Shortened Finger Problem

[Sitric]

In the best lutherien tradition (well, sort of) I decided to have a bash at shaping a saddle for my AJ - all went well, except towards the end of the process (when I was shaving the side of the saddle flat down)I noticed a few smudges of blood on the sandpaper - I had shaved a few layers of skin from the tip of my finger in the process. This is not good if you are guitar player.

Have you good and experienced folks any tips on how to avoid this happening?

 

http://www.brendandevereux.com

[grampa]

Don't sand your finger tips. And just let it heal.

[DanvillRob]

In the best lutherien tradition (well' date=' sort of) I decided to have a bash at shaping a saddle for my AJ - all went well, except towards the end of the process (when I was shaving the side of the saddle flat down)I noticed a few smudges of blood on the sandpaper - I had shaved a few layers of skin from the tip of my finger in the process. This is not good if you are guitar player.

Have you good and experienced folks any tips on how to avoid this happening?

 

http://www.brendandevereux.com[/quote']

 

These could help:

 

[drathbun]

In the best lutherien tradition (well' date=' sort of) I decided to have a bash at shaping a saddle for my AJ - all went well, except towards the end of the process (when I was shaving the side of the saddle flat down)I noticed a few smudges of blood on the sandpaper - I had shaved a few layers of skin from the tip of my finger in the process. This is not good if you are guitar player.

Have you good and experienced folks any tips on how to avoid this happening?

 

http://www.brendandevereux.com[/quote']

 

I use double sided tape on a wood block and fasten the nut/saddle to that, double sided tape on the sandpaper which is fastened to my flat marble surface and then draw across the surface with deliberate strokes not just back and forth willy nilly. Marking the nut/saddle with pencil also helps to just take the amount of material you need.

[TommyK]

They're called "finger cots". Either available in office supply stores or the pharmacy.

[drathbun]

They're called "finger cots". Either available in office supply stores or the pharmacy.

 

I don't think finger cots will stand up under 320 grit! :-

[Deadgrateful]

When I'm sanding small flat pieces of wood evenly (usually for tenon through wedges) I affix them using a cold tack adhesive to the bottom of a larger block of wood which I can grip. Gluing the sandpaper down to a plank of wood will also help avoid accidents... It's funny you should make this thread, I just made a new [camel] bone saddle for my EL-00 and it totally changed the tone. I also replaced the tuners with Waverly's, so it's pretty much a EL-00 custom now ;-)

[Sitric]

Thanks for the replies...fixing the saddle is obviously the way to go now.

 

http://www.brendandevereux.com

 

 

Follow-Up - I used double-sided tape +marble block with sandpaper and it worked a treat! A better saddle than the previous.

Thanks.

[6stringTom]

Glad you got your answer Sitric. When I first saw this topic, I imagined you woke up one morning with your fingers 1/2 " shorter than the day before. Now, that would be a problem, even for a forum that usually has the answers.

[Sitric]

If I could just finish off by saying that I was using the pre-shaped Gibson saddles that StewMac sell.

 

Gibson Saddles

 

I like.

 

6stringTom - This is a great site alright, with great knowledge and generosity of spirit, but I just thought I'd try generate a bit of curiosity with the thread title!

 

http://brendandevereux.com