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I have an almost finished neck with a peghead issue. It seems that my centerline was off just a bit because I somehow managed to cut the peghead just slightly crooked. I didn't notice my mistake until I was ready to spray. So Now I'm faced with making a new neck. I would like to salvage the fingerboard off the old neck if it isn't to hard to remove. So I'm wondering what the best way is to heat the fretboard and remove it. I had thought about using an iron? Any suggestions.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

If you have a heating blanket, just lay it on top on medium heat and let it sit a few minutes. Work a spatula under the FB from the backside of the extension and it will lift off pretty easily. If you don't have a heating blanket, a clothes iron will work.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

I still prefer a heat lamp over any solid or flexible heaters for most removal jobs.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

here's pics I took as I did the same job.......

the guitar is a nearly finished jumbo that the truss rod snapped in before I managed to get the varnish on.

The Iron is a $10 supermarket special set as hot as it'll go. Cardboard to protect the cedar.....



then a steel rule slipped in under the edge of the F/B



and worked along as the glue softened.



til after about half an hour (for once I took my time!!!).......



New rod put in.....



and fingerboard glued back on and clamped

[/QUOTE]

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Sorry Josh my friend, the picture was still on my desk top from another thread and I couldn't resist.... Monday is claymore day at Flushtone......

Guaranteed to remove fret board, neck and part of the guitar in one quick flash!

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Claymooooooooooor! my day said it was one word understood in any language

Josh, is the fretboard elaborately inlayed? If it is, loosening the glues grap with heat may not be the best route to go as you'll damage the inlay.

That's a real drag finding the problem you did at this juncture.

Been there .. done that ..

Dont heat it off at all .. if you are only trying to save the fretboard .... plane/hack the neck off from the rear just enough to get the truss rod out, then you are good to plane the rest off, and no heat is required. if you do heat it, it will warp some, possibly loosen frets if they are in, and like AZ says, possibly damage any inlays.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

That's the advice Tony gave me when I had a truss rod snap on a completed neck with an elaborately inlayed and graved fretboard.

I cut the headstock off, then resawed enough of the back of the neck off to rip out the carbon fibre reinforcement and the truss rod. Then resawed off the fretboard as close as I dared and cleaned up the underside of the fretboard on my thickness sander shiming the radius and final clean-up on a stationary belt sander. It is actually easier than it sounds. The guitar shown in my avatar is the one on which I did it.

Thanks guys,

That gives me lots to go on.

At this point the fretboard is not radiused or inlayed (I radius, inlay and fret after the neck is glued on). I had thought of just cutting it apart and I think that may be what I will try.

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com