Tips, Discoveries, and so called trade secrets

[thefishinmusician]

If it's fine with Frank, is this forum open to sharing tips and stuff..Like,where do you acess the truss rod adjustment on a Tama 12 string??? Hint...look under the nut...

[Frank Ford]

You bet it's fine! That's a great we all learn stuff - by sharing.

For those who may not have noticed, I have 407 of my favorite shop tips posted on Home Shop Tech

[Mike Kolb]

I second Frank's shop tips on the Home Shop Tech page.... very cool ideas hatched from his considerable experience. The things he can do with everyday items is amazing.... the McGyver of guitar repair!

StewMac has long since stopped doing it, but they used-to publish 3 or 4 pages of "trade secrets" in every new catalog that they'd print. The good news is that they've compiled all of the ideas into 2 books called (oddly enough) "Trade Secrets Vol's I & II". They're really worth their weight in gold and cover a zillion little ideas (and some not so little ones) that make for some great reading and lots of "duh-why-didn't-I-think-of-that" moments. Highly recommended.

[thefishinmusician]

Ah yes,I remember waiting for the catolog....It's online now,but I do miss the new ideas that came with your new catolog...It was like getting the new playboy and checking out the interviews and articles...God I'm getting old...I'll have some stuff soon,but I just tried to upload photo's onto my computing machine..I did it before, and now it's not working..onwards into the 90's....

[thefishinmusician]

Here we go..I think I figured this out...First shot...Shoe rack clamp holder..find them at any thrift store or yard sale...2nd,crochet hook to use for springs on tremelos..again thrift or sale...3rd,to heat frets,solder gun cut ,tip cut and split...file grooves to keep the feet on the frets..a couple of seconds..(I use a little paint brush to line the fret with a bit of water)..when the fret bubbles or steams..It's plenty hot for pulling..I have noticed a MAJOR difference in the amount of chipping on many ebony and rosewood fingerboards...Even noticed a difference on finished maple,even toughskin..Don't let it get too hot,on maple you can scorch it..just long enough so you can see it start to steam..again,just a few seconds is all it takes...Thank you Frank, and special thanks to Leanord Shapiro for the solder gun trick..p.s....rumor has it that a gun can screw with your pickup magnatism or something, so move them out of harms way...

[thefishinmusician]

I think I may have figured this stuff out..first pic...shoe rack clamp storage..any thrift store..second and third..heating frets for removal..solder gun..tip cut and opened...bend little legs,file grooves to go over frets,press the trigger and boom...frets heated in just a couple of seconds!! I moisten the frets with a touch of water, and when it just begins to steam,the frets are way hot enough for the pullin'..I have noticed a substantional reduction in the chippage on ebony and rosewood,as well as maple finished boards. Even on sideways out Fender toughskin!,..Don't linger too long...just enough for the first sign of steam..I have also heard that it may fluck with the pickups,so keep them out of the way...Thanx again to Frank, and thanks to Moses Oakland for the solder gun tip!!!!.

[Ronnie Nichols]

Speaking of sharing tips and stuff, I'd like to use this posting as an apportunity to thank Frank Ford for being willing to share his wisdom and technical experience with others. Anybody with any luthier skills only needs to look at his website and it's evident that his knowledge comes from REAL experience and not from some book he has read. So, thanks Frank for everything.
My experiences with these online forums has not been good. I tried posting some info on another "musical instrument makers" forum. One of my postings was immediately removed. When I asked why in another post it was also immediately removed. Someone had asked a question about a proceedure that I'd had considerable experience with. I was trying to help and somehow it wasn't appreciated. I made a reference to my website where I had a detailed article about the topic. I don't know why it was removed (maybe they thought I was trying to promote some commercial venture) but it left a bad taste in my mouth. They didn't even try to explain what I did wrong. I think some people see these forums as a glorified "show and tell". I'm willing to share some of the things I've learned here. I just want people to understand that my reason for posting here is not to impress someone with my knowledge. It is a way to carry on the tradition that Frank has started. He could probably have published all his info in a book and made some real money from the sales. Maybe he will do so yet. The CD of his site is a valuable thing to me. I'd suggest that every luthier could benefit from the info contained on it. I play some banjo and I've noticed through the years that some musicians are willing to share what they know and others seem like they are afraid you'll learn more than they know. I'm glad Frank falls into the first category.

Here is a little tip I learned about inlaying. I needed a pearl dot that wasn't a standard size (or maybe I just didn't have any dots at the time). I tried making a bit to saw a dot from a small piece of pipe. It worked pretty well on wood but the pearl wanted to flake off with this setup. I finally came up with this idea which has worked for me several times. You find a drill bit the size you want the dot. Turn it around and use the other end of the bit for this (not the business end). You may need to grind the end down flat. You can glue a piece of flat pearl stock onto the end of this bit (I use CA glue) and chuck it into a drill. Holding a file or a piece of sandpaper against the spinning bit will create a dot and you also have a bit to drill the hole. You can grind the excess down first with a grinder (or as Frank says introduce it to Mr.Belt Sander). You also may be able to grind it evenly by hand without it spinning in a drill. Either way the drill bit makes a good pattern to shape these dots. When the dot is completed, a little pressure from a single edge razor blade or a quick soak in acetone will usually pop it right off. This might help you sometime when you don't have the proper size dot and don't want to wait until you order some. I've also learned to resharpen the drill bit that I use to drill the hole for the inlay. I've found that a flatter, less aggressive angle on the bit will not usually tear out the wood fibers fibers as much. I also have tried running the drill backward as the hole is started. This also helps with the tearout.
Ronnie Nichols

[Russell Vance]

Hey, Ronnie, your sentiments are appreciated - difficult situation when forum members or administrators/mediators mistake good intentions or knowledge for something else. The 'skinny' on a clean drill entry line is to use what is called a Forstener (or another commercial name is Stubai) bit which has a circular cutting edge with a couple of protruding v.sharp wings which take care of the entry cut. These bits also have a pin sharp centering guide so the drill does not wobble in a pilot hole like standard engineering twist drills do (I used to wonder why my fingerboard dots didn't line up exactly - that was the reason).

Frank Ford is a legend - a national treasure along with Dan the Man - I would not be where I am in the business had it not been for these guys. The Big Buzz precis and Nut building instructions in particular turned me into an instant expert (talk wize anyway- it took my years to competently apply the techniques and develop the skills and patience needed to live up to expectations!).

My trade tip, and I think I saw it somewhere else first - my apols ifn this is the case - is when installing bone nuts or using synthetics such as Delrin I drill a couple of holes in the base (bottom) of the nut (3/32" round - 1/16 deep) and put a good dollop of glue in the hole to create a hard glue dimple which situates the nut laterally on some of the shaky nut ledges we deal with. I also glue the nut on the endgrain face of the fingerboard rather than the across the whole base so the neck wood doesn't tear out when removing the nut (the endgrain bond separates easily). The exception is maple necks which don't tear out much anyway and especially the curved nut slots on Fender electrics which actually need a bit of glue in the base to provide a conformal cushion and prevent nut cracking due to unsupported stress where the radius is non complient. Seeya, Rusty.

The day to day tools I can't live without are: an engineering scribe, cotton buds, Stickit abrasives, hemostats, diamond fret files, Micromesh and morning coffee. Love my job. Rusty.

[thefishinmusician]

An alternative to spending the money for Stickit abrasives,I've been using a good double back carpet tape.Then any grit or type of sandpaper can be used.I also lucked out at a yard sale years ago and got 10 big rolls for 5 bucks.It hasn't deteriorated,can be laid flat,and is also usefull for anchoring routing templates,,jig making,and sticking things to other things.It is also available in a clear form,wich can be a big help sometimes..If you are worried about a finish,first cover the area to be routed with low tack masking tape..I also used to use spray adheasive,but its harder to remove it from the surface you are applying it to,like radius blocks etc...I also agree with the diamond fret files,morning coffee and would like to add that a sip of Makers Mark after a hard day of fixing somebodies loved one ends the day nicely....p.s...hot tip on the nut glueing to the end grain!! I'll always do that in the future! thanks!!!!

[Frank Beard]

I don't feel like I'm experienced enough to post a tip but here goes nothing.

When drilling a hole at the 15th fret, for injecting steam to remove a neck, I've found a way to fill that hole easily. After removing the neck, I scrape the wet glue off the back of the fretboard extension and I always have plenty of rosewood slivers mixed in with the goo, so I just poke the pilot hole full of the wood/glue mixture, until it's packed full. Then I turn it over and mash the excess down flat. Lastly, I clean out the fret slot, before it dries and hardens.

Usually, the fret covers up most of my 5/64" hole but I just prefer filling it.

Hope someone can use this,
Frank Beard

[thefishinmusician]

O.K....here goes..A tip of the halto hat to Leaonard Shapiro for this hot tip..literally..To heat frets for removal... Split the tip of an ordinary soldering gun, bend the tips into little legs, and file grooves in them to fit over the fret tops..Place the legs on the frets, pull the trigger and zoom..Hot fret in less than 5 seconds!!I like to moisten the fret edge, and then you can see the heat work..As soon as you see a puff of steam, you're there!..I've seen a reduction of chipping in almost all cases, and I think it even helps a bit on a sideways out Fender exstraction..Be carefull not to leave it on past the first sign of heating..( Don't burn the board )..I have also heard that the gun may in some way mess with a pickups magnaticity, so I make sure to move/remove the pickups foist...I have also enclosed a shot of my shoe rack clamp holding station..wioks like a charm!...Wife.." Why do you have so many guitars? You can only play one at a time! "..Hubby.." Why do you have so many pairs of shoes? ..Thanks again Frank..This is fun!!

[Tom Krebs]

I am a shrink tubing freak. On hollow body electronics through the f-hole jobs; I use small slivers to make sort of o-rings at the pot bases to hold the star washers on while rigging the guts back inside. A long piece can be used to feed the pots through as well. Just heat one end onto your pot shaft. Slip a piece over a capo and wax it for a quick clamp to glue down loose frets. Tool handles can be made easier to grip and different colors identify sizes. I also covered my long screwdriver shafts to protect finish and hardware while doing intonation - especially on Fender guitars. Works great on those slippery fingernail clipper handles!

These ideas stemmed from another person suggesting tubing as a drill depth stop. Maybe from the Trade Secrets books?

btw Stew Mac Trade Secrets are still alive and well via email.

[Rick Hoey]

Here is a really small tip I remembered this morning as the bristles and ferrule of cheap brush slipped into my shellac jar. I use really cheap brushes for non-critical jobs: some sealing and priming, gluing, dusting, applying some chemicals etc. I buy them at dollar stores, as long as they are cheap, have wooden handles and natural bristles. The downside of these and some other brushes is that the ferrules often are loose or become loose. I have tried super glue, crimping with pliers,hammers and other tools. One day I saw my spring loaded center punch in my drawer and the bell went off. I just punch a few dimples in the ferrule and things are good. It takes all of two seconds. That's it, nothing revelatory here, but it saves me time.