Let me here how you taper a neck

[rick31797]

Whats the best way to taper a neck.. tablesaw, jointer...Belt sander...

 

[Nick JD]

The thickness?

I tape a straight edge of 6mm MDF on the side and use a bearing-guided router. Flip it and do the other side the same.

 

[ltdave32]

I don't trust my table saw (old POS, inaccurate. I need a new one), so I cut mine on my band saw. I take a measurement at the nut for width, establish a centerline, and go out from the centerline on each side one-half the total width. I do the same on the 21st fret. I use a straight edge to mark a line at the marks I made off the centerline, and pencil in a line. I then take it to the band saw and cut, leaving about 1/16" outside the line for truing up, once I get the fret board on.

 

[Picton]

I don't trust my table saw (old POS, inaccurate. I need a new one), so I cut mine on my band saw. I take a measurement at the nut for width, establish a centerline, and go out from the centerline on each side one-half the total width. I do the same on the 21st fret. I use a straight edge to mark a line at the marks I made off the centerline, and pencil in a line. I then take it to the band saw and cut, leaving about 1/16" outside the line for truing up, once I get the fret board on.

Sorta like this.

True up with a block plane and, at the transition to the headstock, a spokeshave. Or a sander.

 

[ltdave32]

Sorta like this.

True up with a block plane and, at the transition to the headstock, a spokeshave. Or a sander.

I do the same with the fret boards, finding the centerline on both ends and measuring out from the center to each side. If I'm doing a neck with binding, I make the fret board less 0.60 on each side to allow for the binding (If I'm using 0.60 binding, of course). I do mostly Gibson-style builds, and use a variety of rat-tail files to get the transition right and to form the "stinger" on the backside.

 

[Maricopa]

Bandsaw it rough and then use a pattern and Robosander to clean it up. I've also done this with a router but that's kinda scary.

 

[Colt W. Knight]

Rough cut the neck with a bandsaw


Route with a template - When using a spiral bit.


When using a straight flute bit, I route straight edges, and sand corners on the ROSS.

Radius the fretboard with a block

I carve the back of the neck with a horse shoeing rasp

 

[Mike Simpson]

I don't.

I make them 1" at the first and 1" at the 12th...

 

[Picton]

I don't.

I make them 1" at the first and 1" at the 12th...

I thought the OP was talking about the sides... If it's the thickness, I just use rasps, spokeshaves, and block planes.

 

[Mike Simpson]

I thought the OP was talking about the sides... If it's the thickness, I just use rasps, spokeshaves, and block planes.

It is not clear what the question is... in the past a question on neck taper would refer to the back profile tapering from the 12th to the 1st fret.
Nut width is not referenced and I would not consider the shape of the neck as a blank to be considered "taper".

http://www.andersonguitars.com/support/neck_backshapes_2.cfm

 

[aikiguy]

Constant radius or compound?

Radius the fretboard with a block

Getting ready to make a few necks and was wanting to do a compound radius, Colt, do you do constant radius only, or do you have a slick way to do the compound radius?

(You seem to have a slick and wonderful way to do most of this. Thank for sharing your knowledge!)

Guy

 

[rcole_sooner]

I use my router box, with a shim under the headstock end.

 

[Lost_N_Austin]

Youtube

I don't have any affiliation with this guy or any personal experience with neck carving (yet), but this video is great and leads to many others.



Also use Google to search "TDPRI" "Neck" "shaving"

Lost_N_Austin

 

[Maricopa]

I took the OP to mean 'how do you thin the back of the neck'.

Sure, some gorilla-pawed goons like Simpson leave the neck the same thickness all the way up but others of us lesser-endowed in the 'handal' regions like to bring it down some to .850" or so.

As far as getting the neck to the same width as the fingerboard, after the glue is dry I rough it out with the bandsaw and use a 1/2" pattern bit on the router table to clean it up. No fuss, no muss and takes 5 minutes.

 

[Colt W. Knight]

Getting ready to make a few necks and was wanting to do a compound radius, Colt, do you do constant radius only, or do you have a slick way to do the compound radius?

(You seem to have a slick and wonderful way to do most of this. Thank for sharing your knowledge!)

Guy

I wish I could take credit for this, but this is slicker than pig $#!+

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/228113-fingerboard-radius-jig.html

 

[kwerk]

I wish I could take credit for this, but this is slicker than pig $#!+

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/228113-fingerboard-radius-jig.html

That's brilliant. Simple, ingenious. I'm surprised it isn't a Scatter jig!

 

[Shepherd]

 

[Mojotron]

Yep - that's a great jig, I think there's a few of us using it now.

 

[Mike Simpson]

I took the OP to mean 'how do you thin the back of the neck'.

Sure, some gorilla-pawed goons like Simpson leave the neck the same thickness all the way up but others of us lesser-endowed in the 'handal' regions like to bring it down some to .850" or so.

As far as getting the neck to the same width as the fingerboard, after the glue is dry I rough it out with the bandsaw and use a 1/2" pattern bit on the router table to clean it up. No fuss, no muss and takes 5 minutes.

I guess you're used to holding something smaller in yer hand...

 

[Shepherd]

Ouch, low blow