a "file/saw". When you've got your depth right, then use an old piece of a wound string to make a U-shape in the bottom of the slot, so the string will seat properly. I've not done the feeler gauge thing, but have used the old piece of wound string trick, and it works nicely. Relatively smooth, it cuts very slowly and very little, which is what you want, just to round the slot bottom and polish it, not cut deeper.

Having said that, I have to agree with Colt and others above, the right nut slot files do make the job a whole lot easier, quicker (although not 5 minutes!) and more pleasant.

Strangely enough--and maybe it's just me--but before I built my first, I really took the nut for granted, and had absolutely no appreciation for just how absolutely critical good nut work is to a guitar's sound and playability. Spend enough time to get it right, it can be tedious, but will pay off in the long run. The more you do, the easier it gets.

PS--
I am a confirmed DIY-er, but as you can see from the comments above, converting a dead cow, ox, moose, or oryx into guitar nuts requires a lot of doing--way more than is worth it, IMO, given the ready availability and reasonable cost of all sorts of nut blanks--natural and synthetic materials.

Right about now the op may also be considering a pre-cut slotted bone nut like they sell at stewmac. :mrgreen:

1,2, and 3. Nut files, Nut files, Nut files. You can half-ass it all day long with torch tips, needle files, serrated feeler gauges, and whatever else. You will be spending way too much time doing a hack job.

Look at it this way. If you paid a semi-competent luthier to install one nut, it would cost you at least $100. For that money you could get gauged nut files and the SM spacing rule, and cut a million nuts.

As for procuring your blanks "off the hoof", well yuck. Sized bone blanks cost next to nothing, Micarta is cheaper, so I'm told easier to work, and more consistent, arguably superior tone wise.

What's the word on the Lincoln Electric Welding Tip Cleaner set? Going for $4 at Home Depot. I'm building my first guitar, and having to watch the initial cash outlay (already over $200), and a full set of Stew Mac or equivalent nut files is really expensive...

What's the word on the Lincoln Electric Welding Tip Cleaner set? Going for $4 at Home Depot. I'm building my first guitar, and having to watch the initial cash outlay (already over $200), and a full set of Stew Mac or equivalent nut files is really expensive...

These are the one I use. They're all I need; I can't see how I'd do a better job with a more expensive method. They leave a smooth, rounded groove of exactly the right diameter; what's not to like? The thinner ones kink really easily, but it's not hard to straighten them.

For me, the key is to sink the slots to depth first. That way, the welding cleaners are only widening them. I do use a StewMac file for the initial slots, but it would be just as easy to DIY one out of a feeler gauge.

I've never tried the tip cleaner trick, but plenty of people seem to make them work, and at that price why not?

A needle file and razor saw will get the job done. You can use old strings to round the bottom of the slots, too.

Check out some of Scatterlee's threads, I know there's at least one detailing making a nut. He's a master at using the tools at hand, the McGyver of luthierie.

Right about now the op may also be considering a pre-cut slotted bone nut like they sell at stewmac. :mrgreen:

All pre-slotted nuts just have starter slots - they need to be filed to depth.

They are not an off-the-peg solution.

Yes you can cut teeth into feeler gauges.
Random jottings -
a) it's the wrong type of steel for holding a cutting edge
b) it is fun to make you own tools, but my time is money too
c) I can grind down Swiss files to the correct shape.
d) none of which are as good or as easy to use as pro nut files

Problem with the real animal bone nut pieces and using the dog to smash them up, if you have a dog big enough to do this, then you have a problem retrieving suitable pieces from him, they've gone.
I buy bone nut blanks in various sizes

Corian makes a great nut. I use it on all my guitars now. It works real easy and you can get any color you want from HERE (http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/where_to_buy/order_a_sample.html)...Give it a try...By the way...PRS uses Corian for all their nuts and solid colored inlays....Can't go wrong. Here are some pics...



Don't have a CNC machine - will this stuff cut with a table saw?

A scrap of wood and some CA glue or hot glue - you can temporariliy tack the bone blank to a scrap so it's easier to run it through a bandsaw, or cut with a jigsaw or coping saw, and much easier to sand it on the beltsander.

In order to get it to the right thickness I use sandpaper against a scrap of flat granite as a reference surface.

And I find that I keep coming back to the same one or two single-cut files for profiling the top of the nut; one of them has safe corners but it helps to use one of the StewMac fret guards to protect the headstock overlay on a guitar with a slanted headstock, otherwise you don't need it on a Fender style neck.

Oh, and it never occurs to me until it's too late that the fingerboard itself is a good sanding caul for fitting the bottom of a nut if the slot is arched intstead of flat.

What's the word on the Lincoln Electric Welding Tip Cleaner set? Going for $4 at Home Depot. I'm building my first guitar, and having to watch the initial cash outlay (already over $200), and a full set of Stew Mac or equivalent nut files is really expensive...

Wypo makes the torch tip cleaners in question, and I used them before I got nut files. Nut files are multiple times better and more efficient. Nut files are much easier on the old finger tips, and much easier to add angle to the slots.

Building guitars is an expensive hobby.

Don't have a CNC machine - will this stuff cut with a table saw?

I cut it on my table saw.

Corian will break in half really easily, so when you are slotting, be careful not to apply sideways pressure.

Ive made several corian nuts, and I like bone better. The big guys use it because they can buy it in uniform pieces in bulk. I like the idea of using the colored stuff for inlay.

Gosh, you guys and your power tools!

You can hold it in a vise and cut it with a handsaw.

Gosh, you guys and your power tools!

You can hold it in a vise and cut it with a handsaw.

I bought all these nice power tools so I didn't have to use a handsaw.

Fifteen bucks well spent. Only need to tweak it a bit.

http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/6001-VS/Slotted_Unbleached_Bone_Nut_sm.jpg

Fifteen bucks well spent. Only need to tweak it a bit.

http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/6001-VS/Slotted_Unbleached_Bone_Nut_sm.jpg

Nick are these from Stew Mac?

Nick are these from Stew Mac?

Yup. :grin: They need to start giving me a discount, all the spruiking I do for them!

"Spruiking?"

Can't say I've run across that one before...

As far as the Stew-Mac nut files, if you're only making nuts for yourself, you don't need the whole set. Just get the 6 files that correspond to the gauge string you use.
I use this set for 10's and they seem to work just fine:
.013
.016
.020
.032
.042
.050

These
http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/50282_p.jpg
They are a much narrower Vee than a needle file, and because they are a Vee, with a round cutting edge, one set fits all string gauges (except bass as I recently discovered).

The "individually gauged files" are de facto industrial micro saws and make a parallel side slot with a square cutting edge (as you would expect from a saw), They do have uses, they are also used for jewellery and by toolmakers.

I got just these tools only out of the stewmac kit.... cost me about $135 but they are well worth it.

The Gauged saw is used for trimming the nut, cutting the slot for the light gauge string & initial slot for all the others that are then widened with the correct file for the size string to be fitted in that position.

If you are really short of cash, you could drop the set of shaping files out & just use sandpaper but these files are really narrow & let you see what you are doing.

3596 Gauged Saws - 0.010" (0.25mm)
4541 Double-edge Nut Files - 0.012" / 0.020"
4542 Double-edge Nut Files - 0.026" / 0.032"
4543 Double-edge Nut Files - 0.036" / 0.042"
4544 Double-edge Nut Files - 0.050" / 0.060"
4556 Nut and Saddle Shaping Files - Set of 2 files

Before this I had a set of needle files, I've taken them out of my tool box now.

These
http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/50282_p.jpg
They are a much narrower Vee than a needle file, and because they are a Vee, with a round cutting edge, one set fits all string gauges (except bass as I recently discovered).

The "individually gauged files" are de facto industrial micro saws and make a parallel side slot with a square cutting edge (as you would expect from a saw), They do have uses, they are also used for jewellery and by toolmakers.

Jefrs - where did you purchase these files?

I have 3 SM double sided files

.012/.016
.026/.032
.036/.042

and

.050 single
.056 single

I bought the .010" nut saw from Stewmac, and I found it useless for making a bone nut. Its agressive teeth are prone to chip the bone when you start cutting, and if I trim the blank to proper size before slotting, the saw is way to aggressive. I just use my .012" file to start all the slots.

There's an x-acto saw with a .010 kerf, I use it all the time.

There's an x-acto saw with a .010 kerf, I use it all the time.

I tried that once; it worked a treat for outside slots, but when I tried to make any adjacent slots I ran into the bone-chip problem Colt describes above.

I'm certain it was me, and not the saw, that caused the problem. With some practice, it's probably a great technique.

How about just using a very hard wood, like ironwood?

i remember in the '70s, or may be it was the '90s. ok, may be i don't remember so well. but all the tele guitar players were switching everything to brass, nuts too. then it went out of style.

....

I bought the .010" nut saw from Stewmac, and I found it useless for making a bone nut. Its agressive teeth are prone to chip the bone when you start cutting, and if I trim the blank to proper size before slotting, the saw is way to aggressive. I just use my .012" file to start all the slots.
I didn't try it on bone, I am using Black Tusq XL from Graph Tech.
It is nice to work with.
There is a white version now.
The graph tech ( www.graphtech.com/) site isn't responding at present.... details here at Stewmac. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles/String_nuts/TUSQ_XL_Nuts.html

How about just using a very hard wood, like ironwood?

I've done quite a few nuts and saddles using lignum vitae, but always for nylon-stringed instruments (I'm certain it would work with steel, though it would wear faster). Usually, I'll do a lot to avoid working with bone; I've got a real affection for aluminum nuts now, but I've only used my file/welding tip technique. No slotting saw yet.

Jefrs - where did you purchase these files?

Those shown are from the DV247 site (hover any pic for info), but mine are "Hiroshima", I forget where from but seem to be identical to the Ibanez.
Possibly Allparts UK or maybe WD Music UK
http://www.allparts.uk.com/online-shop/tools-guitar-care/nut-files/nut-slotting-file-set-3-pcs-gauged-for-guitar-p-3398.html

There are some others that look similar but not the right sizes, note the taper to the file, the other ones appear to be straight-edge.

Thanks so much jefrs - They don't have them at AllParts in the US, but I did find them on the UK site. After converting the money, and adding for shipping and customs - the Stewart Mac set like Colt has is probably the way I'll go.

I'm not trying to be a cheap butt, the stuff at StewMac is great, and I have a lot of their stuff, it's just so flipping expensive ;-(

...

I'm not trying to be a cheap butt, the stuff at StewMac is great, and I have a lot of their stuff, it's just so flipping expensive ;-(
Yup, you have to pick through their 'upsell' & just get the bits for the job or you can blow hundreds & thousands on tools alone.

I have 3 SM double sided files

.012/.016
.026/.032
.036/.042

and

.050 single
.056 single

I bought the .010" nut saw from Stewmac, and I found it useless for making a bone nut. Its agressive teeth are prone to chip the bone when you start cutting, and if I trim the blank to proper size before slotting, the saw is way to aggressive. I just use my .012" file to start all the slots.

Looking at the StewMac site, this is what I see for the smallest 3 double-edge files:

#4541 0.012" / 0.020"
#4542 0.026" / 0.032"
#4543 0.036" / 0.042"

Are these same as what you're using? Did SM change .012/.016 to .012/.020, and will this be a problem for the typical sets I use (9's or 10's)? At $25 each, I want to make sure I've got something that'll definitely work for the long-haul...

Looking at the StewMac site, this is what I see for the smallest 3 double-edge files:

#4541 0.012" / 0.020"
#4542 0.026" / 0.032"
#4543 0.036" / 0.042"

Are these same as what you're using? Did SM change .012/.016 to .012/.020, and will this be a problem for the typical sets I use (9's or 10's)? At $25 each, I want to make sure I've got something that'll definitely work for the long-haul...

They changed sizes. That .012/,020 would probably work better than a .016, because .017 is a common size for electric strings, and that .020 file is perfect for those.

Looking at the StewMac site, this is what I see for the smallest 3 double-edge files:

#4541 0.012" / 0.020"
#4542 0.026" / 0.032"
#4543 0.036" / 0.042"

Are these same as what you're using? Did SM change .012/.016 to .012/.020, and will this be a problem for the typical sets I use (9's or 10's)? At $25 each, I want to make sure I've got something that'll definitely work for the long-haul...
They are the ones I have.
I also have the 3596 Gauged Saw - 0.010" (0.25mm) that I use for the narrow slots.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/335904-making-nut-2.html#post4285061

Anyone used antler for a nut? Seems like it would be very similar to leg bone...and no grease...or whatever it is.

I have, it was too soft, and I didnt like the tone.

Hmmm...thought it would be the other way around...thanks Colt.