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I was looking around on the net the other day (can't remember where, maybe MIMF?) and saw some ideas for endgraft jigs being kicked around.

Not being one to re-invent the wheel, I have whipped up my own version of one of the jigs, and thought I would put up a couple of pics in case anyone is interested.



It's made from some scrap Baltic birch ply, and a couple of 18" lengths of IncraTrac I got from Woodcraft. I'm hoping that having the rules in the jig will help avoid any mistakes.



Note the "high tech" spacers under the knobs...(stacks of washers super glued together!)

I still need to add some cork or felt for padding on the clamping surfaces, and I might get really fancy and cover the router bearing surfaces in some 1/32" phenolic...still thinking about that part...

Looks good, Russ. Do you have the ability with your jig to cut a tapered groove?
And do you use this with bushing guides on your router?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Looks like he can accomodate all that Steve. Very nice jig Russ! Now provided you have the top and back lined up on center, it should be easy to get good results!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

It looks like this is the kind of jig that uses a top bearing flush cutting bit. You cut the graft, place it on end of guitar, and slide sides of the jig up against the graft and tighten it down. Remove the graft and route the slot.

Thanks for the pics. I bought some Rockler T-track kits on sale a while back and this will be the first place I use them.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Steve,

As Don says, the jig is fully adjustable for cutting tapered end grafts. The jig is built to use (as Mike stated) a pattern router bit that rides on the edges of the top pieces, but could also be use with busing guides.

The top pieces can slide back and forth in the IncraTrac to make various sizes of wedge. I am also making some curved pieces, so I can cut endgrafts with curved sides also.

Here is a pic with the guides set up for a wedge cut:



Russ

[QUOTE=Mike Mahar] It looks like this is the kind of jig that uses a top bearing flush cutting bit. You cut the graft, place it on end of guitar, and slide sides of the jig up against the graft and tighten it down. Remove the graft and route the slot.
[/QUOTE]

Guys--this is one of those palm-to-forehead, lightbulb-over-noggin moments for me. Wow, what a solution!
I had never resolved that problem to such a simple, logical conclusion. The best inventions are often the simplest. My jig (that I've been designing for some time) is a piece of complicated junk compared to this.

I will now go and do likewise.

Many thanks,
SteveSteve Kinnaird38636.9685532407

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I just built and end graft/neck joint jig and some other neck jigs, but not as elaborate as your's. I just borrowed (ok ripped off) some that were on the John Mayes DVD set, which I can't say enough about. The DVD's are great for the beginner. Here they are:



The left is for the neck joint in the body. The right is to make the male end of the joint on the neck heel. And the middle is to cut the cheeks for the neck.



This shot shows the backing below the jigs where I clamp what I'm going to routeBlueSpirit38637.1021759259

Russ, Looks pretty good. I saw those over on the MIMF a while back. As long as the router bit don't run back and hit the rails it should work.

Boy you guys are really talented! Nice work!

steve, this is a modification of bobc's jig in the jigs and tools section. i did the same thing but didn't worry about the tape measures as i found them unecessary. to use the p-c type guides, make a tapered wedge pattern the size of your end graft plus the clearance between your guide and bit on each side, double stick tape it to the body using center lines on the ends to align it with the center lines of your top and back, place the jig in place and clamp the router guide/bearing plates abutting the pattern, remove the pattern, and route away.

forgot to mention, to avoid the possibility of overtightening the jig to prevent it's straight beams rocking on the peak of the arched top/back, i use pads that bear on the top/side joints.   crazymanmichael38637.575162037

[QUOTE=crazymanmichael]
forgot to mention, to avoid the possibility of overtightening the jig to prevent it's straight beams rocking on the peak of the arched top/back, i use pads that bear on the top/side joints.   [/QUOTE]

Thanks CM. The same thought occurred to me.

SK

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com