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This will be my first carving a high figure curly maple neck.

How know it will be harder than to carve than a mahogany neck specially with the curl...
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

T I A

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Sharp tools spoke shave, chisels rasps. if it wont draw blood just looking at it shapen it

Your tools will end up following the curl--even just a bit perhaps. When you are getting close to final shape, use some coarse sandpaper--say 60 grit--backed with a hard block. The block and paper will help you bridge any "valleys" while knocking off the tops of any "peaks". You will be better able to establish the final shape. Then follow through with the regualr progression of grits.
In the heel are, I really like a 4-in-one rasp. And, on the shaft part of the neck, that Japanese saw/rasp is a great tool.

SteveSteve Kinnaird38875.7538541667

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Sometimes I carve my necks until sanding, but lately I have been rolling them on a belt sander after just rough carving. This works especially well on wood with a lot of figure. Look at the Gibson video on duplicating Eric Clapton's ES-335. I think it's archived here someplace. By the way, it's quick. Don't remove too much wood without checking the contour.

Al

The pneumatic "rolling pin" sander works great for this task, or any other wood where curl and figure make for dicey carving...check out this link at Grizzly...

Pneumatic Sander

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

If you wipe the area your carving with a damp rag, it will carve like leather, works well in the heel area.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Peter, carving figured maple necks isn't all that hard...sure it'll take a little longer than mahogany but not much.

I start my rounding over the edges on a stationary belt sander and rough shaping the heel on it as well. Next I use a fine Microplane (that Lee Valley much to my chagrin no longer sells), rough then fine rasp. For the heel area I use a fine rounded rasp. Recently I picked up the pnuematic sander chucked into a reversable hand drill that Larry Presnall suggests and it works really well. Next as Steve suggests...60 or 80 grit on a 8 inch long sanding block...starting from the centre of the neck...rolling over as you sand.

Chisels, draw knife or spoke shave on figured maple....to each his own I guess...but I've had some nasty tear out doing it that way (even if they are sharp).

Mario uses a angle grinder with a Lancelot ... brave and/or very skilled fellow.

Jim...neat idea on using a damp rag...I gotta try that. Anthony Z38875.8702314815

Ive had alot of success on mahogany with the chinese Dragon Brand rasps
sold by LMI. I also use a curved scraper in the heel area.