Hi Mark.
Another way to build a neck is to build a laminate neck. For instance, I'm in China where good wood is hard to find. Our "big box" store is B&Q and they do not carry suitable wood. But they do carry some nice wood for trim work around the house. The wood I buy is 2" wide by 1/4" thick and 2.2 meters long. Usually I cut two pieces to the same length as the neck will be. Then I cut a shorter top piece, leaving off wood to help form the head stock as well as to leave space between the sound board and the neck so the sound board will be free to vibrate. You can think of this top piece as the fretboard if you like. Then to strengthen the neck, I add a backup board for the headstock and the part of the neck extending through the box. Here is an illustration:
When gluing, you will need a table that you can clamp the board down to. You will also need a lot of claps. Maybe one for every 3 inches of board length plus a couple (you can always use a couple more clamps). Also, a strong "top board" to even out the pressure between the clamps and the two pieces of wood you are gluing together is very helpful. Use a good white "carpenter's glue". Don't use Gorilla glue or super-glue. Apply the Carpenter's glue evenly on one surface. Glue up only 2 pieces at a time. Flip the board so that their grain curvature go in opposite directions (look at the board ends). This will add additional strength to your laminated neck. When gluing up and clamping the boards together, take care to see that the pieces do not slip relative to each other as you clamp them up. Double check this again after you have clamped them and re-position and re-clamp as necessary. Wipe up any extra glue that is squeezed out. Let it dry at least 2-3 hours before adding the next layer. Then let dry over night. Add the fourth (reinforcement) layer the next day and let dry well. Inevitably the sides will need to be filed and sanded smooth. When you get good at it, you can vary the wood you use intermixing light and dark color woods to make some striking wood contrast a a more beautiful instrument.
The nice thing is the head assembly is simple as compared to doing the traditional guitar style 15 degree scarf joint. Also, you don't need to cut, gouge, file out a "hollow" on the neck between it and the sound board to let the sound board vibrate. Then for a tail piece, you can just drill a hole for each string though it using one of you tiny (1mm) drill bits. The more careful you are while doing the lamination will also save you work (less filing and sanding). I have no machine tools other than a hand drill. So, you see I like to take the easy (simplest) building route, and I feel that includes laminating you own necks.
Good luck with your build(s).
-Rand.
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