This is quite a long post. I am wrapping up the first neck this week as much as possible. Of the 3 builds, this is the "tester".
I level & roughen the neck & fingerboard & get the get the radius sanding block ready.
I tape up the sides of the neck & clamp on 2 fences to keep the fingerboard aligned. I have noticed that joints can slide around with hide glue when it starts to gel, the fences will prevent disaster.
I line up the board, make sure the correct fret is above the neck-meets-body position & mark the fingerboard edge with a nut spacer I made.
Theres not time to take pics when racing the clock with hide glue. Rush. Panic. Done:
The joint is left to settle for 24hrs. I then glue on the holly headstock veneer, leaving a slight overlap all round. When dry, its sanded level on the bobbin sander with a 220 grit drum - I took the opportunity to finish off & smooth the edge around the headstock. With the nut spacer as guide, I mark a line, cut with a Stanley blade & sand until the nut spacer fits in perfectly between the veneer & the end of the finger board.
Done:
The side of the neck is given a gentle sanding to be flush with the sides of the board & then a 35deg bevel is done - I stopped when the bin "nibs" where about half way down the frets.
Next, I check the thickness of the neck at 1st & 11th frets. Each is just over a mm above finished size. I can work with that.
I cut out stencils & profile templates to use for neck shaping:
The neck is clamped by the HS - I put a piece of leather underneath to cushion & prevent dinging the veneer. The template marks are pencilled on. I also mark a center line & then 2 dividing lines on either side. On the sides I mark a dividing line on the mahogany. i.e. I bisect the mahogany (FB excluded). With a flat rasp I take out a flat edge to the edges of both lines. I also start to approach the transition lines. I've never done this before, so I am making it up as I go. I have a drawknife handy, but this wood rasps so easily that I can see I won't need it. Long diagonal strokes with the rasp keep it straight & even
I've rasped up to the lines. Next, with pencil, I bisect the rasped surfaces and also the center line to rasped edge & repeat the raping between those lines. I extend a little closer to the transition lines.
Next, I do some work with the sanding mouse to smooth things off a bit. This helps see if things are all straight & lined up. This is easier than I thought, maybe even easier than it looks. The simple principle is: measure twice, cut once i.e. go slowly & keep checking. That's all that's needed.
I check with my profile templates. More needs to come off the edges. Thats OK, but the closer you get to complete, the more cautious you need to be. One mistake ruins all.
I'll wake up patient and finish this tomorrow, but just a quick look before I close up for the day:
