Awesome work, Sonic. I've got two questions.
**My Replies
1 - You're talking double sided tape to hold stuff down. Have you considered the marking tape - super glue - marking tape method used by Ben at Crimson Guitars? Can't help but think it'd be cheaper (double sided tape is dear) and more stable (double sided tape is often thicker than normal tape). He does it in almost every video he makes. Here's his primary explanation clip for it.
**Hmm interesting. I'm actually in a fortunate position as I can get d/sided tape for cost through work. We use a very thin 3M variant we call 'Cyclone' tape for certain signage. It's not like the normal stuff with the foam layer. I actually think cleaning the residue off will be the bigger challenge, but I'll bear this in mind as an option. All the templates are also setup so that I could screw them down and the resultant holes are covered by the pickgaurd or otherwise hidden in assembly. It's one of those things I've thought a lot about and have a few options to try once I get rolling in the real world.
2 - The fret saw. That concept looks great, but I can't help but think there's scope for error for the Italian guy, given he's still relying on lining up pencil marks. I've got a mate in town who built his own guitar from scratch, and his major regret was that he got two fret slots ever so slightly off. He's a perfectionist, his father-in-law builds violins, so it's only noticeable when intonating, but of course he knows it's there...
I'm wondering if it'd be worth putting something like your notched fret straight edge on the back of the template, and then have guide pin on the side of the sliding bed, to locate it? Wouldn't take much, but you'd have ever more confidence that you're perfectly aligned with the fret saw. And I note you've already got holes in that notched straight edge. Perhaps you're already planning just that, using the pins on the neck and fingerboard bed..?
**Yeah that is exactly my method. I have a notched plate that is attached to the fret board. That notch engages with a tang on the 'slider'. So it's pretty much fool proof. The centre of the tang gets aligned with the blade and away you go. I'll pop a video up once I'm up to test stage.
An issue I'm having at the moment is keeping the slider perfectly perpendicular- it's pretty good, but as you have noted accuracy is very important. I'm planning a slight redesign and having a new slider piece and secondary brace laser cut to get around that. I'm also thinking of doing those parts again in acrylic. The higher temp to cut the steel makes it a little less accurate in fine details. I have double checked the notches and they are bang on according to my measurements, but this is certainly an area I'm a bit paranoid about. Hopefully I'll have the fretting machine sorted by the end of next month.
Love the idea of reclaimed wood, and steel templates. Both make so much sense to me.
Will be watching with much interest.
***Cheers, I am exercising extreme patience at the moment. I can't wait to get stuck in, but cash flow relies on my freelance work a lot of which is generated by Sydney and Melbourne real estate markets.. so a bit in the doldrums at the moment and saving is taking some time.
All good though. I keep reminding myself that I have put aside an entire year to arrive at a finished prototype. Plus its time that lets me think and problem solve.
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