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On previous guitar builds I would get nervous around precision crucial components, like the fret board, and typically would buy pre-slotted fretboards. On my Akiragita guitar build, I set out to make as many components by hand wherever possible, and when it comes to slotting your own fretboards theres a few paths. 

Option A - Spend lots of cash on a fancy aluminum fret slotting jig 

(↑ Cost, ↓ Time, ↑ Precision)

Option B - Find instructions for a makeshift DIY jig online and slap it together 

(↓ Cost, ↓ Time, ↓ Precision)  

Option C - Spend a stupid amount of time over designing a complicated jig using lasers and 3D printers 

(↓ Cost, ↑ Time, ?? Precision)

Given that I had a low budget, but high patience on this project, I opted for Option C. 

As with most of my projects, every steps was an opportunity to learn something new. I based the mechanisms off existing professional jigs and other keen DIYers. The entire jig was designed and modelled in Rhino, then components were exported for laser cutting and 3D printing. The jig came together with some wood glue and handful of hardware components, bearings, nuts, and bolts.

I have to say, this jig was one of the more satisfying parts of the build, despite the fact that it took several days to put together, and was only used for about 10 minutes to slot all the frets. The results were better than expected - very precise fret slots, and new confidence in building these types of things. Looking forward to making improvements for version 2.