Collings MF5 Fretwire and Fretboard for my own F

[mandough]

I was just in McCabe's Guitar shop in Santa Monica and saw a Collings MF5 .
I'm in the process of collecting materials for my first mandolin building project and was wondering a few things...
First, the Collings had bigger fretwire (.078 from their website). If I installed this to my own fretboard, do my spacings and cuts remain the same?
Second, I think this one had a radiused fretboard. My question is, what is the radius degree and how does one go about builiding the radiused fretboard?
I'm working off the newest Siminoff book blueprints but I'm changing a few things to accomodate my own personal preferences.

Also looking for a good set of Blueprints for an Octave Mandolin as I played a Weber (first time playing an Octave) and might be hooked!

[Luthier]

[QUOTE]First, the Collings had bigger fretwire (.078 from their website). #If I installed this to my own fretboard, do my spacings and cuts remain the same? #

yes

[QUOTE]Also looking for a good set of Blueprints for an Octave Mandolin as I played a Weber (first time playing an Octave) and might be hooked!

I will be coming out with some OM plans next month.


Don

[Dave Cohen]

The 0.078" wide fretwire is Dunlop banjo wire, available from Stew-Mac and other lutherie supply houses. There are are a number of ways to radius a fretboard. There have been numerous articles on the subject in American Lutherie (GAL) and doubtless in Guitarmaker (ASIA) as well. Once you have done some reading and you understand in principle how you will do the radiusing, it will be easier to choose the radius you want. Fwiw, I typically radius my fretboards to either 9.5" or 12". Neither of those radii are extreme.