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Here are a few pics of the progress I've made over the last two or so weeks. I braced the top and closed up the box, I slotted the fretboard, I have been (trying) to level out the bumps and valleys from bending the sides by hand and I have nearly completed radiusing the fretboard 14"-20". I'm happy that progress is finally being made again but I am getting frustrated again with all these jigs that only do one thing each. I am not that set up to make a lot of jigs and find myself getting angry with myself that they don't work or are not too acurate. I tried twice to create a fretboard radiusing jig - one compound and the other straight. Both did terrible on the test (scrap) runs and I didn't dare sacrifice the real thing. My question for now though is what thickness do you do the fretboard and why? Also, when I hear 1/4" thick, is that at the edge or in the center? I ask because I finally gave up on jigs and went at it with a plane which is now working really well... not so much at first though. The board is at exactly 1/4" at the edge now but I would love to go a little lower if possible. I sort of have a few unsightly marks in a few spots where the plane came to a grinding halt. Luckily I refined my method and have since done much better but still could use a few thou taken off to completely eliminate my mistakes. If you all measure .250" at the edge, would any less be acceptable?

Pics as promised....

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Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Christian, nice looking progress there

I make my fretboards 7/32" (0.2188"+/-) at the centerline (thinner at the edge after radiusing the board) so I'd say you're fine to go thinner and work out your bumps.

Jig making can be no fun that's for sure but once you get a jig right, you'll never have to build it again (untill the next greatest jig for the same thing comes along )

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Christian,

I do all my fretboard radiusing by hand- with a very sharp plane, as you did. I think it works very
well. I intend to build a jig to do it someday, but it's not high enough on the priority list to be here
for another guitar or two. I've only built three so far, so others can give you better information
on thickness, but mine have been around the 7/32 at the center that Rod mentions so far, and they've
worked well.

The work on the body looks very nice- clean and neat.

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Gene

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