I'm going to try to make a neck!

[telex]

Well, after much thought, and reading...Here goes:

I think an all maple neck will be good for a first start. I made two masonite templates. One of the outline, and one for the truss rod channel.

I cut a 3/8" slot 14.5" long. Because the slot has to be curved for the "old style" truss rod, I put a shim of masonite under the center of the slot.

I will use a 3/8" collet to ride in the slot. I'm using a 1/4" bit to cut the slot.

[telex]

The first slot came out good. It's about .74" deep at the ends, and .57" deep in the center.

I am using some curly soft maple.

[KokoTele]

Nice work!

Now I want to see how you make the fill behind the truss rod. I can't figure out how to use those bushing to make flush fitting pieces.

[TheGoose]

Good luck! I wouldn't even know where to start

[telex]

Originally Posted by eryque

Nice work!

Now I want to see how you make the fill behind the truss rod. I can't figure out how to use those bushing to make flush fitting pieces.

Thanks! All I'm using the bushing for is the slot, not the "infill". The idea is this:

Since the slot is 14.5" long and about .26" wide (just a hair over 1/4"), I will just take a 14.5" long walnut board and run it through the planer until it fits the groove. Then all I have to do is round over the ends with a roundover bit. At least that is what I'm thinking now. I will have to be really careful with the last few passes through the planer.

I figure a 5" wide walnut board will "infill" the skunkstripe for several necks. I think I will try to make three for now. I hope at least one makes it to the end!

[MulliganChebichev]

You know, right now i'm worried that I'll screw up drilling a pin hole on a headstock, but compared to this its a walk in the park.

Dude, good luck man!

[telex]

Three grooves down. So far, so good.

That's the piece of walnut that is for the skunk stripes.

I still have to run it through the planer.

Has anybody had any experience with the fret slotting jigs from Stewart MacDonald, or Luthier's Mercatile?

[Buckocaster51]

Well by golly, I am impressed!

I'm looking forward to lots of information/pictures as you progress.

[Jack Wells]

I bought the fret slotting jig from StewMac along with the miter box. After using the miter box on one neck, I ordered the circular saw blade and used it on my radial saw for the second neck. The miter box works fine ......... it just takes a little time to set it up and takes a while to cut the slots. Since is it actually intended for cutting slots in fretboards it will just work with a one piece Telecaster neck. I don't think you could cut the nut slot on a one piece Stratocaster neck. The size of the Strat headstock wouldn't allot the neck far enough into miter box.

After making a special fence for the radial saw and installing a locating pin to engage the notches in the slotting jig I was able to cut the fret slots in the second neck in probably less than 5 minutes.

The fret slotting jig may seem a little pricey but here's a little secret. You can use the 25.5 in. scale to make both smaller scale necks and larger scale necks. I've made a 22.75 in. scale Telcaster neck and am currently making 27 in. scale Telecaster neck as used on the discontinued Fender Sub-Sonic. The 22.75 in scale neck is used on the Squier Mini-Strats. A 28 5/8 in scale baratone neck as offered by Warmoth could also be cut using the jig. On these longer scale necks, after you've calculated and cut the first one or two slots, the fret spacing matches the jig. In other words, a 27 in scale neck adds one fret to the nut end of a 25.5 scale neck. The 28 5/8 in baratone neck adds two frets to the nut end of a 25.5 scale neck. One could also use the jig for cutting slots for a mandolin or banjo neck.

Are your necks going to have the truss rod adjustment at the headstock or at the heel? If you're making them with heel adjustment what are you going to use to anchor the truss rod? I haven't be able to find a source for the anchor.

[telex]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Are your necks going to have the truss rod adjustment at the headstock or at the heel? If you're making them with heel adjustment what are you going to use to anchor the truss rod? I haven't be able to find a source for the anchor.

I'm building a vintage style, heel adjusted truss rod.

I can't find that part either. I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist.

The threads of the rod are 10-32, and I was thinking about using a brass threaded insert like this:


I'm cutting out the necks with my jigsaw. I am going way wide from the line!


I wish I had a bandsaw, but the jigsaw works really well with the right blade.

[telex]

Time for template #2.

I'm screwing the template to the back of the neck.

One screw where the pin router hole is on the old necks. Like this:


The other hole will be hidden under the "D" string tuner. Like this:


Then I cut the whole edge with a top bearing router bit.


I used two pickguard screws.

[telex]

It worked out pretty well.

It took a long time to trim away that 1/4" of excess maple. I only took light passes with the bit. I mean really light passes, say a few hundreths of an inch per pass.

The figured maple really wanted to tear out.

[Buckocaster51]

Yabba Dabba Doo!

It looks like you are well on you way.

Keep the information and pictures coming.

This is something that I REALLY want to try.

Did you source your wood locally?

[Jack Wells]

Man ............... I wouldn't go after maple with a bit like that.

[Lostheart]

Awesome!
Making necks with a separate rosewood fretboard is a breeze compare to this! The curved truss rod channel is was what kept me from trying out a one-piece neck.
I mst say that your jig is fairly simple but ingenius!
Keep up the good work and keep posting!!!

[telex]

Originally Posted by jwells393

Man ............... I wouldn't go after maple with a bit like that.

I wouldn't recommend it either! It's like shaving with a straight razor with a month's growth of beard, and starting out right over your jugular vein. Take a deep breath, and go!

Did I say extremely light passes? Even so, one false move and that bit will throw that neck across the room! That's why it took me about an hour to "shave" away the excess maple.

Maybe I'll do the third neck with my 1/2" bottom bearing bit. I'll just have to countersink my screwholes, so that the template will lay flat on the router table.

[telex]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

Did you source your wood locally?

Yep, I picked up one board of 5/4 (that's 1 1/4") roughsawn curly soft maple at Highland Hardwoods here in New Hampshire.


That yielded three 1" thick neck blanks. Each blank would be under $10. I forget exactly.

[Lostheart]

I need more photos!!!
Bring em on...

[telex]

Experimental try at a video, hot off the presses!

I hope this works!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcXDepNiQw0

[Buckocaster51]

Those routers make me nervous from way over here!

I hate spinning sharp stuff!

But sometimes it is necessary I guess.

Dust collection system. I am impressed.

Looking good.

Keep the info coming and be safe.