Omar Al-Mufti - 6-14-2015 at 06:15 AM
Dear member,
I would highly appreciate it if anyone could provide me with diagrams or photos exhibiting how fingerboard planeing should be done for both long and
short fingerboards.....of course with reference to the soundboard.
I know that it is not simply "plane"....I have noticed a curve ...but I still haven't figured out the logic.
Thanks a lot
Alfaraby - 6-14-2015 at 08:28 AM
A curve ? Where ?
Dr. Oud - 6-14-2015 at 08:33 AM
The fingerboard can be sanded flat, but planing would be difficult and risky. You'll need a flat sanding block longer and wider than the fingerboard
so that the sanding block is always covering the fingerboard. I use a piece of plywood or particle board as these are manufactured flat. If you use a
piece of scrap wood, it can be made flat b y sanding it on a plate glass table. The soundboard may need to be sanded with the fingerboard if it is
flush and parallel with the fingerboard.Start with 80-100 grit garnet sandpaper until the entire fingerboard has the same surface appearance. When you
start the low spots will no show any sanding marks. You can check it with a straight edge ruler or scale. When flat, change to 150 grit until the
surface is smoother with all the 80 grit marks gone. Continue with 220 grit until all the 150 grit marks are gone. the surface can now be polished
with 0000 steel wool to remove the 220 grit marks. Finally apply Tung oil to the surface, let it soak in for an hour or so, wipe dry and you're done.
Omar Al-Mufti - 6-14-2015 at 10:05 AM
So it is plane!!!!!
Really? I thought there should be a slight curve!!!!!
jdowning - 6-14-2015 at 12:06 PM
A slight longitudinal concave curve of the fingerboard is sometimes used on fretted instruments with relatively short necks like the European lute -
sometimes together with graduated fret diameters (reducing from nut to sound board) - all with the objective of minimising the string action
(clearance) above each fret. A lute fingerboard may also be slightly crowned across its width both to ensure tightness of the fret against the
fingerboard surface and to facilitate stopping of the strings on wider fingerboards typically found on late Renaissance or Baroque lutes.
Early lutes were made with plane/flat fingerboards like the oud perhaps only with graduated frets (as most likely were the early fretted ouds prior to
the 16th C ).
Not sure how the modern long necked fretted instruments like the Turkish great tanbur or the baglama saz are usually set up.
Omar Al-Mufti - 6-14-2015 at 12:18 PM
Jdowning. ..many thanks for the great info.
suz_i_dil - 6-15-2015 at 12:00 AM
Hello Omar
as far as i have seen/learn a " racloir " may be useful also. I don't know the name in English but seek for it in google associate to " ebeniste " or
" lutherie ". You will understand what I mean about.
I found it more accurate for the first part, before some sanding and then i finishing with oil and a very smooth sanding. You must use it well
sharpened.
But this is my single experience of preparing a fingerboard.
when I get the time to finish this Sandi kit I will try to make a video sketch of my way preparing the fingerboard..., if it can wait for you !
suz_i_dil - 6-15-2015 at 12:05 AM
https://youtu.be/aAUr0g_KF90
There, around 9:40 you can see the use of this tool.
notice it was for me to prepare a new fingerboard and not just slight modulation of thickness of an already build fingerboard
suz_i_dil - 6-15-2015 at 12:06 AM
Hello Omar
as far as i have seen/learn a " racloir " may be useful also. I don't know the name in English but seek for it in google associate to " ebeniste " or
" lutherie ". You will understand what I mean about.
I found it more accurate for the first part, before some sanding and then i finishing with oil and a very smooth sanding. You must use it well
sharpened.
But this is my single experience of preparing a fingerboard.
when I get the time to finish this Sandi kit I will try to make a video sketch of my way preparing the fingerboard..., if it can wait for you !
jdowning - 6-15-2015 at 04:17 AM
In English the 'racloir' is known as a 'scraper' or 'scraper blade'. It is a thin flexible plate of steel honed square along the edge which is then
turned into a sharp hook shape with a steel burnisher. Properly sharpened and used the tool produces fine shavings - like a plane - and leaves a
mirror finish. Sanding the surface afterwards should not be necessary or desireable.
This simple low cost tool can be used to shape localised areas (such as curving a fingerboard) and is made in various shapes with concave or convex
profiles.
Similar tools are the 'cabinet scraper' that looks like a large spokeshave or 'scraping plane' that looks like a plane - both containing a scraper
blade and used to final finish a flat surface.
I regularly use these indispensible tools for surface finishing of instrument components such as fingerboard, sound board and ribs - so avoiding use
of sandpapers - and for planing woods with difficult grain patterns so avoiding 'tear out' of the grain.
suz_i_dil - 6-15-2015 at 12:51 PM
Thank you for those kuch more detailed precision.
I found this tool really much more pleasant to use than the sanding work.
best regards
Omar Al-Mufti - 6-17-2015 at 10:11 AM
Thanks both.
I usually use the cabinet card to plane fingerboards, removing the bigger chunks.......then fine sanding.
I have absolutely no problem with how to do it....it was only about how plane I should do it
SamirCanada - 6-18-2015 at 05:06 AM
I think it depends on the action you have.
If you have a bit higher action say around 3 mm and up you can get away with flat.
If you have very low action say around 2.3mm you will need to scoop out a bit of relief to avoid buzzing. especially the buzzing occurring when finger
the 3rd finger so for example F (Fa) on the D (Re) string. I feel like you need to scoop from a bit before the 3rd position to the neck and also,
scoop out the neck joint.