Sanding Glue in Nut Slot to Proper Radius

[Garbage Mouth]

Hi guys,

I'm having a problem with my Stratocaster. The original nut was cut improperly, prompting me to remove it and prepare a new Tusq one. Upon removing the old nut, I discovered that it was glued in place.

There is leftover glue in the nut slot. I need to sand the glue down to the wood level while preserving the radius, allowing the new nut to sit properly.

In short: How can I sand down the glue while preserving the 9.5" radius of the nut slot?

Help!

 

[simoncroft]

I'd use a square profile needle file. Preserving the radius is down to care, really. Just don't go at the job too fast, making sure what's coming off is glue rather than wood, and you should ve fine.

 

[Pete_C]

Hi guys,

I'm having a problem with my Stratocaster. The original nut was cut improperly, prompting me to remove it and prepare a new Tusq one. Upon removing the old nut, I discovered that it was glued in place.

There is leftover glue in the nut slot. I need to sand the glue down to the wood level while preserving the radius, allowing the new nut to sit properly.

In short: How can I sand down the glue while preserving the 9.5" radius of the nut slot?

Help!

I would carefully scrape the glue with a razor blade. Either that or I would just pop the new nut in there with the glue still there.

 

[Guy Named Sue]

I second that, you can find razor blades available in hardware stores that are used for cutting wallpapers. I use them a lot in wood working and this is a great example where it's better suited than sandpaper.

 

[SteveStone]

A nut slot chisel like you can find on ebay or Stew Mac is the safest and best tool. Otherwise an exacto blade.

 

[Garbage Mouth]

Thanks for your help, everyone. I went the file route and manage to dislodge the glue (without touching the wood) and clean the nut slot. I shaped the nut and just finished tuning up. My Stratocaster is back!

 

[Highwaystrat]

I'm glad you got it worked out!
But as for keeping the radius, you can use the fingerboard as a guide and put sandpaper on one of the fret spaces and sand the bottom of the nut to that shape. But sometimes the radius of the nut slot will be a tad different from the fingerboard radius. It's difficult to see and tell what the radius may be. Now this thread has sparked a very important question from me that I've been pondering, but before that, one more tip: you can flatten the nut slot with a nut slotting file or modify a file and make the nut slot flat, then make the bottom of the nut flat, then you have a perfect fit!

K here's my question: say you have a radius block and you chop off a piece as thin as 1/8". You but some sticky back sandpaper on it and sand away on either the fret spaces or the nut slot, rolling the chopped block side to side, will it retain the radius? Strange I know, but I'ts a hell of a good question. I pondered this in my thread about re- radius-ing a fingerboard with the frets still on. That would literally perfect a fret level.