Learning to make nuts and saddles

[J. Mark Lane]

Um, hello again.

Having grown weary of instrument repair and setup people who are either (a) backed up so far, or (b) otherwise occupied, that I have to wait weeks and weeks for basic setup work...

I've decided I'm going to learn it myself.

First challenge: making and installing a new nut and saddle. I see StewMac has files and gauges and stuff. Any suggestions on how to get started? What tools do I need? Are any of the videos helpful on this? Books?

Help. Please.

Thanks.

Mark

[Bluemando]

The Don McRostie video that stew mac has available goes over making the nut. It also explains some basic set-up.

[sunburst]

try this (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Setup/NewNut/newnut1.html)
This just about covers it.

[jim simpson]

J. Mark,
I have found that a mini belt sander, Dremel tool, Stew-mac string groove files, and dust mask have been essential tools for making nuts, bone insert for Brekke bridge, bone saddle for guitar, pearl nut for mando, etc.
Next you will want to refret your instrument yourself.
It's all good!
Jim

[Patrick Gunning]

I want to put two cents in on wearing a dust mask while working with bone. I was putting a new nut in my Regal Dobro to raise the action up a notch, and for about 95% of the work I remembered to wear a mask. when I was trying to put the nut in, I realized that the Koreans at Saga had made the nut slot crooked. I filed the nut so it would fit in, but forgot to put the mask back on. I guess I breathed some bone dust - because my throat wasn't feeling good at all the next few days... That stuff's bad news...

[chris]

Mad cow disease is transferred through bone meal. I never thought of that til now,I think I'll stick to pearl for now on

[crawdad]

Last Thursday night, I was sanding some micarta on the drill press. Friday morning, I went to the hospital, thinking I was having a heart attack due to intense chest pain that woke me. Well my heart was fine, but something had definitely hit my lungs. I keep thinking it was the micarta dust. I wasn't wearing a mask either. Who knows for sure? I'm gonna use that mask in the future though. Bad news is I have survived and will continue to ask crazy questions around here!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Gunning--How did the dobro conversion work out? Did you restring with the strings under the tailpiece to keep the pressure on the bridge?

[Patrick Gunning]

The new dobro nut was actually just the last part of a much larger conversion (using the old nut my Shubb capo didn't work on the first 3 frets). I put in a 70's OMI cone (that someone seemed to have edged with a pair of scissors - but still sounds good) and put in saddle pieces of the mystery Philippine wood discussed in my other thread. Nice mellow sound. I hadn't considered reversing the strings, but it sounds like a promising idea - will try it. Thanks

Gunning

[crawdad]

Gunning--I had read a thread somewhere about someone putting in a Quarterman cone #and raising the nut. They said that when you raise the nut on a Regal, it lessens the break angle over the bridge. So, the solution was to take the strings under the tailpiece to give a better break angle there. Worth a try.

In fact, I just saw a Regal model (the Black Lightning)at Elderly that had the quarterman cone and the raised nut, and thats exactly what Regal did for that model. It sounded really nice, by the way!

check this:

http://elderly.com/images/new_instruments/50N/RD52_tailpiece.jpg

[jim simpson]

Thanks Crawdad for sharing your experience with the Micarta. Although bone, pearl and other materials are known to be bad to put into your lungs, I believe any concentration of dust regardless of source is bad to take in. Dust mask is essential, a tightly fitting one is best. A dust filtration system or exhaust fan is helpful. I saw a homeade plan that used a window fan with a furnace filter taped to it. Primitive but functional.

[soccerdr]

Just to set the record straight. The mad cow prion is found in nervous system tissue and brain. If it has been transferred in bone meal, it is because the entire cow was indescriminately crushed and pulverized in the making of the meal-nervous tissue and all.

In a piece of bone that is whole, you are not going to find nervous system tissue-hence no danger of mad cow disease.

Wearing a good mask is always a great idea-wish I did it more often!!

Sully

[J. Mark Lane]

Thanks for all the help. The Frank Ford site was great (should have thought of that, he's got everything....). I will order the McRostie video once I win the lottery <g>.

Mark