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Anyone made a jig to shape a neck blank? I'm thinking Hoffman-style or the like...I've been using a straight cutter after attaching the f/b temporarily, but would like to go to something surer...I suppose I'd have to either make a 1 3/4 one and a 1 7/8 one (nut width) or just the 1 7/8 and hand shape the nut area of anything smaller...any ideas?

Larry

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Nobody? Bueller?

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Larry

I'm not sure what kind of jig you are thinking of. I start with a blank that is just over 3 inches wide. I glue the fingerboard on the then run a flush cutting bit along the fingerboard. I then use a small drum sander on my Dremal to clean up around the nut area. I shape the back of the neck using rasps.

Again I don't think this is what your after. If you have a better jig in mind let us know.

Josh

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Josh House

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Larry I havn't used mine in a while but I made a drawing of the fb taper on a piece of 1/2" baltic birch ply. and extended the taper in both directions. Then marked off the differant nut widths. Layed out the scale and marked the 12th and 14th fret starting at each nut width. The width at body joint will increase as you move up to the wider nut or decrease as you move down to a narrower nut width. Worked for me.

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Bob, that's kind of what I did last...I didn't like the radiused f/b rocking around on the shaper table, so used a 1/4" hardboard template of the f/b...1/2" will definitely work better and I'm hoping to use the jig with a handrail cutter and bearing to rough shape the neckshaft as well...not so much speed I'm looking for as repeatability...

Larry

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Larry the 1/2" ply gives more bearing suface for the pattern bit. I use a 3/4" dia. cutter. Makes nice clean cuts. FB is slotted but not radiused. I ues double face tape to hold it. As for the neck I use a cabinetmaker rasp and cabinet scraper. Shape the heal using the flex cable and sanding drum attached to my drill motor. I made a set of gauges to check the neck in about 3-4 places. Years ago I used to make cabriole legs for Queen Anne period furniture and realized I could use the same method for necks. Just a series of layout lines the length of the neck that I use as guidelines. Doesn't take long at all.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
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The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

That's exactly the way I approached the neck too Bob, having done a few Ball & Claw legged tea tables some time back...I really liked John Maye's setup with the router bit for the neckshaft...Charlie Hoffman's too...I found a stock handrail cutter from Grizzly that'll do the same thing, as long as you have a somewhat hefty shaper, which I have leftover from the furniture days....

Larry

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Larry, could you please post the number of the handrail cutter? Thanks.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Larry I sold my shaper and all the cutters. Even after using it for many years that machine always scared the hell out of me.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Here ya go Don...it's C2214...you have to use a separate bearing for it because it's not made to be guided...I had several around from rail/stile cutter sets and don't know the diameter right off hand...but a little larger than the base of the cutter and you can't go wrong...

Bob, yes the shaper is a scary tool at times...we've all heard the horror stories and I'm sure at least some of them are true! I try never to rush, or do anything even remotely chancy with it (or any other tool)...thing about building guitars is that most of us wanna PLAY them too!

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Larry,

I don't know exactly what you are looking to build, but here is a link to the neck shaper C. Fox is/was using.

Nice idea, but I'll bet it makes a LOT of dust!

Shaping jig

Russ, I saw this one a while back...that's what got me thinking to begin with...I think for the Fox one though, I'd need to make a hundered necks a year and I'm only one man!    Cool jig though as are all of Charle's innovations...thanks for the info!

Larry

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Mike Doolin has a neck shaft shaping jig that was featured in Spring 2003 American Lutherie. It shapes the neck off of other neck shaft templates so you can pick out which shape you want and then get an exact copy.

Roy, thanks! I'll have to try and look that up somewhere...I don't have that issue of AL...sounds promising!

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Larry, PM me your address and I'll send you a copy of the article.