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The elusive scarf joint

Okay, after failing to pull of a crisp scarf joint with either:

hand saw
table saw
band saw

by slicing the neck stock at an angle, flipping over the cut piece and gluing the two back together. I can just never get a perfect cut, and even after sanding it is never quite like Jim Frets makes it look in that video. (But it might help if I made that little jig thingy like Jim . . .)

So I'm taking a different swing at it by gluing the parts together first, and then slicing on the bandsaw and cleaning it up on the sander. I drew a picture of how it goes for anyone else hitting their heads against the wall with this (seemingly) simple task.

I'll post a photo of the finished neck soon. Providing it is not a train wreck.

(and I will make that jig thingy - someday)

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Attachments:

scarfjoin.jpg, 10 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Cox on October 11, 2010 at 3:21am

I like the adjustability of that design. happy with your cuts?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on October 11, 2010 at 10:26am

Only sort of. I can usually make the cut work, but the table saw is old and funky.

I'm going to try the next ones on a chop saw. The one I have access to is a beauty.

Here's a thread on a bass-builder's forum talking about this same thing:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=501205

Craig Cox said:

I like the adjustability of that design. happy with your cuts?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on May 16, 2013 at 3:26pm

I just tried this method at the shop tonight, using the chop saw. We were able to fix the support block to the fence with a screw driven through the holes in the fence. The block has now been clearly labeled and put on the shelf with the other jigs, so we don't have to re-invent the wheel every time. Ah, the challenges of working in a community woodshop!

Next time I have it set up, I will take a photo. Works great, plus there was a brand new blade on the saw. No sanding necessary!

Permalink Reply by John Rivers on May 20, 2013 at 3:45pm

I do mine with a skil saw....I have a old little table that has 2" x4" nailed in for the top...there is about a 1/2" space in between the 2" x4". So I laid the wood on the table that I wanted to cut, at the angle I wanted to cut it over the 1/2" space, .then I hammered in some blocks of wood to hold the wood I wanted to cut, at that angle. :Then I just run the skil saw over it so the blade goes thru the space between the 2" x 4"...comes up with a perfect cut every time.....got lucky on that idea

Permalink Reply by Jarmo Katajisto on October 17, 2010 at 6:01am

Attachments:

File0001.jpg, 476 KB
Dark Sumatra head stock.jpg, 1.6 MB

Permalink Reply by Bert the Welder on May 16, 2013 at 9:57am

That's a nice method Jarmo.

Permalink Reply by HarleyTodd on May 27, 2013 at 5:44pm

What is the "standard" angle to cut this at?

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on May 29, 2013 at 2:41am

survey says . . . . . 15 degrees!

Permalink Reply by Mike on July 1, 2017 at 2:18pm

Has anyone tried using one of the hand mitre saws (see link http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-Clamping-Miter-Box-with-Saw-20-8... ) do you think it would cut the perfect 15° ?? No room for a table or any other power tools at the mo