I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am making
a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit work to
make slots?
Thanks, Ron

wrote in message
I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am making
a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit work to
make slots?

You'll be much better off using the correct tool for the job ... a fret saw:

http://www.stewmac.com/item/5745

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/30/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

I plan on using a thin strip of maple for the fret lines. I thought
about the fret saw, but the kerf is too narrow.

On Oct 12, 8:41 pm, wrote:
I plan on using a thin strip of maple for the fret lines. I thought
about the fret saw, but the kerf is too narrow.

What instrument are you making?

wrote:

| I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am
| making a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit
| work to make slots?

Ron...

I don't know anything about fretboards, but there are 1/16" (and
smaller) end mills with 1/8" shanks.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/

I'm making a lap steel guitar.

wrote in message
I'm making a lap steel guitar.

Frets on a lap steel are like a screen door on a submarine.


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/30/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

I could tape some pennies down for frets and still play a mean
Sleepwalk!!!

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
I'm making a lap steel guitar.

Frets on a lap steel are like a screen door on a submarine.


What? Keeps the bugs out?

- Owen -

Sorry, but don't luthiers have special tools for that ultra thin kerf cut?
I thought there was a special fret saw for luthiers which was a back saw
with special saw tooth set for that narrow kerf.

Luthiers Mercantile International,
http://www.lmii.com/
has a 6 inch table saw blade with 92 teeth, 0.023 inch wide kerf
search under Fretting, and then on next page scroll to bottom, and
click on Power Slotting system.

Phil

wrote in message
ups.com...
I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am making
a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit work to
make slots?
Thanks, Ron

wrote:
I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am making
a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit work to
make slots?
Thanks, Ron


Ron;

I've built several fretless bass guitars, and in each case I used the
standard fret saw, which cuts a .023" kerf, then used maple veneer cut
into strips and glued into the slots. I actually have a narrow-kerf
6-inch diameter blade that goes in my table saw for this. You have to
sand the veneer strips down a little because veneers are 1/40" or .025"
thick. In one case I used black dyed maple veneer in a birdseye maple
fingerboard. The fretlines I get this way show up fine - they don't
really need to be any wider.

Hope this helps!

--Steve

wrote:
I checked around and only found an 1/8" dremel router bit. I am
making
a fretboard from walnut. Will the 1/16" dremel carving bit work to
make slots?

Don't get locked into "router bit" or "Dremel". Just find a straight
bit with the diameter you want and don't worry about whether it's
called a "router bit" or whether it's "Dremel" brand.

In the Dremel line there are several "engraving" bits that do fine for
routing down to about 1/32".

Practice with it to get the right feed rate before you do anything
that _has_ to be right.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:38:23 -0500, "Swingman" wrote:


wrote in message
I'm making a lap steel guitar.

Frets on a lap steel are like a screen door on a submarine.

Speaking of submarines and out of the park OT, but check this out...

I work with a guy who commanded two nuke subs back in the 80's, in
his prior career.

He recently explained to me that some diesel boats had fuel tanks with
no bottom, as in open to the sea. The fuel floats on seawater pushing
up from the bottom of the tank. As the fuel is used, the water
replaces the fuel, and there's no air in the tank.

Well, _I_ thought that was interesting. G

---------------------------------------------
** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
---------------------------------------------

"B A R R Y" wrote

Frets on a lap steel are like a screen door on a submarine.

Speaking of submarines and out of the park OT, but check this out...

I work with a guy who commanded two nuke subs back in the 80's, in
his prior career.

He recently explained to me that some diesel boats had fuel tanks with
no bottom, as in open to the sea. The fuel floats on seawater pushing
up from the bottom of the tank. As the fuel is used, the water
replaces the fuel, and there's no air in the tank.

Well, _I_ thought that was interesting. G

It is ... that's probably where the screen door goes.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/30/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Swingman wrote:
wrote in message

I'm making a lap steel guitar.


Frets on a lap steel are like a screen door on a submarine.



I never have played a fretless bass, but wouldn't they serve as a
position reference?

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

On Fri, 12 Oct 2007 20:46:45 -0700, Steve
wrote:

I've built several fretless bass guitars, and in each case I used the
standard fret saw, which cuts a .023" kerf, then used maple veneer cut
into strips and glued into the slots.

Lines? My fretless bass didn't need no steenkin' lines! G

It did have position markers on the side / edge of the neck visible to
the player.

---------------------------------------------
** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
---------------------------------------------

Drill Technology 616-676-1792 Michigan 1/16 th available or Stewart
MacDonald stewmac.com