neander blasphemy

[Justin Cavender]

I recently stuck sandpaper to the bottom of a jack plane with spray glue to level the fretboard on a guitar. It worked but when I had thought about what I had done I hung my head in shame. Now I am sharing with my friends about the horrible neandersin I have commited.

[Jacob Reverb]

Aren't most guitar fretboards "crowned," both side-to-side and end-to-end? :eek:

[Justin Cavender]

They have a radius side to side but that was what I was told to do from a guy that is a world class luthier. He knows what he is talking about it worked like a charm. I did not hurt the radius you just got to work the plane at angles if that makes any sense.

[Sean Hughto]

I have no quarrels with sandpaper. It can achieve some things other tools struggle with.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Sandpaper is a hand tool as long as it's used unplugged :D.

[Richard Magbanua]

Sandpaper is a hand tool as long as it's used unplugged :D.

That is so comforting it should be on a Hallmark card :p

[Tim Put]

Aren't most guitar fretboards "crowned," both side-to-side and end-to-end? :eek:

Only side-to-side. Length-wise should be flat or slightly concave when under string tension. This playing geometry doesn't require a smooth radius (though it looks nice). Ignoring relief which is a whole 'nother issue, what it requires is for the lines, one per a string, through the fret-string contact points, to all fall on the surface of a cone (or in some cases a cylinder, but that's just a cone of infinite length). What the frets do elsewhere is largely unimportant.

[Justin Cavender]

Tim sounds like you have made a guitar or two or play them?

[Tim Put]

Basses actually. I play bass and classical guitar. At the moment I'm tooling up and learning a few new techniques to start violin building, though I'd also like to build classical or flamenco guitars.

I've seen you around (and perhaps you've seen me?) on the mimf and I think also on the talkbass forums.

[Raney Nelson]

I think I'd probably feel a little odd adhering sandpaper to one of my planes' soles too, but it wouldn't bother me if it was the right technique for the job. I'd say you've just shifted the emphasis of "neanderthal woodworker" from the first word to the second. I consider that having good priorities :D.

I've got no great love of sandpaper, but I use it when it's the right tool. I just don't seem to think it's "the right tool" nearly as often as some of the more power-centric guys might.

[Randal Stevenson]

Now if it was a good plane....

This would be a great full time use, for one of the lesser quality planes, as long as it was flat, IMHO!

:)

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If gooing the sole up your plane with adhesive bothers you, a nice flat piece of wood will work as well. And you can leave the sand paper on it for next time.

[Rod Sheridan]

It's not like you welded something to the sole of the plane, the adhesive is removable without damaging the plane.

It's the perfect neander solution, modify a hand tool to do a job that's required.

Regards, Rod.