Make your own fretboard dots?

Sven said:
I’d lose the double dots at the 5 and 12. And maybe they’re a tad big.
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Thank you, Sven! I think I was going off of what I thought other people were doing. But looking at it I agree about the too big of dots. If they weren't in such contrast color wise to the fretboard it might be better. I do consider the victory to even have made them at all.
 
Great idea, Ken! That's what I was looking for -that sort of an idea. A lot less difficult then what I did. First I used a quarter inch plug cutter which was the smallest I could find. Then I drilled holes of varying depths in a piece of wood to set the long koa 'plug' in so as to give it support. Then I chucked a 3/16 inch leather punch in the drill press and simply forced the punch over the top of the koa. And then swapped it out to a shallower hole to continue through four stages over a three-quarter inch distance. That got me about five dots!
 
GREAT NEWS! I tried Ken's idea about taking the bit out of a countersink and using that as a sort of plug cutter. I bandsawed strips of material to 3/32" in depth and then cut the dots out of that. That way I had face grain showing at the top of the fretboard. You can see the dots arranged simply sitting on the fretboard. That's the great news.
I measured the dots at just a hair under 4.5 mm in diameter. So I need a 4.5 mm Brad Point bit. Not sure that you can buy that all by itself. Anybody know where I would go to get that? I don't want to pay $50 for a set from Woodcraft or the like.
 

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ChuckBarnett said:
GREAT NEWS! I tried Ken's idea about taking the bit out of a countersink and using that as a sort of plug cutter. I bandsawed strips of material to 3/32" in depth and then cut the dots out of that. That way I had face grain showing at the top of the fretboard. You can see the dots arranged simply sitting on the fretboard. That's the great news.
I measured the dots at just a hair under 4.5 mm in diameter. So I need a 4.5 mm Brad Point bit. Not sure that you can buy that all by itself. Anybody know where I would go to get that? I don't want to pay $50 for a set from Woodcraft or the like.
Click to expand...

Because it is such a small job you can easily make aspade bit. Start with a suitable nail. Hammer and or file it flatish at the end. Shape the end a bit like a spade bit. Practice on scrap wood till you get the results you want.
Or start with a cheap set. File the 5 down.
I havent seen fractional brad point bits outside of mega big bit sets.
 
You seem to be making this more difficult than it needs to be. Lee valley sell a Veritas plug cutter 6mm
$18.00 marry this with a 6mm brad point bit the also sell for $9.20 and you have a permanent solution going forward for $27.20. I have used this combo for ten years, and over 50 banjo ukes.
 
I know, right? :)

I think what's driving this is my desire to have smaller dots. 3/16 or smaller. And perhaps I should simply be content with what works rather than what I would like at this point.
 
Titchtheclown said:
Because it is such a small job you can easily make aspade bit. Start with a suitable nail. Hammer and or file it flatish at the end. Shape the end a bit like a spade bit. Practice on scrap wood till you get the results you want.
Or start with a cheap set. File the 5 down.
I havent seen fractional brad point bits outside of mega big bit sets.
Click to expand...

I certainly am impressed with how many of you folks make your own tools. Perhaps I will develop some of those skills along the way. :)
 
To my eye 6mm is a little large for fret markers on an ukulele.
 
DPO said:
I disagree, but to each his own.
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And I think that is the key -What make me happy or pleased with my work as an individual. Whereas for many of you, you have some measure of 'artistry' in your wiring, I am pretty low in that area. My 'creative' side is mostly seen in "What do I like that I can imitate?" So I ask, listen, learn and slowly form my own opinions.

And I'm okay with that. :)
 
ChuckBarnett said:
GREAT NEWS! I tried Ken's idea about taking the bit out of a countersink and using that as a sort of plug cutter. I bandsawed strips of material to 3/32" in depth and then cut the dots out of that. That way I had face grain showing at the top of the fretboard. You can see the dots arranged simply sitting on the fretboard. That's the great news.
I measured the dots at just a hair under 4.5 mm in diameter. So I need a 4.5 mm Brad Point bit. Not sure that you can buy that all by itself. Anybody know where I would go to get that? I don't want to pay $50 for a set from Woodcraft or the like.
Click to expand...

https://www.mcmaster.com/#brad-point-drill-bits/=1d83u5a

The 5/32" is a little under 4.5 mm.
 
I can get wire gauge sized bits from a metal supply in town. A #16 or #17 might work. They're usually pretty cheap. Not brad bits though.
 
😁😁
My first fingerboard position markers installed!!

Curious though that guitar fingerboards are typically marked at the ninth fret rather than the 10th.
 

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Friesen5 said:
How about a 3/16 brass tube that can be purchased at a hobby shop? Chuck it in a drill and sharpen one end against a file or fine sandpaper. Maybe file a few small teeth. Now use the drill press and try to cut a dot. You will probably need to press and clear multiple times.

I’ve used this on balsa in model airplane building. With patience, I think it should work on harder wood. Please report back if you try this.

Mervin Friesen
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I use brass tubing frequently for cutting dots in woods. Diamond core bits work well on recon stone and pearl shell.
 
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