Official Luthiers Forum!

I've never used a hand planer and there sure seems to be
a lot of choices and then upkeep.

After playing guitar for many years I decided last year to
try and build one (electric).

I do apologize for not having anything to share but I sure
appreciate any help that's offered.

I just recently found this place and the talent here just amazes me.

The reason I think I need a hand planer is to flatten the neck surface
for the fretboard. Sanding it on a hard flat surface doesn't seem to be
the correct way as I see little areas that show the glue and I believe
I'm clamping the fretboard right.

I've really only done one forum thing...so coming up with a name was
about as hard as a band name.

Thanks,
Michael

Michael,
I think you would do yourself a huge favor by finding an adult education night course in basic woodworking. Such a course would cover the uses of long sanding blocks AND hand planes, and so much more. Further, if you tell your instructor up front what you are trying to accomplish, you will probably get a lot of specific tool instruction that will help you. I'm giving you this advice because your flattening problem can be handled in a variety of ways, and all those ways are equally good. But they all require skill with the tools. Ergo, either find a class, or an experienced friend who can teach you some tips and techniques. Then practice each step on scraps before you apply them to the instrument you want to build. Don't be discouraged, don't look back, keep your eyes on the prize and press on! You will find lots and lots of helpful advise on this forum. But first, you need to acquire some basic skills, and they will come fairly easily with some practice. I sure hope this response doesn't offend you. I know it's not the simple answer you hoped to read. Press on, and let's see some pics of your guitar when it is finished!
Patrick

Hey Michael,

I agree with the guys in their suggestion that your instruments would benefit a great deal from you learning some hands on basics at a course or shared workshop but will also add that it is common practice to use a scrapper to take just a nat's dick of wood from the centre of neck surface so it is ever so slightly concave and during glue up to use a clamping caul that focuses pressure on the outer edges of the fretboard.

Doing this will most likely eliminate those gaps or glue lines you are currently seeing.

Cheers

Kim

Thank you for the advise and information.

Although school recommendation is a good thing and can benefit most all, it is
not a part time nor full time option to me.

I must respectfully state, my questions where about hand planers and upkeep/sharpening and
if you were to make recommendations for one and a sharpening system to a beginner, for
planing headstocks and fretboards, what would it be. ( length, blade angle, electric sharpeners, Japanese water stones...etc.)

Patrick as soon as I figure out how to post a pic, I will, as the FAQ didn't help-nothing I tried let me see a photo in preview.

Kim, thank you! I'll be using that technique in my next build.

Appreciate your time and efforts folks,
Michael

Alright, figured out how to do the pic's.

This is my lastest build for a guy in Ohio.
12" radius. 25.5 Fender scale. Neck-thru. Seymour Duncan pups.
Oil finish. Vol., tone and blender (blk cap knob)
Double action truss (4mm) and two graphite rods...overkill for this neck but why not?
I cut the fret slots and radius the ebony too.

Tone and playing action is killer. The bad thing is that it, as well as the Strat style (my first build) made
all my Fender and Gibsons worth much less...I don't even play them now.

I've managed to build , in order, a lap steel, a Strat style (for me), a 5 str bass and this Tele style (both by request
of other pickers).

I gathered as much info on the internet and read a few very good books in about a six month period in my
spare time. During that time I was gathering tools as I learned about the procedures.
Although the instruments have turned out way beyond anything I could imagine or expect that I could do, I know
there is still an amazing amount to learn. I already realize that I'll probably never be satisfied.
I must say that getting a thumbs up and encouragement from Mr.John Page let me know I'd probably be doing
this as long as I'm able. I must add that he is one of the nicest and most giving people I've had the pleasure to
communicate with.

I hope my photo skills suffice and if there are questions or something I may be able to offer help with please feel free.
I hope you like my Tele style and if you'd like to see others I know how to post the pic's now

Oh...those little white specs you may see on the fretboard is metal polishing dust.

Well, Michael,
You didn't tell us you had already achieved a result like this--or anything near this result. I think this is a wonderful guitar! Okay, man, since you obviously know your way around some other tools, I will now modify my advice. I do think the scraper suggestion is probably the best solution to your specific problem, but you can certainly achieve the same thing with a plane. Or even a sanding block. I will leave it to the others to recommend a specific plane to you. In general, I'd say shorter planes for removing small high spots and longer planes for a final, full-length pass (if a full pass is necessary). A short smoothing plane, with a slightly convex edge on the iron will do the same trick as the scraper. There is nothing inherently wrong with an old plane, as long as all the parts are there and as long as they are reasonably sound. I've acquired most of my planes as hand me downs, or as yard sale and flea market purchases. You can find tons of specific instruction on tuning and sharpening (don't skip any steps, even with a brand new plane). Then get yourself a stick of about the same length and width and start practicing. Now...let's see what specific planes the pros recommend. I will be interested, too. Congrats on that nice tele!
Patrick

It was my first post Patrick.
Even with the results I have to say it's not experience but desire and I believe
that holding a guitar for so many years has helped very much.

I've learned a great deal in the last couple of weeks reading and watching the
videos here. What a bunch of fantastic artist offering others a chance
to experience their craftsmanship.

Looking for a used one is a great idea. They are very expensive and I imagine, as
you mentioned, I'll probably be needing a few of them.

I did find a video about sharpening (double bevel) with the Japanese water stones.
I believe that is the sharpening method I'll be going for.

Thank you very much Patrick and also for the kudos. If you look at the 5th picture-notice
the joining of the body wing to the neck-thru. It is a good example of the problem I'm
having. Granted it is a very small line but I believe I should be doing better.
I do sand these areas with 80 grit as I've read that it helps the wood fibers interweave
and helps to create a "seamless" joining so sense it's not, I'm looking for the solution with the thought
being- I'm not getting flat enough. Of course, what do I know? I'm just trying...

I too look forward to hearing more about hand planes.

Michael

Michael, I had to look a couple of times before I saw it. I don't think it's a big imperfection, but it bothers you, so I admire your determination to get it mastered. It'll be interesting to see what the others have to say. That sort of little gap could actually be made worse by hand planing in a free hand manner. You might read up on "shooting boards". I think to get two absolutely straight, square and plumb gluing surfaces in a situation like that, you would need a well set-up machine jointer, or a real well-tuned hand plane with a straight cutting edge on the iron and a good shooting board. It's not a problem to build a shooting board, once you know what is to be achieved. You built that tele, so you can handle building a shooting board. Just google up some information and do your homework. You are going to be fine. And I look forward to seeing more nice instruments from you. Gee, man, I wish all mine looked that nice!
Patrick

Nice instrument, Michael!

I like the old Stanley planes, but if I had money to burn,
I'd get one of the fancy new ones.
Todd Stock had a thread going called "scary sharp", or something like that,
where you grind a 25 degree bevel with a coarse stone,
then grind and hone a 30 bevel.
Works really good!
Easy to do too.
Get a honing guide.
$10 or so.....

Really nice guitar Michael!Love the wood and detail - really clean work....I'm nearing the end of my first build and I used a sanding block on the first fretboard - seemed to come out fine - it was a 16" radius and got the stewmac maple 8" block. I just finished my second fretboard out of Cocobolo and ran it through my planer first, then sanded the radius again - lotza work, but I have been googling the neck radius jigs out there. Looking forward to seeing your next guitar!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

Patrick as you suggested I did check out the "shooting board"- thanks.
I'll be building one when I get a planer.

Alan, thank you for the kudos!
Gathering info is a must as I know nothing about them...well
I've learned much in the last week. I appreciate your leads.
Yeah..money to burn isn't easy to get so I need to take my best
shot.
After the info I've received here I will be waiting awhile now. I will be
double checking the jointer work and my use of the scrapper. My problem
could very easily be operator failure.

Virgil, thank you!
I've been reading you post and it's amazing. I can sure relate to the
trip of ones first build as mine wasn't long ago.
You have sure taken it farther than I could have-I felt lucky to get
the inlayed dots done. Especially the side markers.
I hope to try doing some inlaying next year...at least practicing some.

I too hand radiused the fretboards for my first guitar and bass. I used
the Stu-Mac aluminum bar-12" radius. (all have been ebony)
I then purchased a Grizzly G0574 so I could do compound radius. I used
it for the Tele style and one I'm currently building-a Strat/Gibson hybrid but
neither have a compound board.(owners didn't want compound)

Thank you guys
Michael

Very cool!

G0574???

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar

http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G0574-Rad ... B0002U8EXI

I couldn't find another way to link in the FAQ- guess this is only way?

Yeah, that was strange - I looked on Grizzly with your part # and it wouldn't show up, but your link, well... you know the rest. I have been looking at making one of my own, just like other tools I am trying to make - I am trying to develop a jig for my Rigid Oscillating sander right now - will post any inventions I make!

_________________
"Talking about music is like dancing over architecture".
See the most insane first guitar build: http://www.virgilguitar.com
http://www.youtube.com/VirgilGuitar