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Hey guys, I don't know what most of you use for fitting braces but I just picked up one of the japanese files from Woodcraft yesterday and I love the little thing. I was using a little riffler but I thought it was too coarse. Here's a link http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/208047 ... e-Cut.aspx They are a little spendy but I really like it. Lee Valley has them too. Just thought I'd pass that along....I don't own Woodcraft or Lee Valley so I'm not making any commissions.
Jason

Jason-
Looks like a useful tool....
I haven't found those fine tooth files at LeeValley. Do you have a link or item# for the LV equivalent?

I did buy a pair of 'Japanese Wood Files' at LeeValley a few weeks ago, thinking I might use them to shape guitar necks.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=63451&cat=1,42524
I've kept them, but haven't found a use for them yet- MUCH too aggressive for any task I've tried them on. (They would shred most brace stock I use, and ripped out hunks of a Sp. cedar neck blank.)
The Nicholson rasp(s) really can't be beat for neck shaping, IMO.

Cheers
John

Hey John, that link you provided is what I was talking about. I guess I didn't look at the LV very closely, I assumed they had coarse, medium and fine. You don't like them for necks? Because that's what I was looking to try.
Jason

Jason-
If you have to have just one neck-shaping tool (other than usual planes, etc) I'd recommend the Nicholson rasp- pricey but good.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=30288&cat=1,42524
I use the #50 but it is very similar to the #49.
You could do a complete neck with the Nicholson and some sanding sticks.

I find that I also use a couple of smaller LV 'Hand cut' rasps (Ajax and Blundell) for some work around the heel and headstock.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=20133&cat=1,42524
A small round rasp can be handy around volutes, the other one I use is a half round-flat combo.

I also have a 'half-round' (it's really about 1/8 round) Microplane blade that fits in a hacksaw frame which works really well around the heel-
http://us.microplane.com/30010halfroundraspfor12hacksawframe.aspx.

Note- this is not the same as the blade in the 'handled' Microplanes, which I've found to be useless for wood - flimsy, slow cutting and they clog up very quickly. They work great for doing lemon peel zest in the kitchen, though...

I used to use sanding drums quite a lot for neck work , but not much nowadays, except for the curved transition from fingerboard to the headstock, when I use a drum in the drill press.

Cheers
John

I keep telling myself that I need to find a shaper for roughing out necks. If I find one for a steal I probably will. You don't like those japanese files on maple?
J

For shaping necks - chisels, rasps, microplanes, or whatever gets the job done

For fitting braces on carved soundboards you want a sharp chisel.

cheers