CNC Angled Headstock Neck Build

[wbegg]

Ok, Here we go.

I'm gonna build an angled headstock for my 2000 MIM Tele. There will be CNC involved, but alot of hand work as well.

I'm gonna do a scarf joint, as opposed to a solid neck blank (stronger?), I've done this before, only for custom work.

Should be interesting. Please follow. Here's the piece of Mahogany I'm starting with, and a neck I completed last year.

 

[wbegg]

More pics. Cut the scarf joint, and is now in glueup.

 

[Davecam48]

By the look of the scarf cut it was done on a bandsaw? Did you plane both cut surfaces in a stack with the head end on top of the neck or just glue them in their rough sawn state?

Regards DC

 

[guitarbuilder]

Looking forward to your cncing approach. I just buzzed out my first gibson scale, maple one piece neck with a skunk stripe yesterday. It involved relocating the neck blank for the peghead cut and a tool change for the skunk stripe. Now I have to do the fretboard side.

 

[wbegg]

Yes, The scarf was cut on a bandsaw and both cuts were planed on my 6" planer before gluing the scarf. I'll do additional planing after the glueup is dry.

I'll do some hand work to get the thickness correct (Headstock,Neck, etc.) before I let the chips fly on the cnc. I'm designing a vacuum jig now, as I hate working around clamps. My DIY cnc has a 30" x 30" footprint, so I can cut without moving.

 

[wbegg]

Out of clamps, and rough planed. Next step will be to plane to final thicknessess. Blank will be 3/4" (1/4" fretboard) and 1/2" headstock (will have a 1/16" peghead veneer).

I will do this with the cnc, as I trust it's precision a little more than my Jointer. I will probably do this tomorrow as I have some finish spraying to do on another guitar. Don't need the dust floating around the shop.

 

[theVman]

Looking forward to your cncing approach. I just buzzed out my first gibson scale, maple one piece neck with a skunk stripe yesterday. It involved relocating the neck blank for the peghead cut and a tool change for the skunk stripe. Now I have to do the fretboard side.

I've been trying to figure out how to make a Les Paul neck for a long time, and haven't found anyone who could explain how to do it, or offer any assistance. If you could help me, I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks in advance.

 

[guitarbuilder]

Yep..no problem, and welcome to the forum.


...I responded to your PM. I found the hard part is learning how to use the software to do what you want it to do. My approach was an additive one, where you look at the neck as its individual geometric shapes and then assemble those shapes together into the 3d neck. I made a skeletal framework with lines and curves, and then attached a surface to them.
Before you start you will need:

Fret spacing measurements from stew mac fret calculator or similar
peghead thickness measurement
nut width and length
fretboard width at neck to body joint
neck thickness at nut
neck thickness at neck to body joint
tenon size if applicable
fretboard radius
peghead shape.

For Gibson style necks, I have found it easier to rout the truss rod slot and adjustment nut cavity for a hot rod on the router table and use the cnc to do the carving of the neck and tenon. Holes get drilled on the drill press.

Maybe I should do a tutorial....