Official Luthiers Forum!

I didn't get one when he first made them. Something told me to get one now, on his current batch. Ken Timms does neat stuff:
http://ukulele-innovation.tripod.com/st ... auges.html

I got the 4 string version, naturally. It'll set you back more than the StewMac ruler, and it should.
Can't wait to use mine on my bridges too!

I use a template sheet like Jay de Rocher (I made mine) and I also start the slots with a razor saw.
If I want a different spacing between the 1st and 6th string and the fingerboard edge than the template is laid out as, I mark the 1st and 6th where I want them and lay those on the template where they line up then mark the other 4 strings.

Dave

If you page down in this link you can see a little trick I use for marking the nut spacing -- involves using a free drawing program, very simple and repeatable.

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/zerofret.html

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

I have a great little Excel spread sheet that Anthony Zhlatic had sent me years back. It's quite useful. Enter the spacing you want from Low E to the edge and then for High E, plus the string sizes and you get all the computations done for you.

Send me a PM with your email if you want. I'll forward that to you.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I like the stewmac ruler too, as well as their nut files.

One thing that helps is to have your nut as close to the final height as you dare before cutting the slots. The deeper you need to cut a slot, the greater the chance of them going off center as you cut.

As well, I step up in file size as I go across. What I mean is, I mark the location with an exacto, start the groove with a razor saw, then use the high e file in all six slots. Then, the b string file in the remaining five, the g string file in the remaining 4 etc. If you try to start a groove with the low E string file on just a razor saw cut, it's easy for that to slip. So start with the smallest and work up.

I also use a dulled box cutter blade with a few strips of masking tape underneath it as a file stop. With the nut on the guitar, you butt it up against the nut and file til the blade stops it from cutting deeper, much the same as the feeler gauge trick. Then you can fine tune for preference if need be.

Good tips; thanks meddling