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I used to have some small indexing pins with a matching bit that I could fit in the fret slot of the fretboard to align the fretboard to the neck when gluing on the fretboard to the neck.
I can't find them. Does anyone know of a source for these for these small metal indexing pins?

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Formerly know as Mandodiddle.

I use 1/2" long brads. The ones I have require a #56 drill.

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John

It's going to be hard to find a common drill bit smaller than 1/32 in diameter. 1/32 is wider than most fret slots so it isn't going to fit "in" the slot, but will be covered by the fret, so it doesn't really have to fit in the slot. If that's how you want to register the FB to the neck, look on amazon for a "pak" of 1/32 bits like --

Look on Amazon for 1/32 drill bits, Owl Tools

And make your pins out of the shanks of the xtra bits.

You can look for brads with the same or close dia and make pins from them but it's hard to find a perfect match.

Actually, you can use a brad as the pin and to drill the hole. Just nip off the head of the brad and chuck it in your drill to drill a hole the same size as the brad you'll use as a pin. It works. Try it in scrap to see. Of course you'll need longer brads, like 1" or so.

Personally, I temporarily glue a small block of spruce to the fingerboard on the nut end and another near the end of the neck. Then glue a couple small blocks to the neck on both ends that the FB blocks can fit in. I use them to hold the FB to the neck in proper position. After the FB is glued, its pretty easy to chisel off the tiny spruce blocks. No hassle with removing pins or interference with cauls used to clamp the FB to the neck. Sometimes I glue a couple tiny spruce blocks to the neck blank that hold the FB centered to the neck too. Works really well if you want to try something different.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

In case you don't find the indexing pins, #17 brads combined with a 0.057" bit are another option that works nicely. Solid snug fit with no free play. The bit is wider than the fret slot, but the hole is covered by fretwire sizes wider than narrow fretwire. MSC Direct sells 0.057" bits.

After tapping the brads into the holes drilled in the neck, I nip them off at 3/32" above the neck surface and press the fretboard down onto them. That height is too short to interfere with the fret tangs.


"Actually, you can use a brad as the pin and to drill the hole. Just nip off the head of the brad and chuck it in your drill to drill a hole the same size as the brad you'll use as a pin. It works. Try it in scrap to see."

I'm going to have to give that a try. Thanks for the tip, Brian.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I use 1/16 aluminum welding rod. Two holes in first fret, two in last fret on neck. Don’t use a jig so that no fingerboard can lock onto another neck when gluing up more than one. Holes are covered by fret. Start the drill in reverse to avoid tear out of the fret slot…

In a pinch you can use the smallest bit in the dremel drill bit set at the Home Depot with a couple 18 gauge brads from a nailer.


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Insta - https://www.instagram.com/cbcguitars/
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Index pins are available from McMaster Carr


Steve

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I use the side dot plastic rods from StewMac (or Amazon—much cheaper) and a 1/16” holes at the fret slots ( the fret completely covers the rod). I just leave them in. The plastic won’t harm the edge of any tool used to remove the fretboard far in the future. After the fingerboard is glued, the slot will have to be reopened with a saw—no problem. I didn’t invent this. I think it’s one of the StewMac tips and tricks.

I use 3/64 (0.046” / 1.19mm) drills, bought in bulk from Amazon for under $10. Wider than the slot but narrower than the fret crown.

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

Ditto.

Numbered drill bits run down to less than 0.006" diameter, and they are close enough in diameter spacing that a two-thousandth of an inch fit can be accomplished for pretty much any brad or pin stock under 1/16". Our preferred Amazon vendor, Drill America, can get HSS, cobalt, and carbide number and letter drill bits to the shop in what is usually two days. When we used alignment pins on fretboards (for replacement jobs, with the wood reference blocks usually used on new construction), either aluminum or brass rod with appropriate numbered bit got used. As mentioned, aluminum welding rod is available in a number of sizes of both rod and spooled wire... I would imagine a one pound tube or spool would be a lifetime supply.

Not guitars, but I did get to drill a bunch of #40, #41, #30, and #31 holes in one of the projects on the loooong bench (10.5' currently or 16' with the third section installed) at Greenridge on Sunday...was fun! Not as much fun as hammer-forming aluminum, but still cathartic. My comment that it looked like a piece of set dressing for a Broadway version of Hellraiser (HR - The Musical!!!) was not warmly received.

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A constellation only takes shape when one maps the whole.
- Beth Brower

Wing flap for a Bonanza?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

That is a beautiful thing.

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

I use No. 60 drill bits (approx 1mm). Drill in the fret slot flip the bit over and use the shank as a pin.
That control surface does look pretty great!

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

This is a flap for a Bearhawk Patrol... I have done a bit of work on it where time allowed. This is a two place short runway/back-country airplane with a metal wing (other than the fabric covering on the wing control surfaces) and a steel tube/fabric covered body.

I somewhat foolishly committed to riveting the main wing when the time comes, which I recently found out (during a Sunday shop visit to another builder's project) is noisy, boring, repetitive work. I liken it to blocking guitar bodies while sitting in a shipping container during a hail storm.

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A constellation only takes shape when one maps the whole.
- Beth Brower

Wait, aviation is supposed to be glamorous.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Why sure it is, wink, wink (23 years first as an aircraft mechanic then later as a flight test engineer).

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Cool! I'm sure you heard about the two airline pilots walking down the ramp and spotted the guy that empties the holding tanks from the airliner rest rooms. He was covered with sewage and reeked to high heaven.

"Man did you ever think of getting a better job?" they asked.

He said "Are you kidding me, get out of aviation?"


Back to topic what I have been doing for many years is using a jig that is actually a faux fretboard with centering dowels for the truss rod slot and a couple of 1/8" drill guide bushings located so they work with different scales and 12 or 14 frets at the body. I clamp it to the neck and drill the holes and then clamp the fretboard to the other side lining up the center lines and drill the board. I've been using wood pins. I've found it to be quite accurate.

IMG_1807 by Terence Kennedy, on Flickr

IMG_1808 by Terence Kennedy, on Flickr

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I do it very much like how Terence does it, only with 3/8" thick acrylic. It works great! This is also how I locate bridges and headplates for gluing. I make my own 1/8" dowels with a dowel plate, because the ones you buy at craft stores always seem to be something other than exactly 1/8". Drill bushings are not cheap, but I think they are worth it to get this level of location accuracy.

I use 1/16" brass rod, obtained at a local hardware store or hobby shop. Cut it by rolling under a knife, and file off the burr, wire cutters will just mash it flat.

here's another way that doesn't use pins. This is the way I do it mostly now. The block can be chiseled of or just cut off when shaping the neck.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Love this!

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Measure Twice,

Karl Borum