First Neck Build Question

I've started making a neck from scratch and pretty much understand all process's but cutting the slots in the fingerboard.
I'm using some nicely figured maple I found at Lowe's and plan on making a two piece neck.
Here's where I'm a little lost...if I cut the slots in the finger board before the radius is done it will be nice and flat and slots the same depth like I'm assuming they should be. But once the fingerboard is radiused then the slots will be shallower at the ends. I don't think it's possible to cut the slots when the radius is already established (??) or am I wrong thinking that the slots should be the same depth...where as the center is deeper than the tang...and only the edges are the same as the tang. Hope that's not confusing

Hello Tordurham,

Most builders cut the slots and then radius. There will be a little gap under neath but it is nothing to worry about. Go for it.

When I build a neck, whether one or two piece, I always slot after radiusing. you can slot beforehand, but you will have to go back & deepen the slots afterward. Is there a certain part of the slotting operation that is throwing you off? How will you cut your slots? A slotting jig? A tablesaw?

Bob

Regardless of when you do it, they will always be shallower at the edges :)

I am assuming you are using a fretting jig of some type that holds the neck or fretboard. If so, radius the board and then cut the slots.

I always slot first then radius. I would say it depends on your method of doing it though. If you're using a RAS or table saw for your slots you probably want to slot first. If you're using a miter box or some other sort of handheld contraption, it'd probably work either way.

Better to have the slots a little too deep than not deep enough.

Initially I tried deepening the slots after I radiused, which resulted in slots of widely different widths. Simply a result of my inability to cut a straight line. So for try #2, I cut the slots as deep as needed for the frets before I did the radius. So far, try #2 seems to be going much better. Yes it will mean that I'll have to use some glue and dust to do a little filling, but if it works, that's all that matters.

Initially I tried deepening the slots after I radiused, which resulted in slots of widely different widths. Simply a result of my inability to cut a straight line. So for try #2, I cut the slots as deep as needed for the frets before I did the radius. So far, try #2 seems to be going much better. Yes it will mean that I'll have to use some glue and dust to do a little filling, but if it works, that's all that matters.

I've used both methods you mention here, and although deepening slots after radiusing can create variations in slot width, I've gotten away with it so far. I think so long as the barbs on the fret tangs grab the sides of the slot, you're OK. As you've observed, it is difficult to precisely predict, and cut the slots deep enough so as to not need deepening after radiusing, but if you can do it without sawing your fretboard nearly in half, it's probably a more elegant, and "correct" method.

Looks like I've touched on a subject thats open to debate...either way seems to work...looks like a tie at the monent...and thanks for all the info and input.
I haven't desided how I'm going to cut the slots yet...haven't tooled up for it yet..any suggestions?

Do a cross section drawing of the fretboard radius tangent to the top center of your rectangular cross sectional shape of the fretboard at the 22nd fret. Measure your fretwire tang. Measure down from the sides from the point where your radius meets the sides of the rectangle and add a little wiggle room. That would be your depth to slot to.

See the pictures in post 3 to show what the fretboard cross section would look like.
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/317748-neck-carving-drawing-creating-facets-wood.html

I go so far as to cut the slots before I taper the sides of the neck too. That way, I'm
sure to have them cut square. As long as you've got a way to properly "depth stop" the
blade, it will cut the same channel radiused or not. The depth stop is key to the process,
but it won't hurt if you're a smidgeon long in the center, as long as you get enough
depth and don't go too shallow. More problems occur when we don't go deep enough
that they do the other way around.

Slot first, then radius. I have a depth of cut stop on my saw and I can deepen the ends without going too deep. The depth of cut stop follows the contour of the radius so the slots are the same depth across the fretboard.


I've started making a neck from scratch and pretty much understand all process's but cutting the slots in the fingerboard.
I'm using some nicely figured maple I found at Lowe's and plan on making a two piece neck.
Here's where I'm a little lost...if I cut the slots in the finger board before the radius is done it will be nice and flat and slots the same depth like I'm assuming they should be. But once the fingerboard is radiused then the slots will be shallower at the ends. I don't think it's possible to cut the slots when the radius is already established (??) or am I wrong thinking that the slots should be the same depth...where as the center is deeper than the tang...and only the edges are the same as the tang. Hope that's not confusing