Nut files from a Feeler gauge..

[Ronkirn]

A few weeks ago someone was "tuning up" their Tele, and the question of alternatives to the rather expensive nut files was discussed....

I 'splained with crude illustrations how to make 'em from a cheep set of feeler gauges.

After diggin' trough all the old stuff, I found a set I made years ago. Here are a few photos I hope will better illustrate how it's done.

I cut the notches with a Dremel tool.

For those skeptics out there, (probably closet Gibson players) I included a set of real nut files in the photo.

Note the real files at about 25 bux each are made of tool steel and have the edges rounded and roughed up so they will cut the soft materials nuts are made from,

The Feeler gauge set is made of tool steel and have the edges rounded and roughed up so they will cut the soft materials nuts are made from, kinda makes ya say Hummm . . . . Doesn’t it?

Ron Kirn

[KokoTele]

I said "hmmmm" once upon a time and went ahead and bought the sets the guy sells on ebay made out of feeler guages. I didn't realize that they were simple notches cut into feeler guages and not really saws.

They didn't cut very well. And he didn't round the edges. Wound up breaking down and buying a set of Stew Mac's files anyway.

I suppose someone who's a better fabricator than I could do a better job, but I think the good nut files I bought were worth the investment.

[morroben]

Cool idea...if I ever need another set I'll make my own. Thanks for the info.

[Southpa]

Head down to your local welding supply store and buy a set of oxy-acetylene cutting torch tip cleaners.

http://www.weldingsuppliesfromioc.co...ING-TIP/Detail

A set only costs a few dollars, various sizes which match up to nut slot sizes, (just match with the strings you plan on using) AND they will make a slot with a rounded profile.

[Greg R]

Necessity is the mother of invention. If everyone posted about their homemade tools I bet we would see some interesting & innovative things. I know it got me thinking.
Greg

[Short Circuit]

My Dad has this big ass Dremel accessory kit that has a bunch of real small drill bits in it. I just matched the string diameter with the drill bit using my digital calipers and used the drill bit like a file.

Mark

[psychotelepathic]

Originally Posted by Short Circuit

My Dad has this big ass Dremel accessory kit that has a bunch of real small drill bits in it. I just matched the string diameter with the drill bit using my digital calipers and used the drill bit like a file.

Mark

That's a good idea. I tried the torch tip cleaners. They work, but they're really flimsy. I assume that's not a problem with the dremel bits? I might have to pick up a few of those.

[sidneystreet]

Initially, I found it somewhat hit and miss cutting pro quality nut slots even with my gauged Stew-Mac files. I really applaud you guys that can get the job done with makeshift tools.

[Short Circuit]

Originally Posted by psychotelepathic

That's a good idea. I tried the torch tip cleaners. They work, but they're really flimsy. I assume that's not a problem with the dremel bits? I might have to pick up a few of those.

The Dremel bits are not flimsy, but You have to hold onto both ends and file back and forth slowly.
I was cutting the plastic nut on my Saga Tele, so they cut in pretty fast. I did break one bit because I wasn't holding onto it at both ends.

Mark

[Vince C.]

Hey Ron,
Your idea is a perfect example of the ingenuity we had to have before Stew-Mac. I still have a couple of sets of feeler guage files I made in the mid 80's. Exact same idea and execution. Used them for years.

VC

[PlankSpanker]

Those feeler guage files look neat but the StewMac files have rounded bottoms/tapers that match the string profile. Isn't that a pretty significant improvment over the DIY variety?

I'm about to blow a whole bunch of cash on some StewMac files so this is really timely...

[Rob DiStefano]

There is NO viable substitute for gauged nut files. Anything else I consider penny wise and pound foolish.

Messing around with notched feeler gauges, jeweler's files, roundwound strings, those stupid "V" files with pointed edges that Stew-Mac sells (and should dang well know better) - all of this is a poor attempt at best to do proper justice to a Very important part of every guitar.

All of this krap will "work" to some degree, but will Never be as good/correct as using proper gauged nut files (there is only ONE type of nut file to buy and use).

If yer gonna do any kinda nut work and you value your guitar's playability and sound, get the right files. We're not talking spending a fortune here - about the price of a decent pedal is what 3 to 6 professional nut files will cost ($13 each, figure $85 for six shipped, but you can easily get by with 3 to 4 files) and that's all you'll need for the rest of yer guitar playing life. Why summa you guys wanna mess around with this krap and not spend the few dang dollar$ is beyond my understanding. YMMV.

[Ronkirn]

The welding tip cleaners have the problem of flexing.... this leaves a rounded crown to the bottom of the slot. that will result in a guitar that is impossible to intonate.

When you cut the slot is must slope down and away from the fingerboard leaving a crisp sharp edge at the fingerboard side. That is very hard to do correctly with a piece of wire, which describes the welding tip cleaners quite well.




Ron Kirn

[LWS66]

Yes, some of what you say is true regarding some things, but the bottom line is that there are those that believe there is only one proper way to do something and will die adhering to that mindset throughout life, (and I sometimes have to just shake my head with pity for some of those staunch believers) and there are those that can do just as well, many times better, improvising......They do, it works, and that's the end of that, but then we have those that spend their time trying to convince them otherwise.....and they will never agree that it will ever be as good as the supposed "proper way". Many end up making everything seem like brain surgery, when all that is required is to think in simple terms, especially in this case at least......Sorry, but in this case, alternatives will work just as well as spending more money on "proper tools".....And the debate will surely continue.

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

There is NO viable substitute for gauged nut files. Anything else I consider penny wise and pound foolish.

Messing around with notched feeler gauges, jeweler's files, roundwound strings, those stupid "V" files with pointed edges that Stew-Mac sells (and should dang well know better) - all of this is a poor attempt at best to do proper justice to a Very important part of every guitar.

All of this krap will "work" to some degree, but will Never be as good/correct as using proper gauged nut files (there is only ONE type of nut file to buy and use).

If yer gonna do any kinda nut work and you value your guitar's playability and sound, get the right files. We're not talking spending a fortune here - about the price of a decent pedal is what 3 to 6 professional nut files will cost ($13 each, figure $85 for six shipped, but you can easily get by with 3 to 4 files) and that's all you'll need for the rest of yer guitar playing life. Why summa you guys wanna mess around with this krap and not spend the few dang dollar$ is beyond my understanding. YMMV.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by LWS66

Yes, some of what you say is true regarding some things, but the bottom line is that there are those that believe there is only one proper way to do something and will die adhering to that mindset throughout life, (and I sometimes have to just shake my head with pity for some of those staunch believers) and there are those that can do just as well, many times better, improvising......They do, it works, and that's the end of that, but then we have those that spend their time trying to convince them otherwise.....and they will never agree that it will ever be as good as the supposed "proper way". Many end up making everything seem like brain surgery, when all that is required is to think in simple terms, especially in this case at least......Sorry, but in this case, alternatives will work just as well as spending more money on "proper tools".....And the debate will surely continue.

Nonsense. I love a good bargain as much as any one, and I'm a Staunch advocate of "cheap" guitars. How much does the average poster on this forum spend for guitars, amps, FX, etc? What, you can't afford $50-$80 for nutfiles that you'll use on all yer guitars? Yeesh. Messing around with guitar nuts is critical stuff that you don't wanna use Rube Goldberg tooling on. Have fun.

[Ronkirn]

Golly Guys, I didn’t mean to start another peein’ contest… I just got hammered with a bunch ‘o emails asking for further explanation of the feeler gauge concept…. So there is it….

I agree with Rob, I learned, what seems like an eternity ago, from my Father and Grandfather, “Use the right God**mn tool for the right job. Quit screwin’ up my chisels.” They were rather subtle like that, but I got the point. Therefore, yes, if you gotta hundred bux to dedicate to cutting a 2 dollar piece of plastic, go for it, but if you would rather spend the hundred bux on a bottle of Glennmorangie 18… I’m with ya on that one..

Now many guys just aren’t going to pay the 90+ bux for a set of Stew-Mac’s files or even more for the Allparts collection. So, the 5 bux at the local Auto Parts house for a cheep Made in China feeler gauge converted to a makeshift set of nut files becomes a viable alternative.

So, the choice is don’t do anything and save the hundred bux the files would cost or use a little creativity and come up with a make-shift alternative. Fact is, a nut from the factory almost always sux, and re-cutting it with some funky make–do tool almost always improves the situation, so Nyahhh, nie, Nyahh boo boo…

Ron Kirn

[PlankSpanker]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

(there is only ONE type of nut file to buy and use)

And that is.... (example please)?

[PlankSpanker]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

When you cut the slot is must slope down and away from the fingerboard leaving a crisp sharp edge at the fingerboard side.

Not picking on you Ron, but this not exactly right. You want a significant break angle, but you do not want a "crisp sharp edge" since you will break strings and the edge will wear off quickly, essentially lowering the nut height and rendering your nut useless.

Quoting Dan Erlewine:

The angle of this ramp is not a straight, sharp line coming to a point at the front edge of the nut (which I call the “take-off point”); it’s slightly rounded as it curves up the back of the nut, gradually meeting the string and adding strength to the take-off point. With a too-sharp take-off point, the strings (especially the wound stings) will wear away the front edge of the nut quickly.

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

... Therefore, yes, if you gotta hundred bux to dedicate to cutting a 2 dollar piece of plastic, go for it, but if you would rather spend the hundred bux on a bottle of Glennmorangie 18… I’m with ya on that one....

IMO it doesn't matter at all what the nut material is, a well cut nut is a well cut nut. Period. You can just as easily screw up a $10 vintage cow bone nut as a $1 PVC nut ... and you can vastly improve playability, intonation and action when ya cut either nut correctly.



Stew-Mac sells gauged nut files (at $12.75/each (for guitar). This is what you want. Not the wedged nut files with rounded bottoms and certainly not the ridiculous wedged "do-it-all nut file" with sharp "V" cutting edge.

A full set of 6 files - $12.75 x 6 = $76.50 + $10.25 shipping = $86.25. Get this and yer set to take care of all yer guitar nuts, current and future.

For the average geetar tinkerer, you don't need 6 files, 3 will do (perhaps .016, .028", .046") = $38.25 + $8.25 shipping = $46.50

If you're serious about your guitars and playing, and you want to adjust or make your own guitar nuts, and you can't afford $50 for proper nut files, then by all means, use feeler gauges, hacksaw blades, roundwound strings, welding rods, etc.

[magicguitar]

I'm with Ron on this one. I'll be making myself a set sometime this week.