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Right on Hesh! Superb execution, as usual...

Just a little cautionary note to my OLF brethren... Always wear eye protection while 'tonkin' in the dots while using CA...

I got a drop in the eye a few weeks ago (doing just that, pressing the dot into the hole) and I was lucky it was minimal enough not to weld shut! My eye felf really weird for a few days though...

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Is this akin to my mother's admonition to me as a kid to: "keep your eyes glued to your schoolbook!"

Hesh - Once again, thanks for the clear tutorial.  But, where are the shavings?

And, by the way, I am so glad to see you better health wise.

Steve

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Steve Walden
Aspiring Builder,
Bartlesville, OK

Nice idea, Hesh.

Just a thought, if you used a fence on the drill press you'd automatically have all your dots drilled at the same distance from the edge. Then you'd only have to worry about centering the bit side to side.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I use a variant of this idea, and one issue I have ran into with these small drill bits is getting flex in the bit and the hole is a little off... not a lot, but enough that it bugs me.

The thing I keep meaning to try, but havn't got around to yet is finding a perfect size router bit and trying that instead.

Thanks for posting this Hesh!

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Very nice Hesh!

For what its worth, I "tonk" the dots in first, then flood with thin CA. That way it dont spit in your eye

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

To help keep the 1/16" bit from wandering just "chuck" it up in the drill
chuck until only about 1/4" of the bit is showing. Then it will be very
precise.

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

[QUOTE=Brock Poling]
one issue I have ran into with these small drill bits is getting flex in the bit and the hole is a little off... not a lot, but enough that it bugs me.

[/QUOTE]

Brock,

LMI has very small brad point drill bits that are just right for this application. They match the various dot sizes they sell, no wander, flat bottom on the hole, schweet.

Cheers

Kim

[QUOTE=LanceK] Very nice Hesh!

For what its worth, I "tonk" the dots in first, then flood with thin CA. That way it dont spit in your eye [/QUOTE]

Yes, and that's the way I'll be doing it from now on!!!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Cool stuff Hesh, I usually just throw a dart and use that as a marker to hog out the hole!! You keep on doing these tutorials and someones gonna make you to write a book!!!

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Wow! Talk about a thread covering all the bases! Hesh, I do it with the sandwich, drill press, bit choked WAY up, fence, and CA after I put the dot in, but I prefer to "tink" them in...I can therefore charge more for my guitar than if I "tonked" them in...

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

We won't discuss the time that I superglued my finger to my nose..........

Al

 I too use a fence for consistent distance from edge.   I use a 3/32" dremel drill bit chucked in my drill press.  It doesn't wander a bit. (no pun intended).

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Good tutorial Hesh and a lot of good suggestions. I have been doing it by hand.I think I'll try some of these tips!
Thanks

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Great thread!

I do have one question... I have been using the white plastic material from StewMac for fingerboard dots and it is working fine. I would love to use MOP or Paua instead. What size dots are you using and where did you get them?

 

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Reguards,

Ken H

I guess I should have said "side dots" , not fingerboard dots.... I have been using 4 to 6mm MOP dots for the fingerboards, but the side dots is the 1/8" plastic material from StewMac.

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Reguards,

Ken H

Todd, do you find that the holes in your little jig become over-sized after several uses? No big deal to make up a new one, I guess... I'm just wondering.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I use a fence to set the side to side distance, then drill all the holes with a 1/16 router bit as a predrill. Then put in the the right size drill bit, redrill the holes, no wandering. The nice thing about the fence is I can easily do a number of fretboards if required with no setup changes. Its pretty fast.

As for depth on shell dots, the I use 2mm dots and an imperial drill bit thats a hair smaller, then the shell press fits and unless you purposely drive it too deep, it never happens. I use a flat screwdriver to press the shell, its level every time.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Ken, I use the 2mm dots and the brad-point bit from LMI. Awesome bit and it gives me a perfect fit every time.

The shell dots are usually in the 53-55 thou range in thickness. You get a hang for how deep to drill. Even when I'm using tape as a stop, I can go too deep some times. I just measure the depth with the caliper and add sawdust with CA if I've gone too far. You can always re-drill and start again.   

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I use 1.5 mm dots.

Speaking of dots... (and sorry to change the subject, but this seems related enough to ask)

does anyone know where to find tiny plug cutters so we can make our own? I would like to have even smaller dots.. maybe 1 mm, but I can't seem to find any suppliers with them that small.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com