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Locator pin for scarf joint

Hi Guys,

I have been watching and reading all the neat tips on here and decided it was time for me to contribute something. If this subject has been done before, please excuse my ignorance. On my first guitar I had some trouble holding the scarf joint steady during glue up so I came up with this solution. I used a half inch of finish nail as a locator pin and drilled two centered holes into the halves of the joint. That holds the joint from moving while gluing. I posted some pictures of the whole process on my page so people would understand what I did. You don't need to go to all the trouble that I did to get the holes perpendicular to the glue joint, but I'm picky and I think it helped some. Just be sure you don't put the nail anywhere that more wood needs to come off. A quarter inch into each piece is plenty deep enough to hold well, and if centered it won't be in the way. Measure your nail diameter to get just the right drill bit.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on April 25, 2010 at 2:17am

thanks.... I'm sure that this is a good way of doing it..... if a picture is worth a 1,000 words, what are three worth?

the best,

Wichita Sam

Permalink Reply by Robert Hynden on April 25, 2010 at 2:20am

Sam, There are several more pics on my homepage so people can easily figure out the process.

Wichita Sam said:

thanks.... I'm sure that this is a good way of doing it..... if a picture is worth a 1,000 words, what are three worth?

the best,

Wichita Sam

Permalink Reply by William H Bonney on April 25, 2010 at 3:22am

Still not sure what we are doing here? Looks like you got it down to a fine science.Like to see more pics.

Thanks,
James

Permalink Reply by Robert Hynden on April 25, 2010 at 3:27am

James, There are more pictures in my homepage that show the process better. Go there and have a look and if you still have questions, just ask me. I'll try to explain any thing you don't understand. Bob H.

James Bernard said:

Still not sure what we are doing here? Looks like you got it down to a fine science.Like to see more pics.

Thanks,
James

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on April 25, 2010 at 4:11am

Wow, a lotta work. Not to sound disagreeable, your method is great, I have been using staples to set the scarf with -- keeping it from slipping.

I take a stable gun and put in two stapes with the grain ~1 1/2" from where the scarf ends under the neck. I raise them up about 1/16" and clip them off at the staple bends. Makes 4 short 'pins' that prevent backwards slippage. I apply my glue to the scarf and place the neck on its side on a flat surface and put the head part on with ~1/16" overhang over the neck 'top'. Everything should be level and straight (inline). Clamp that baby shut and let her dry.

Afterwards, I have a slightly elevated scarf above the neck top. I will take a hand plane and make that flush and sand level. I glue the fretboard on and then use the plane to level out the joint/neck on both sides to make it all flush. Sanding and neck profiling is last.

-WY

Permalink Reply by Robert Hynden on April 25, 2010 at 5:34am

Wes,
I guess there are all kinds of ways to do the same thing, but I hadn't seen it mentioned before on the Nation. That's why I put it on here. One fellow suggested just clamping the two pieces to another board to hold them together while they dry. That might work just fine for him, but I would have glue running all over and probably wind up with the two neck pieces glued to another board when I got done. Also, that method does not work well if the headstock is much wider than the neck itself. I thought about putting in two pins to keep everything lined up, but that just complicates things and I found that one was plenty as long as you adjusted the joint before you clamp it really tight. Bob H.

Permalink Reply by Allan Weed on August 11, 2013 at 5:54am