How to make a Radius Sanding Block

A radius sanding block is an essential tool when making guitars and one you can easily make yourself.
In this video I will show you how I make my Radius Sanding Blocks from scratch.
Unquendor Guitars :
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[@arkkupitkanen1073]

I took just a block of wood, radius cauge and plastic padding. I made a curve on the wood with cauge. Then I used this block to sand the radius block. Took few minutes and it's perfect.

[@doughsnakes]

Great. Very well done. Way better than paying $180 at certain well known Luthier supply shop.

[@customukuleles]

Thank you for your video. I am a ukulele builder who also makes most of my jigs, including radius dishes, bending irons, binding cutting jigs, etc. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@Tsudkyk]

By far the most useful and informational KZbin guitar building channel.

[@KineticFaction]

Fantastic video, great idea putting the dremel on a pendulum!

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi KineticNidalee, Thank you for the compliment. To be honest putting a router on a pendulum isn’t my invention. This is my take on an already existing idea with a couple of improvements I didn’t see on other designs.

[@Metalbass10000]

You can also put the fretboard on a pendulum, pass it across a cutter or a sander, with adjustability at both ends of the pendulum, to create all the common radii, or a compound radius.

[@user-ij1oi4zp8v]

Thank you for this video - very helpful. I had thought about that kind of jig for making necks with different radii (radiuses?) but I just couldn't warp my head around it. Yours makes so much sense. Thanks again.

[@justinprobus959]

Man, I am so glad I tripped across your video’s!! I thought I was the only one that has to figure out a way to not spend all that money on tools! Build almost anything, but I have brain lock a lot. I’ll subscribe so you can help me out of those locked up times lol !! keep it up. We appreciate you.

[@fzml9633]

Thank you for making the video. Smart solution well executed, but for most ppl not very practical. Properly planing the block is a pro job and requires a rather expensive plane. if you buying the block pre-planed you might just as well buy an sanding block. Kudos anyway!

[@denisweening]

Thanks, great idear!

[@mgcnashville6615]

Made one using a Dremel, not powerful enough. It worked, but took too long. Bought a $30 router at harbor freight and upgraded the jig, works great!

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Uriel, Yeah a regular Dremel might be not powerful enough. I use the Dremel Trio which is just powerful enough for the job, but I on't know if they make it anymore. Good to hear you found a solution and the jig is working for you.

[@juanokita4401]

All right you save me lot Now I calculate the radius center to the router bit and make other radius I appreciate this inf and blessings bro here my 👍

[@jheeeee7402]

I learn so much here

[@kevinricesr.9903]

Great knowledge to learn I need #12 block on a build I'm working on

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Kevin, I'm glad you found some useful information in one of my videos.

[@Scatwav]

the best idea I saw on the subject till now, thank you!

[@mattclarke1838]

Love this guy's KZbin channel

[@Ilfafinni]

hi this is a really good video it inspired me so much, i wanna make the same machine, can you please give more details about it, i really like the way that you calculate the radius, can you show me how? i think that the guitar that i have to fix is a 9.5, you know how to calculate the radius of a guitar without tools to?

[@fstopPhotography]

Great idea for the jig. I'll be making one soon. Great tool tip.

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Greg. Your welcome! Have fun making your own!

[@gregmarquis1886]

maybe you can make a video on a step by step how to make that jig....thanks

[@stevevaughn2040]

That is a very good method

[@benjamingriswold2564]

Excellent, will definitely give this a try 👌

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Benjamin, Thank you and good luck!

[@GuitarQuackery]

Nice. And just like you've pointed out, the specialized tools are not even always available in sizes (in this case the length) that we actually need.

[@manuelguerra6891]

Thanks. Very useful

[@PerlinFashion]

Thanks a lot!!! I just think about it (how to make a radius block) and saw you! Great job!

[@HergerTheJoyous]

The jig is interesting! I'm working on making a slip form for pouring Aircrete dome homes and I think I might be able to adapt your idea to make them from low cost items such as stacked cardboard or styrofoam. Thanks!

[@chrisk3754]

Nice idea-radiusing is my nemesis-thanks for this video!

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hey ChrisK, Thank you very much and you're welcome!

[@bestfouronsix]

cool stuff, nice and simple

[@TheCleaner6969]

I made 9's & 10s guitar nut files, a crowning file, fret dressing file, & a sanding beam.

[@gerardnatera6997]

Wow!! Awesome work

[@OnTheFritz602]

Very clever!

[@andrearambaldi4618]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Andrea, You are very welcome. I'm glad you liked my video.

[@StevenJamesPorter]

Love it thanks for the video! About to start my first couple builds, and I hate buying tools or jigs when I can make them out of scraps. Have you thought of using a cove style bit on the router instead? I would think the flat bit would leave more track marks than a rounded point? Would require a ton more passes though, so I'm only speculating.

[@matthewmargetts8516]

Almost definitely Sapele I would say

[@Ibaneddie76]

Great job on that but wouldn't using a more powerful router like a Colt trim router let you use bigger bits and speed up the process? I dig what you did here just a suggestion, keep up the great work!

[@thijs199]

ja ik bedenk me altijd dit, hoeveel gaat een mal me tijd kosten om te maken, hoeveel lol ga ik er aan beleven om die mal te maken, hoeveel tijd kost het me om het product te maken, en dan eindig ik vaak door gewoon de tool te kopen die ik nodig heb, en hoeveel die kosten. In dit geval zijn er op Rall guitars goed betaalbare schuurblokken à 50cm. Zo zag ik ook een video van iemand die een index liniaal maakte voor het zagen van fretslots, tja, het zou me meer dan 1 uur tijd kosten om zoiets te maken, en ik ga daar niet van genieten. Dus ik koop die gewoon, met cnc precisie. Laatst ''moest'' ik een jig maken voor een liplas, zodat ie echt goed vlak was.

[@HearGear]

Great video, do you order your guitar woods from Portugal ?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi HearGear, Thank you very much. I get my woods from a Dutch supplier.

[@damagedw]

Very cool video! I wonder if one could make a compound radius beam? Would it work with minimal sanding motion? Am I nuts?

[@juancarlosfishikella1580]

Fantasticos los videos y usted un profesional , las guitarras son maravillosas. ¿podría decirme donde compra las maderas?. Muchas Gracias y un abrazo

[@juanokita4401]

Olvida donde compra la madera estas muy muy lejos

[@stuartmain578]

Cool Tutorial ... Where did you get that Under strings Radius Square Tool, My Friend.

[@FrugalFixerSpike]

Nice jig Daniel

[@apesaastamoinen4621]

Great idea, thanks a lot :)

[@adriengahery9471]

I should have subscribed earlier... Done now. Keep up the good work, guitars and videos! :)

[@dnmrtnz]

Great video! Is there anyway to make this with a different type of router? Maybe a bigger and more common one.

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Dani, Yes, you can use any type of router you like. As long as the principle of a pendulum is maintained to get the radius you're after. One thing to keep in mind is that a larger heavy router may require a very heavy and stable construction.

[@Generalanwalt]

Great video!

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hey Generalanwalt, Thank you very much!

[@acousticsoundmaker]

I’m having trouble figuring out your Dremel jig for making the radiusing blocks. Can you explain how you made the jig please. Thank you for any help you can provide.

[@512banana1]

nice trick mah man!

[@paulhoward9986]

How do you make a different radius other than a 12" radius?

[@veiledAutonym]

The router jig has a higher mount point for the pendulum. You use that and get a longer swing on the arm, resulting in a wider arc. For a 16" radius, make sure the end of the router bit is 16" from the swivel point of the pendulum, and use the height adjustment he noted to make sure the piece is at the right cut depth.

[@elalquimistaguitartech]

esta dificil amigo :/ pero gracias por el video. saludos desde Peru

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Cesar, Thank you very much!

[@rodmarshall12]

I'm sorry. How do you find the radius in respect to the router? I didn't understand the process from the comments.

[@kennyayala6189]

The router is mounted in such a way that it is X inches away from the fretboard (in this case, 12 inches away), so as it swings back and forth in a pendulum-like motion it carves away wood in that arc, simulating a 12" radius. Hope that makes sense!

[@mesaton]

wow nice! Didn't know you make this tool. Last sanding is with paper 600 or even more?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

If I recall correctly I think I only sanded this up to 380 grit sandpaper.

[@brohends]

Hi dude So if we want make 12inch radius block. The distance pendulum and the bit is 12 inch? Like that???

[@JimRol]

yup

[@rodmarshall12]

The bottom of the pendulum and the bottom of the bit is 12 inches?

[@totefrosh]

What bit did you use in your dremel?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Totefrosh, It's a regular 12,7mm straight router bit for the Dremel Trio.