Jonnycake White - Posted - 10/15/2015:  12:32:17

I'm designing and making some new fretboard/neck top profile templates as I'm going to try a couple of new (to me) scale lengths - 23" and 25.5" - and a somewhat wider string margin.  To me, the important things the templates should show are 1)width at nut and/or zero fret; 2) 3rd string and center lamination/truss rod/peg head centerlines, 3) 4th and 5th fret positions to locate the transition and 5th string tuner; 4) string positions at nut/zero fret; 5; proper taper of the fretboard/neck.  I would also like them to serve, possibly, as routing templates (disregarding the 4th to 5th fret transition which varies according to how I want to implement the 5th string tuner).  I'm making them out of 1/4" MDF sold as bender board for concrete forms, because I have a bunch of it left over from a job, and it is easily worked.  I realize there are better materials.

I'd like to know what features you have used that worked out well for you.  Have I missed anything?

rudy - Posted - 10/15/2015:  15:22:24

Heel profile, and associated transition from neck (including what fret the transition to heel starts at) to heel.  My string margins are always 1/8", that works for everything.

Edited by - rudy on 10/15/2015 15:23:25

Ken LeVan - Posted - 10/15/2015:  15:43:02

Experience has taught me that as soon as you "tool up" for something,everyone wants something else, so all your prep work is for naught.

I make every banjo "one off" and save all my templates. All of my fingerboard templates are in the computer "on virtual paper" and I have a bunch of "hard ones" made by pasting the paper drawing on to some rigid material like plexiglas and cutting it out.

I don't know how many fingerboards you plan to make. If you are making Mastertone ones, which never change, and you are going to be cranking them out, you can make permanent templates used for router guides. If you are doing custom commissions, I would keep it on paper and save the ones that are pasted onto plexi for future reference.

Jonnycake White - Posted - 10/15/2015:  19:29:59

quote:

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Originally posted by rudy

 

Heel profile, and associated transition from neck (including what fret the transition to heel starts at) to heel.  My string margins are always 1/8", that works for everything.

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Yeah, I switched to 1/8" now since I accidentally made a neck too wide and discovered I liked it better that way.