| Official Luthiers Forum! http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/ |
|
| head & tail blocks http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=4869 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | TimDet [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
hi everyone, I need a little guidance.I am on my 1st build and all is well so far.But I can't seem to find out if the head and tail blocks must be quartersawn.William C. stated in his book that they could be laminated or solid (I forget if he denoted steel or classical).I know the grain must run the same direction as the sides.I have a slab of mahogany but not quartered.Should I wait and get quatersawn? the piece I have looks like flat or riftsawn. I should have taken a pic I still can but thought I'd ask anyway.thanks in advance Tim Detwiler |
|
| Author: | Josh H [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Tim Honestly I have never checked to see if I was using quartered, flat or rift and I have done 15+. The only thing I have paid attention to is which direction the grain is going. I have used solid mahogany blocks so far, but am thinking in the future I will probably make my own laminated tail blocks. You've got me wondering about this now.  Let us see what some others have to say on the subject.
Josh |
|
| Author: | TimDet [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 3:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Josh I was thinking, (oh no) 
If you use a Quartersawn neck blank (especially mahogany) with mahogany head block that you should try to use 1/4 sawn wood so all directions of expansion and contraction would match as closely as possible to the neck/body joint. I'm building a yellow cedar steel string dred lihgt or med ga. strings YC neck ,back/sides. anyone have anymore input on this? |
|
| Author: | Serge Poirier [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 4:22 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Tim, check out Mario Proulx's site, he shows how he laminates them and lowers the weight also, great site with lots of pictures and text, my 0.02 cents! Serge |
|
| Author: | Mattia Valente [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Wouldn't a flatsawn piece resist cracking just slightly better if you're doing a bolt-on? Grain side to side, in this case, in line with the sides. |
|
| Author: | Josh H [ Wed Feb 01, 2006 11:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Mattia That thought did cross my mind. Come on, where are the pros when we need them? Josh |
|
| Author: | Michael Dale Payne [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 12:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
I use QS Mahogany but I know many that use laminets and good quaility Baltic birch ply. If you use solid wood QS is not required. Ido becase I have the stock in hand. and I like the look. |
|
| Author: | csullivan [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:13 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Mahogany is a very stable wood. I have never paid much attention to using quarter-sawn for the blocks. I used to run the grain crosswise to the sides, but now feel it is much better to run the grain parallel to the sides. Rift sawn is actually probably the strongest grain orientation for this application. Craig |
|
| Author: | JJ Donohue [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 5:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Why not use 1/2" Baltic Birch for tail blocks? |
|
| Author: | Howard Klepper [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 6:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Rift sawn is less prone to cracking than either flat or quartered. I always laminate at 90?, with the side of the block that is glued to the sides at 90? to them (for the headblock). |
|
| Author: | TimDet [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 8:30 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
great info thank you everyone. Really a big help.Hopefully I will get some pics up soon. thanks, Tim |
|
| Author: | arvey [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:21 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
For the neck blocks I use Rift sawn Mahogany, for the tail block I laminate two pieces of Sitka Spruce together. Very strong and light. Also less likely to split if someone drops it on the End pin. |
|
| Author: | JJ Donohue [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
Hey guys!...I was serious (and perhaps naive). Why won't 1/2" Baltic Birch work for the tail block? Am I missing something here? |
|
| Author: | Andy Zimmerman [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
1/2 Baltic birch ply will work. Others on the OLF said that that is exactly what they use. (I think it was about 2 weeks ago) Andy |
|
| Author: | Mario [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 4:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
The birch ply will work really well, but it is a tad heavy. If weight is not a concern for you, then it is a great choice. |
|
| Author: | John Kinnaird [ Thu Feb 02, 2006 11:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
I laminate the neck block into an "L" shape. The grain changes directions for stability. Each leg of the "L" gets a mortise. One mortise for the heel, and one mortise for the block supporting the fingerboard extension. This gets some shaping of course before it is glued in. For a tail block I use baltic ply. John 
|
|
| Author: | Sylvan [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Mahogany for head blocks. 1/2" baltic birch for tailblocks. |
|
| Author: | Daniel M [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Hey Tim; I used YC for the tailblock in my last guitar. Nice & light, really tough & stable. Do you have enough left from your neck blank? When I use solid wood for the block (tail) i orient the grain opposite the grain of the sides. |
|
| Author: | TimDet [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 11:08 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
Dan, I do have enough left over from the neck blank,I was actually considering the Yellow Cedar tail block since my sides and back are YC.It is very light and very stable.Maybe I over looked another reply but can I ask why orient the grain 90 deg. to the sides (tailblock). Is it to minimize movement,sort of like laminating.I was under the assumption that you would want to keep the grain the same for even movement during any seasonal changes but it would seem stronger to orient the grain opposite the sides. thanks, Tim p.s.- Dan I'm starting to like the smell of the YC |
|
| Author: | TimDet [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 11:15 am ] |
| Post subject: | |
oh i had a momentery (I hope) lapse of a brain signal. As I just noticed Arvey and others mentioned splitting or cracking.Great info everyone.baltic sounds good too but, if I dare buy as much as a wooden toothpick I think my wife would have me sleeping in the shop .
|
|
| Author: | Rod True [ Fri Feb 03, 2006 3:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | |
JJ, Jim Olson uses 5/8" Baltic birch I think. But the 1/2" would be fine I think. I use what ever Baltic I have around, the last 2 guits have 1/2" |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 5 hours |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|