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Good morning!

Well the sides are bent and the tail blocks are glued in on my first two guitars (A rosewood/carpathian, and a maple/cedar - both dreads). I am ready to glue the neck blocks on both when I think to myself, mabye a little research is in order here!

Both guitars will have bolt-on necks, and I was wondering when is the best time to drill the holes for the mounting bolts? I'll be routing with the StewMac templates if that makes a difference. SO - drill before gluing in? After? Before routing the mortise, or after?

Looking forward to hearing how folks do it.

Thanks,

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

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I don't drill my holes until the top and back are on and all is cleaned up and sanded. Then I know exactly were the top is and I can fit the neck to the guitar at the proper angle.
Remember you still have to change the profile of the sides to fit the top.John How38660.3614351852

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I drill prior to installation. I don't locate the the inserts in the neck till the body is built. Then using a dowel the same size as the hole, I fit up the neck, paint the end of the dowel and mark the insert location on the neck by placing the dowel in the drilled holes. It is important that the dowel is a snug fit with the hole.

Another thought. On the blocks I use, the hole is pre-drilled and countersunk on the inside of the body which then allows for a cap to cover the screw (although I dont use a cap). Point is, if you wanted this look, you would have to pre-drill the block. Just a thought.

Somebody posted a pic of a special drill they have for this this, which can perform this countersinking once the body is together, it is a drill with a shank on the front so you pass through a pilot hole from the inside and into a drillthey dirill be pulling.

Remember all the details but not who, might have been BarryD or Marks

Russell,
It's a reverse spotfacer. You can buy them at industrial supply places like MSC, or Google "reverse spotfacer".

Thanks Jimmie

Will have to pick one of those reverse drills up for the collection. Thanks Jimmie

To trasfer the hole locations from the neck block to neck Rather than using the paint and dowel technique, get a set of transfer punches. They are rods in drill size diameter with a little point on one end. You will then get a center point prick mark. Very accurate.

I drill neck block before assembly and then use a Brad point drill bit the size of the hole to locate the position to drill the inserts.

Thanks everyone!

I've decided to drill after assembly - I like the idea of the transfer punches. They seem like handy little tools to have around, and Grizzly has 'em for dirt cheap!

Thanks for the help!

-Mark
Mark Tripp38664.5506481482

_________________
Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
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Mark,

I bought a set on sale from Harbor Freight for less than 10 bucks. I didn't realize how much use I had for them.Jimmie D38664.5283449074