Fret Board Radius Routing Guide from NocetiCustomGuitars

Rating: ***** (out of five stars possible)

Wow, wow, and still yet, wow. It is not my intention to recommend any one jig over another jig. It’s just that this one works so well. What a great tool. Apparently, they only sell through ETSY. (I have no business or commercial connection with this outfit whatsoever.)

With the demise of Luthiers Mercantile International, there is no place to buy really excellent fret board radius machining. There may be others, but I am tired of paying extra for it.

Enter the Fret Board Radius Routing Jig from NocetiCustomGuitars. Assuming the hard wood support/guide system that you build is accurately built, this jig works wonders. The radius and the routed finish are excellent. Can not believe another jig is as good though probably there are some. However, you might say the jig base system which you build out of hard wood is the most important part.

The router radius jig comes with a router radius guide working with a fret board length wise guide. The router guide has holes accurately drilled for many different routers. I installed the Dewalt DWP611PK router. I like the power, weight, high speed and small size this tool offers.

Before using the jig you have to prepare a long hardwood base on which to run the fret board length wise guide. This is the most challenging part of using these guides because the guide base must fit the fret board length wise guide perfectly. I was only able to build one using my vintage Wood Tech cone sanding disk. See my article on this table saw tool on my website. You may find quality results with other tools.

The hardwood length wise guide must have correct jig appropriate width and must support the full length of the fret board plus another foot or so on length each end. This is wood working at its most accurate and detailed best.

Steps are to install your router on the radius guide, center and install the fret board on the length wise guide using double stick golf club tape (strong enough to hold, weak enough to remove without breaking the fret board), place the radius guide and router on the lengthwise guide, set router depth to just cut the fret board top surface, turn on the router off the board, route the board, sand with 220 then 320 grit and you are done.

As usual, the devil is in the details.

Dave from moonlightluthiers.com