Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Thu Jul 10, 2025 2:20 pm


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 6:22 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:51 pm
Posts: 1204
First name: Chris
Last Name: Ensor
City: Springfield
State: Missouri
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I did my best to mask my FB, but I still got bleed under the tape. Now I need some suggestions for removing the finish right up against the frets. If it helps, the finish is west systems epoxy, 2lb shellac, and em6000. Here's a pic:

Attachment:
IMG_1322e.jpg


Thanks for the help.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 6:27 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:42 pm
Posts: 1714
First name: John
Last Name: Parchem
City: Seattle
State: Wa
Zip/Postal Code: 98177
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I use a straight edge razor blade as a scraper

_________________
http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 6:31 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2006 4:10 am
Posts: 151
Location: United States
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Mason
City: Wheeling
State: IL
Zip/Postal Code: 60090
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Razor blade as a scrapper. I add masking tape with only 1/8 to 1/4 inch of the blade exposed.

_________________
Kevin Mason
Mason Guitars and Ukuleles on Facebook
http://masonguitars.net


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 6:32 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:20 am
Posts: 2593
Location: Powell River BC Canada
First name: Danny
Last Name: Vincent
What John said. That's a lot of finish. I find taping up to either side of the fret and rubbing the tape down with a small stick of wood helps. Then tape over the fret and do the same.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 7:22 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:10 pm
Posts: 2764
First name: Tom
Last Name: West
State: Nova Scotia
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
johnparchem wrote:
I use a straight edge razor blade as a scraper


Yes sir.............!
Tom

_________________
A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 7:23 pm 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13609
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Single edged razor blade also used as a scraper using the entire blade.

You can finish up with small wood blocks that are radiused to match the board with 220 on them. This is a Frank Ford method, the blocks, he's not keen on scrapers for this because of chattering.



These users thanked the author Hesh for the post: DannyV (Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:30 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:13 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:36 am
Posts: 1595
State: ON
Country: Canada
Status: Professional
In addition to what everyone has said about the razor blades, I find that a sharp chisel can often work well as a scraper. I like using my ¼" or even ⅛" chisels when I get up around the higher frets.

I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but I always make sure to break the finish at the edge of the fretboard before cleaning around fret ends. If your finish is wrapped around the edge of the fretboard onto the face, and you try to scrape it off the face you run the risk of pulling up finish along the edge of the board. Breaking the finish is easily done when the fret ends are beveled. Or if they are beveled before the finish is applied I just run my file lightly over the edge to break the finish.

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com



These users thanked the author Josh H for the post: Hesh (Fri Apr 10, 2015 1:53 pm)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:17 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:14 pm
Posts: 268
Location: Creedmoor, NC
First name: Tim
Last Name: Benware
City: Creedmoor
State: NC
Zip/Postal Code: 27522
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I use a tool they use in the Martin Factory. I was shown it's use by Dale Bartholomew who was a supervisor in the Martin finishing area for years. It has more stiffness than a razor and I was amazed how well it works. It can be seen here (go to the 37:30 mark of the video) scraping bindings after the body has been pore filled:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxR_cvJoci8

_________________
"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:32 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:42 pm
Posts: 1714
First name: John
Last Name: Parchem
City: Seattle
State: Wa
Zip/Postal Code: 98177
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Ben-Had wrote:
I use a tool they use in the Martin Factory. I was shown it's use by Dale Bartholomew who was a supervisor in the Martin finishing area for years. It has more stiffness than a razor and I was amazed how well it works. It can be seen here (go to the 37:30 mark of the video) scraping bindings after the body has been pore filled:


Is it a notched scraper? I made and used one an electric guitar after spraying a burst. It sure beat trying to tape the bindings.

_________________
http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:31 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:14 pm
Posts: 268
Location: Creedmoor, NC
First name: Tim
Last Name: Benware
City: Creedmoor
State: NC
Zip/Postal Code: 27522
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
johnparchem wrote:
Ben-Had wrote:
I use a tool they use in the Martin Factory. I was shown it's use by Dale Bartholomew who was a supervisor in the Martin finishing area for years. It has more stiffness than a razor and I was amazed how well it works. It can be seen here (go to the 37:30 mark of the video) scraping bindings after the body has been pore filled:


Is it a notched scraper? I made and used one an electric guitar after spraying a burst. It sure beat trying to tape the bindings.

No, it's basically like using a chisel backwards as a scraper but the metal is a little thinner. Got this pic off Frank Ford's site he uses one too.


You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

_________________
"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 10:07 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:51 pm
Posts: 1204
First name: Chris
Last Name: Ensor
City: Springfield
State: Missouri
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Hesh wrote:
Single edged razor blade also used as a scraper using the entire blade.

You can finish up with small wood blocks that are radiused to match the board with 220 on them. This is a Frank Ford method, the blocks, he's not keen on scrapers for this because of chattering.


Can you post a link to the radiused blocks that Frank Ford makes?

_________________
ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 12:20 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:52 am
Posts: 4524
First name: Big
Last Name: Jim
State: Deep in the heart of Bluegrass
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
johnparchem wrote:
I use a straight edge razor blade as a scraper



yep

_________________
The Shallower the depth of the stream , The Louder the Babble !
The Taking Of Offense Is the Life Course Of The Stupid One !
Wanna Leave a Better Planet for our Kids? How about Working on BETTER KIDS for our Planet !
Forgiveness is the ability to accept an apology that you will probably NEVER GET
The truth will set you free , But FIRST, it will probably Piss you Off !
Creativity is allowing yourself to make Mistakes, Art is knowing which ones to Keep !
The Saddest thing anyone can do , is push a Loyal Person to the point that they Dont Care Anymore
Never met a STRONG person who had an EASY past !
http://wiksnwudwerks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/GatewayA ... rAssembly/


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:04 pm 
Offline
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13609
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Chris Ensor wrote:
Hesh wrote:
Single edged razor blade also used as a scraper using the entire blade.

You can finish up with small wood blocks that are radiused to match the board with 220 on them. This is a Frank Ford method, the blocks, he's not keen on scrapers for this because of chattering.


Can you post a link to the radiused blocks that Frank Ford makes?


Hey Chris: I just did a couple of searches of Frank's posts and can't find it.... I also went to FRETS and could not find it there either. I am sure that he posted some pics and likely last fall IIRC.

Maybe someone can help me find it, please? Thanks.

Anyway they are simply small wooden blocks that are smaller than the distance between frets so that with sand paper (wonder if this will offend the plane guys..... :D ) attached you sand between the frets.

On constant radius boards this would be a pretty easy shop-made tool and could be done on compound radius too with perhaps 1/2" thick super dense rubber blocks that can still conform to the radius.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Apr 11, 2015 10:27 pm 
Offline
Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:38 am
Posts: 13
Zip/Postal Code: 60622
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
Wait till you're ready to do the fretwork. All that will come off if you bevel the edge of the fingerboard/frets with a bastard file and/or block with sandpaper Less risk of chip-out than scraping! Whatever is left over can be scraped with a good razor blade.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 2:21 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7534
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
A good example of why I prefer to fret after finishing. Both ways work of course, but for me fretting is the 3rd to last step.



These users thanked the author meddlingfool for the post: Hesh (Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:07 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:05 am 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Fri Apr 05, 2013 6:02 pm
Posts: 232
First name: sam
Last Name: guidry
State: michigan
Country: us
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I break the finish with 400 grit paper and then scrape clean. No need to over complicate it.



These users thanked the author uvh sam for the post: kencierp (Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:23 am)
Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:24 am 
Offline
Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 11:03 am
Posts: 1737
Location: Litchfield MI
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Quote:
I break the finish with 400 grit paper and then scrape clean. No need to over complicate it.


Ditto

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 17 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com