Truss Rod Jig Plans Needed

[Guitarnut]

I have a project coming up that requires a little different approach for the truss rod. It's based on a '63 Strat and it's a 2-piece neck with rosewood board and heel adjustment for the single action truss rod. The channel will be routed from the fretboard side with no skunk stripe.

I searched Strat-Talk and didn't find anything. I took a look at Preeb's '61 Strat thread...his is the only neck I've seen built this way... but there isn't any info on the jig he used...a pic or two but no real details. Anyone know of a drawing for this jig?

Thanks in advance,
Mark

[guitarbuilder]

Can't you just make the inverse of the regular jig's curved sides? A sideways bar or half moon shape of steel as an anchor and no walnut plug? This is what you would have to do for a Gibson neck...kinda...sort of ...

[Mojotron]

I don't know if I've seen plans for most of those jigs, but what I had planned on doing for that in the future was to just take my one-peice jig and change out the curved rail piece to curve down instead of up and then drill the access holes without flipping the neck... Here's my latest jig that I would be modifying. Sorry no plans, I hope that helps.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...ml#post3185417

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

Can't you just make the inverse of the regular jig's curved sides? A sideways bar as an anchor and no walnut plug? This is what you would have to do for a Gibson neck...kinda...sort of ...

Thanks. I'm not sure. I've not been able to find a drawing or blueprint that shows the heel adjust to compare it to the HS adjust. I know the adjustment nut is cut slightly into the fretboard...it might be the same path, just reversed.

I'm good on the anchor, just not sure of the TR path.

Mark

[guitarbuilder]

I think in Ed Hawley's drawing, the peghead end is 3 degrees from horizontal and the heel end is 2 degrees.

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

I think in Ed Hawley's drawing, the peghead end is 3 degrees from horizontal and the heel end is 2 degrees.

Excellent info. Thanks!

Mark

[Guitarnut]

I just found this drawing by Benjamin Stouffs. It looks like it's a symmetrical path either way...could be off the one degree that GB metioned.



I would modify the nut end and use a flat anchor between the nut and first fret. No need for a skunk stripe either.



Hmmm, looks like it's not such a mystery after all.

Mark

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by Mojotron

I don't know if I've seen plans for most of those jigs, but what I had planned on doing for that in the future was to just take my one-peice jig and change out the curved rail piece to curve down instead of up and then drill the access holes without flipping the neck... Here's my latest jig that I would be modifying. Sorry no plans, I hope that helps.

Thanks Mojo...where would I find the plans for the 1-piece jig most folks use?

Mark

[guitarbuilder]

Probably what you should do is make the curved parts removable and have one set for each direction..:-)

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

Probably what you should do is make the curved parts removable and have one set for each direction..:-)

Yep. Good idea. I need to find the specs on the jig first. I see lots of folks using it but I can't find a plan or drawing anywhere.

Mark

[Guitarnut]

Still nothing on the jig but I found this excellent thread by Ed Hawley...what a guy! The thread has a pdf of the exact TR setup I'll be using. I can probably draw my own jig plan from his drawing.

Thanks EH! Even after years of hanging out in the TDPRI, I'm still amazed at what an excellent community and resource it is.

Mark

[jonal335]

I seem to remember the truss rod curve radii being about 220" on the headstock half, and about 120" on the body half of the neck - if that helps...

[guitarbuilder]

The jig I built before is essentially like Jack's jig that he shows in his threads. Two curved rails sit in a base. The router is mounted on top and runs along the curve. It's pretty easy to build and a talented guy like you can do it without a drawing.:-)

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...-neck-ii*.html

Look at the Ehawley's drawing in the '53 build thread... It is in DXF and other formats. You just could print it out and take the curve of the truss rod and make the curved rails from that.

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by guitarbuilder

The jig I built before is essentially like Jack's jig that he shows in his threads. Two curved rails sit in a base. The router is mounted on top and runs along the curve. It's pretty easy to build and a talented guy like you can do it without a drawing.:-)

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...-neck-ii*.html

Look at the Ehawley's drawing in the '53 build thread... It is in DXF and other formats. You just could print it out and take the curve of the truss rod and make the curved rails from that.

I think that's the thread I linked to above. I've already started dissecting the drawing...seems pretty straight forward. No problems building it, I just wasn't sure what I needed to build.

Thanks agian for the help...and flattery.

Mark

[guitarbuilder]

Originally Posted by Guitarnut

I think that's the thread I linked to above. I've already started dissecting the drawing...seems pretty straight forward. No problems building it, I just wasn't sure what I needed to build.

Thanks agian for the help...and flattery.

Mark

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...cnc-build.html

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by Guitarnut

Thanks Mojo...where would I find the plans for the 1-piece jig most folks use?

Mark

Darn - I deleted the first 1/2 of this post :(

Well the first 1/2 just talks about the difference between routing from the back (1" blank w/skunk stripe) and the process of routing from the top (13/16" blank) and routing to the green line instead of the red line as in this picture:



Sort of just a matter of flipping the neck over and routing the curve from the other way... when the fretboard is glued on there's no sign of the route. The anchor is the complication; I have no desire to make anything vintage correct so on the necks I've made I just go out the headstock after the fretboard is glued on - and to do a 2 piece with no skunk stripe, I would likely do the same thing.

I've not seen any plans on this stuff... What I do when I've actually built these jigs is to first work with the router base that I'm going to be using - as in this thread - starting in the middle of post 135:
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home...-thread-4.html

I just make a jig to keep the router base in the middle of 2 pieces of steel - routing down the center, then make the rails to control the depth/curve, then just use some cross-braces as a stop: I'm not sure where I saw this used first - but I'm on my 3rd jig like this - all of them the same basic design: First one was MDF, the 2nd one was more plywood, the 3rd was steel and plywood :)

I think guitarbuilder and I are going down the same direction here...

[mb571]

Here is a pic of my jig.

[Mojotron]

Originally Posted by mb571

Here is a pic of my jig.

Ya - that's what I was thinkin'

[Nick JD]

You can always rout a straight channel and cut a strip piece to fit it. Then on the bandsaw slice the curve into the piece giving you your curve, and your filler.

Glue the C-shaped curve in, install the truss rod, fill with the "offcut", plane flush, glue on fretboard.

No jig required.

[Jack Wells]

I like the idea from down under. However after thinking about it for a while it seems to me it would work best on a one piece neck with the channel routed from the back. If routing from the front, once you rout the straight channel, the curved strip you glue into the channel is going to be very thin in the center. I guess if it breaks, you can just glue in the two pieces.

Think I'll stick to routing channels from the back.