Fret Slotting Sled & Fret Spacing Templates - the Next Project

Welcome to the Next Project.
In this video we'll take a quick look at a fret slotting sled for your table saw, and also make a useful fret spacing template for the sled.

Here are some standard measurement templates for you to start with.
Be sure to print at 100%, then use a verified rule to check the accuracy of the printed file.
Also, go to StewMac and use there Fret Calculator to help with your custom scale projects.

Fret SpacingTemplate Download:

00:00 - lights, camera, action
00:06 - project intro
02:17 - the sled
03:14 - using the sled
05:38 - making a fret spacing template
06:15 - verify and assemble a printed template
07:00 - prep to cut
08:58 - slotting the template
10:25 - something to ponder
13:14 - homemade template and sled
15:17 - outro pep talk

Enjoy!

[BobStCyr]

Thanks - this is the best method I've seen yet for making a fret slot cutting jig for the table saw.

[chrismitchum]

SHOOP! Just like that LOL... Good Job sir. Especially luv the fancy magnetic pin action. Gonna have to build one of those. \m/

[hurdygurdyguy]

Love the fret slotting sled! I use a tinier one made for a tabletop table saw, the Mighty Mite from Harbor Freight. This is a direct copy of Del Puckett's that he uses for his cigar box guitars. Instead of an indexing pin a paper fret template is taped to the fretboard and lined up with a line on the sled etc.. it has made cutting frets much easier and faster! The nice thing with paper templates you can modify them anyway you want, print them and use'em quickly...
Great video, dude!!! You're animation of how it is built is terrific!! The interchangeable indexing pins (and storing the extra in a slot with magnets) is genius!!

[realitystudioscustomshop]

verify the printed paper scale... cannot understate this... one of the first things I was taught when printing from CAD. Very useful vid... thanks for sharing

[tedrowland]

So Stew Mac had a special that ends today, where there is 10% off anything you buy, and join Max with free shipping for a year with any purchase for $24.95. I bought something and may buy the template later. I don't have any MDF laying around, but I have a lot of sheet plastic, including Lexan. I will make that my template, after I run one edge through my router table with an offset fence, (unless you see a problem with that). Thank you so much for your videos/template downloads

[dalloguitars]

Thank you for your cool lesson videos. It really helps me👍👍

[virgilroumo]

Thank you sir! I have been using another setup that i found at highline guitars to radius my fretboards. It works but it takes up valuable floor space. Ive seen other versions of this device, but yours was the best explained, and the templates were very helpful. Thanks again.

[kmichaelp]

You know… you could start a YouTube channel with this kind of content! The time you’re putting into these Vlogs, not to mention the expertise and ingenuity, you should have 500K subscribers. If not 1M. I’m always looking for them to pop up. Of course working and putting out content doesn’t always go in that direction. Well done my friend. Cudo’s

[peterjohnson]

Simple yet effective. Thanks so much for this!
Wishing you all the best for the New Year!

[Hans_]

Great video as usual. Thank you for putting out such quality content. Happy New Year!!

[ChinJazz]

As always, great instructional vid! Happy New year my friend!

[jurgenzoller]

Great work again, just a bit scared to make the blade as you did in an earlier video..just like your vids anyhow

[juanokita]

That's greatttt🐅thanks for share

[bobvador]

Nice video ! I'm too scared to make a fretboard !

[darrylportelli]

I was thinking about how to make a fret slotting template and i came to the same method that you are using, making notches to ONE SIDE of the line .. my thought was to actually use a cross cut sled on my table saw and make the notches with the table saw in a piece of aluminum, then cut a notch with the same blade in my miter box and then i can make a pin the same exact width as my saw blade

[dexter]

I like the video but you left out the most important piece of information. Where did you get your saw blade and what is the kirf of that blade

[Mark_Media]

What depth are you cutting for the fret slots?

[chriscutress]

Does that mean my EASY button from Staples doesn't work for guitars ??? 🤓

[Furtheronmusic]

The maths is actually 12th root of 2. 12 notes in the scale, octave is half the scale