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Further to my post on tapering the headstock. Because I started with Benedetto's book for my first guitar, I've always tapered my neck with a Safety Planer to the correct taper and thickness prior to carving using a simple jig. Staying away from the centerline while carving results in correct thickness for me. I know many others use a rasp etc. at the 1st and 10th or 12th or so fret to establish taper between the two points. Anyone else doing it like Benedetto with a safety planer?

I do it by hand plane after cutting the scarf joint but before gluing on the headstock and heel block. But I leave 1/16" or so to be carved off after the fretboard is on and radiused so I can feel the overall shape and thickness.

I do it with the safety planer too.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I used to do it with the safety planer as well…

I used to do it with a safety planer, but switched to simply cutting it on the bandsaw. Much faster, way less messy, less intense, and plenty accurate.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Bandsaw for me too.

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I made templates for my neck profiles and rough cut close on the bandsaw and do final shaping with the Robosander. The neck keys in via the truss rod slot. The Robosander sands about 1/32” proud of the template so the jig compensates for that.

IMG_1162 by Terence Kennedy, on Flickr

IMG_1163 by Terence Kennedy, on Flickr

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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 taper the face of the neck using a power jointer, similar to the way you would taper a table leg. I do that after gluing on the peghead. For slot head classical type necks with scarph joints it can move the scarph line to the "chin" area which I think looks nicer than having it on the back of the peghead.

Safety planer here.
It's a bit messy chip wise, but I use a shower curtain to catch them and most of the debris just falls on the floor when i shake it off.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Bandsaw for me.

Dave

I flatten the face and top of the headstock with my jointer but Safety planer for the backs.

I have an old bleach jug cut out to accept chips and then into the 4" dust collector hose. Gets most of it but yeah, it can be messy.

I laminate most of my necks so bandsaw for sure to cut out the profiles of the laminates but still an 1/8" or so extra left just in case. The Safety Planer takes care of the rest. Just what I'm used to. Makes it easy when carving as I leave a pencil mark down the center and leave it intact while carving which leaves the neck thickness exactly how I want it.

What do you use now?