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First build, aka "Things I learned today"

ok day one (ok two I did do some cuts last night) I'll size the pics and put them on the bucket or upload them.

1. scarf joints are a %$^&#$*&%^ to clamp

2. cutting the headstock block to length before cutting the scarf makes a really nice oak sanding block

3. scarf joints are a &^%*(%$# to clamp

4. sometimes it is indeed better to be lucky than good. When thicknessing the body block to thicken the neck where it goes through the box, just wing it and stop when it feels good, then slip it into the box slots and viola! perfect fit the lid closes flush with the neck relief. (I will be a bit more careful in the future as that could have been bad)

5. scarf joints.. you get the idea

6. cutting the headstock was a bit more dicey than I thought (you guys make it look so easy!)

All in all it was good and while there will be a few things I'll tighten up in the future the learning curve isn't so steep that the project was in danger of failing..

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Attachments:

box cut.jpg, 58 KB
neck block.jpg, 97 KB
scarf1.jpg, 101 KB

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Permalink Reply by Keith on January 21, 2015 at 11:15am

last pics

Attachments:

scarf2.jpg, 86 KB
boxneck.jpg, 99 KB
boxneck2.jpg, 78 KB

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Permalink Reply by Keith on January 21, 2015 at 11:46am

Question about stringing, with such a small thin box and going with piezos, should I use the heavier stings to avoid brassy treble or am I just full of wind? was thinking of a GDG with the medium strings .042, .030, .009, thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on January 21, 2015 at 1:02pm

I've gone to a double guarantee the scarf joint doesn't slip. Two 1/4" hardwood dowels through the joint. 70% of the time it never slips every time.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 21, 2015 at 1:53pm

Yeah Eric, I use toothpicks for the same thing. About 5/32, I think, is the bit I use. I drill through the front and not all the way through the back. The little dots get covered with a headstock veneer usually. Sometimes I let the dots show if I don't use the veneer. Either way 70% of the time it never slips every other time. I have also used the clamping to the table method Wayfinder mentioned with good results. But I lost $5 on his suggestion #3. My friend is way better than me!

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 21, 2015 at 4:05pm

Suggestion #4: Pop a coupla staples part way into the scarf surface, then snip them off so only a tiny bit protrudes. That'll keep the pieces from sliding during glue and clamp. But the salt idea is really easier.

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 21, 2015 at 3:10pm

This is why I no longer use scarf joints. There are tricks, but easier to make a headstock similar to a Srat or Telecaster.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 21, 2015 at 3:35pm

I hear you Scott and I do it that way sometimes, but then I often need to use string trees to give down pressure at the nut since there isn't a sharp enough angle to the tuners. Lots of ways! I also use a slotted headstock sometimes like on a classical guitar for that down pressure but for me those are even harder.

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 21, 2015 at 3:38pm

yep, slotted heads good alternative. A few good Y-tube vids on how to do the scarf gluing without slippage too.

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Permalink Reply by Corbin on January 21, 2015 at 4:38pm

This looks like a good way....

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Permalink Reply by Keith on January 21, 2015 at 6:43pm

Uh yeah never done a scarf joint before, had no idea I needed tricks and of course by the time I realized I needed some kind of trick I needed it now. Proud to say I figured out the clamp on both ends trick myself. It was close cuz if that hadn't worked I was gonna try the throw it across shop trick followed immediately by the punch myself in the head trick... Lol. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by Jim Morris on January 22, 2015 at 1:34am

Yeah, I often use that last trick of yours. I'm proud to say I came up with it myself!

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Permalink Reply by Scott aka Farmer Ted on January 22, 2015 at 1:11am

Wayfinder,
I secure the neck blank to bench. Then lay a scrap piece of 3/4" on either side so the router has a wide base to slide over. With a round channel bit set at proper depth, and with a fence I cut the rounded off portion of the head right above where thenut goes. Then I use a flat bottom bit set at same depth and remove the rest, which from a 3/4"blank is really only about 3/16"
..leaving head thick enough and so I am able to mount tuners.
Maybe I need to make a video ;)