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Anyone ever make a template like this? It fits snugly into the truss rod slot and matches the headstock angle.


DSC_0007 by markpotato, on Flickr


DSC_0006 by markpotato, on Flickr


DSC_0009 by markpotato, on Flickr

So far, works like a charm. Been wanting to do this for a while.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Well done Mark. The only ones I've seen like that (ie with the head) were in one of Jim Olsons build threads .....his are aluminum. I made several (without the head, although like you, I keep thinking about it.) but with a significant difference. Like Jims, mine utilize locating pins, so have drill bushings off centerline (rather than using the slot). The benefit of this is you locate it & blind drill for pins, then flip it & blind drill the underside of the fretboard, assuring positive locating & no slippage during glueup.
(BTW his use a removable head template, so he can fit it to a variety of different scale/width fretboard templates.)

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Dave
Milton, ON

Very nice.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

I have an unconventional way of doing things but this seems pretty clever to me. It seems that the best approach using conventional methods is to work as much as possible off the center as a reference. That's what your tool does.

From there I'd get the body made and before gluing the fretboard on I'd figure a way to fit the neck and then extend that centerline to the body.

Btw...I use the cnc to cut everything but the first thing I do is get a line of holes established on the neck blank...right down the center. From there on the center is boss. So the concept applies universally? lol

Good work!

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Great idea!!!!!!!

Thanks folks. Mr. Zlurgh, the body is shaped and ready for a neck slot. My plan is along what you're saying about extending the centerline. I'm going to make a neck routing template and then a second template for routing the pickups and the bridge area (which will be recessed with a slight angle). There's a few ways I can do this but what I'm thinking I'll do is either make this second template fit snugly into the neck pocket and line up the pickups and bridge, or have this template set to fit snugly over the neck after it's glued in. Either way the idea is to set up my bridge and pickup alignment once and make the process of duplication much easier.

An earlier idea I had was to work backward from this, using a template that routes the pickup cavities and bridge recess first, before the body is cut out, then make two templates which fit snugly into those pickup cavities, one for routing the body shape and one for the neck pocket. I may do this for my next design.

Thanks for the comments guys.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Wow...I never thought of adding a truss rod strip to align it. Now I'm kicking myself for not thinking of it