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Two questions. First, where can I purchase Baltic Birch (3/4")?

Second, I have seen pics of nice neck shaping jigs (I think they are also used for FB gluing). Where can I get plans?

I am in serious jig building mode right now...

Mike

Full sheets of Baltic Birch can be had at any serious lumber store (not Lowes or Home Despot type). Small pieces can be had at Rockler at a large markup.

Baltic Birch in full sheets is a pain due to it's odd 5' x 5' size. It's like someone said, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could make a sheet of plywood that won't fit in a truck or van and is impossible for one person to carry!"

I prefer stuff sold as "Apple Ply" which is the same idea except it's maple and comes in 4' x 8' sheets. Void free and 9 ply for 1/2", something like 13 ply for 3/4".

What do you mean by neck shaping jigs?

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Yeah, I read about the 5x5 thing. Those wacky Russians. We have a few "real" lumber yards here, I will call in the morning. I also stand advised on the other options. All of the plans that I buy keep calling for Baltic, so I thought there must be a good reason. Voidless? Nice looks? Is that it?

As for the neck jig, I had seens pics... figured there was some kind of articulated peghead to neck jig... Just thought some plans would be easier to work with.

Mike

The jig I have was sold by Martin back in the 90's. and I bought one. It's nice, solid mahogany. It would be very easy to make one from all the pictures floating around.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Terry,

If it is not too much trouble, could you post a few pics from different angles?

Thanks,

Mike

Yes, no voids, lots of thin plies for stability, and hardwood for all the plies instead of just the outer layer. Baltic actually doesn't look good. The stuff I get isn't sanded nearly as smooth as cabinet grade plywood. It's made just for utility. The Apple Ply looks better and is used a lot for cabinet drawer sides.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Depending on if your area has professional cabinet makers or not it may be hard to get your local hardware and lumber yard to even order in void free baltic birch ply

If working with smaller pieces and you have a local RC airplane model shop the odds are they are a Midwest products dealer and can and will be glad to order in up to 3/4" x 48" x 48" pieces for you. It is more than few cents higher than buy full sheets plus shipping but if the pieces you need are this size or smaller it is a good way to not have to deal with large sheets and helps reduce unused drop. All of Midwest’s Baltic birch is fine cabinet grade void free ply. For sizes 3/4" 24 x 24 they are likely to have in stock. Even national chain hobby stores like Michaels Hobbies carries a fair selection Midwest's plys. in 3/4 24" x 24" and smaller sizes

I my self like to make proto type fixtures from the best cheap Baltic ply I can find then once the concept is proofed I then make the keeper from Baltic Birch once I am totally happy with the design. That way I don’t waist the good stuff till the design is proofed.

Is the Baltic Birch they stock at Rocklers good quality? I have bought some from them and always had a hard time finding pieces that are truly flat.

I don't know of any plywood that is truly flat but usually, the higher quality stuff tends to be the flattest. Some of the cabinet grade stuff has a thin mdf ply just below the outer veneers. I've always assumed they do that because they can sand mdf flatter than solid wood and can then get away with a thinner layer of the appearance grade veneer. Anyway, that stuff is pretty flat. Solid mdf is the flattest of anything but it has other problems like edges that don't wear well and lousy ability to hold fasteners. And insidious saw dust. And the potential to put you out of work for a month if you try to carry a sheet of it by yourself...

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Umm I have never had a single issue with any over 1/2" thick now I have had issue with thinner but once you get to 1/2" is a fine grade Birch I have never had an issue

Here are some pics Mike. One of my kids got in 1996 when he built his first Martin kit. Should be easy to make.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I'm a little confused as to how that jig works? How exactly would you shape a neck using this jig?

Also, I get my BB at Woodcraft stores, they also have a website http://www.woodcraft.com it's good stuff

It's just something to clamp the neck to Jonas. Gives you good access to the neck from all angles while you shape it with the usual tools. Rasps, files, sanders etc.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Yes, thats it! Too bad the plans are not out there. Looks like the peghead part is fixed but can be replaced with other styles (angles). There is a groove down the center... is that for allowing the curvature of the neck? Maybe one more pic?

Thanks Terry.

If you can at some time make some general measurements, I would appreciate that.

Mike

Mike,
There isn't a groove down the center, those are two built up strips of Stew Mac binding tape to allow for the radius of the fretboard.
I'm with Todd, do what he said, just make it long enough for your longest neck with the fretboard on and replicate your headstock angle with at one end. If you use another angle just shim it. You'll probably come up with a better design than any of us.
The slots are supposed to be for thickness gauges at the 1st and 10th but I don't use them.
I do like to do all the shaping with the fretboard on as I try to blend the curvature of the neck into the fretboard.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Here are a few shots of the "prototype" I built 3 years ago from pieces of scrap. I never felt the need to refine it beyond this stage. Like Terry, I often clamp this in a workmate and do the dirty and dusty work outside. The neck shown has been prepped on a belt sander in much the same way that John Mayes shows in his instructional DVD. I can't remember from whom I got the idea for the holder but I thank him for the inspiration, whoever he is!

The first pic shows the neck clamped at the headstock and heel for when the neck shaft is worked on. I typically use the weapons shown in the foreground before taking various grits from 50 to 220 to finish up.



The second pic shows the clamps positioned such that the heel is exposed for work. The slots represent locations for the 1st and 8th fret locations. I take measurements to occasionally assess the thickness in those locations. The holder is certainly not high tech but serves the purpose using the KISS method of design.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Dang! I live in a town with a metro population approaching 500K, and no one has Apple Ply (what is that??) or Baltic Birch. What do I do? The local lumber yard is pushing domestic Birch.

Mike

Mike, don't over think this, really. My jig looks similar to these others, and is made out of laminated poplar shelving board (I think). Like others have said, a small shim takes care of changes to headstock angles. Although I used a pre-shaped neck on my last guitars, you still have to spend time thinning it, and blending it with the fretboard, etc...so I fixed it to where I could clamp it horizontally in a vise and do the "shoeshine thing" on it. Worked great.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Mike,

I just made one out of a salvaged 2x6. It is however, a very nice piece of straight grained douglas fir. It even has silking on the quartersawn face. I'll get a picture later tonight if I think of it.

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Horton, MI

I guess that jig would make neck carving soo much easier, looks relitively straight forward to build too

I prolly should have not posted two questions in the same title, was just trying to conserve space and bandwidth. The neck jig has nothing to do with my questions about baltic birch. I am building a Williams Jig, a Fox Bender, A Fox Bender add on for cut aways, a mold for harp guitars, and a few small other items. Those show Baltic Birch in the plans.

Sorry!

Still looking for a Baltic Birch source...

Mike

If you really want the Appleply, you should be able to have it ordered from any Lowes or Home Depot.

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Aoibeann

Lillian,

OK. But what is ApplePly?

Mike

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Aoibeann