Fret position dots
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Fret position dots
First time Builder. Having trouble finding 3/16 inch wood dots to go onto a maple fretboard for a tenor ukulele. I originally wanted to make my own but it doesn't seem that I can find a way to do that. Plug Cutters don't come in smaller than quarter inch diameter. Somebody suggested a daimond saw but from what I've read they can tend to burn wood. I don't want to have end-grain on the surface so working with a dowel is not an option. Any ideas? Have you ever done this?
I did experiment with making a sort of putty using Titebond and sawdust ( in this case Koa) and if I had to do it I guess I would. But I'd rather have a nicer grain pattern even if the area of each dot Is quite small.
As always, gratefully,
Chuck Barnett
I did experiment with making a sort of putty using Titebond and sawdust ( in this case Koa) and if I had to do it I guess I would. But I'd rather have a nicer grain pattern even if the area of each dot Is quite small.
As always, gratefully,
Chuck Barnett
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Re: Fret position dots
Maybe take the quarter-inch dots and sand them down to 3/16 by hand? It's more tedious than it is difficult. I did this with celluloid guitar picks to replace some missing mother-of-toilet-seat inlays on a neck.
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Re: Fret position dots
Wow, that certainly sounds like a challenge!
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Re: Fret position dots
So you want, probably, ebony dots?
Here is an idea you can try. Buy a piece of steel tubing with a 3/16"" id, for example https://www.mcmaster.com/#6100K339
Cut off a piece about 2" long and file some teeth on the end. You'll need to use it in a drill press, it won't cut very deep or fast, and you may need to re-file the teeth. Bur I bet it will work well enough to get enough dots for a fingerboard. It may work better if you bend the teeth to put a little set on them.
Here is an idea you can try. Buy a piece of steel tubing with a 3/16"" id, for example https://www.mcmaster.com/#6100K339
Cut off a piece about 2" long and file some teeth on the end. You'll need to use it in a drill press, it won't cut very deep or fast, and you may need to re-file the teeth. Bur I bet it will work well enough to get enough dots for a fingerboard. It may work better if you bend the teeth to put a little set on them.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
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Re: Fret position dots
take a drill bit glue the dot on the upper end insert in drill upside down use the drill to spin it the use sand paper to sand it down us a razor blade and cut it off the bit
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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Re: Fret position dots
Great ideas and I may try them. But I found a trick that might just work for me. I took the bit out of a countersink and chucked that. I bandsawed 3/32" thick strips of koa so that the face grain was on the flat. the one by one I gently cut out over a dozen dots with the countersink. Turned out to be just a hair under 4.5 mm in diameter so I ordered a 4.5 mm brad point drill to make the holes. I'm pretty happy with how that turned out!
In the photo, the dots are simply sitting on the fretboard.
In the photo, the dots are simply sitting on the fretboard.
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Re: Fret position dots
Get some metal drill bits and drill a hole the size of dot that you want in a bit of soft steel bar stock 1/8" thick or whatever they have at the hardware store. Then drill a few more hole each maybe a 32nd or 64th" bigger. Cut out some of your dot material and square it up to the size dot you want maybe 8" x 3/16" x 3/16". Then starting at your largest hole and hammer the the wood through the largest hole and then through each of the holes until you go through the 3/16 hole. Then you can slice off your dots.
You can buy premade versions with lots of holes.
You can buy premade versions with lots of holes.
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Re: Fret position dots
John, I like the concept. I think a friend was explaining that to me in a simpler fashion. This would work best for following the grain of the wood instead of trying to do something cross grain?
I think I will be happy with what I have produced thus far by way of face grained dots in the koa that I have been working with. I'll get a picture up after getting back from a conference out of town and getting the 4.5 mm Brad Point bit from eBay. I am excited to see how this works. And learning a lot of tips and tricks like this one along the way! Thank you, once again! :-)
I think I will be happy with what I have produced thus far by way of face grained dots in the koa that I have been working with. I'll get a picture up after getting back from a conference out of town and getting the 4.5 mm Brad Point bit from eBay. I am excited to see how this works. And learning a lot of tips and tricks like this one along the way! Thank you, once again! :-)
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Re: Fret position dots
SUCCESS!!!
One more small step on the journey!
Cannot thank you folks enough!
Chuck
One more small step on the journey!
Cannot thank you folks enough!
Chuck
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Re: Fret position dots
I use wood markers all the time. I usually just use a plug cutter on whatever wood I'm thinking of using, in whatever size i want.