Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Todd on September 15, 2010 at 2:03pm

the last one i did i set my bandsaw table at 45 deg. marked out headstock and body trimmed the "square edge" off then finished roughing with a hand rasp.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Cox on September 15, 2010 at 2:16pm

I inherited a router, table, and a handful of old bits from my father-in-law, but the damned thing looked too... dangerous, so I tended to stay away from it.
Then I discovered the joy of carbide router bits on my last build. expensive, but they went through that maple like it was maple cream. never going back to shurforms and files (nothing against you folks committed to non-powered hand tools, cause I get that. I'm just lazy and impatient!)

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Permalink Reply by pi_r_squared on September 15, 2010 at 2:18pm

do what's comfortable....I knock the corners down with a router, rough the rest out with a belt sander, then finish sand.

If it's what you want, you can to this do a neck in less than an hour.

Have fun.

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Permalink Reply by Wade on September 15, 2010 at 3:37pm

It takes some skill and patience, but I've had good results with a wide chisel to take most of the wood off.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Mitchell on September 15, 2010 at 4:26pm

I am in the spoke shave camp. It is a really nice tool when it is sharp from there I use rasp's and sandpaper. I don't think you have to round over the neck's this is just a hobby for me so I really enjoy the carving and shaping process. But there certainly are any number of options you could go with.

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Permalink Reply by Mister Scott on September 15, 2010 at 4:30pm

How often do you find you need to sharpen the blade?

Jim Mitchell said:

I am in the spoke shave camp. It is a really nice tool when it is sharp from there I use rasp's and sandpaper. I don't think you have to round over the neck's this is just a hobby for me so I really enjoy the carving and shaping process. But there certainly are any number of options you could go with.

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Permalink Reply by Dave Onastik on September 15, 2010 at 4:44pm

I've used this cheap belt sander from Harbour Freight for my last few necks:

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-x-30-inch-belt-sander-2485.html

I just turn the neck sideways and rock it back and forth, then turn it over and get the other side to match. I flip back an forth a few times, and in a little over 10 minutes I have a nicely rounded neck. I have to wear a mask and eye protection because the sawdust does fly.

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Permalink Reply by Ben on September 15, 2010 at 5:30pm

Hey Iggy, I know your initial post was a while ago, but I'll add my opinion in here. I find that very little shaping is needed with these skinny necks. I usually like to take the edge off with a plane and then sand it out a bit. I don't know if you remember the cookie tin guitar I played at Bangkok Blues, but that one didn't have one wisp of wood taken off of the back. I think the guys who are insisting on a rounded back have learned to play with too much pressure and tension. The neck really shouldn't sit in the palm at all (I'm guilty of it from time to time too).

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on September 15, 2010 at 6:19pm

I used to use a router just to round off the neck before I did the headstock, but now I use a combination of a 4" belt sander and a spokeshave. I sand my desired neck profile at the heel and nut working onto the drum part of the sander (I take off the flimsy safety guards to get right onto where the belt wraps round the drum), then shape between the two profiled areas with the spokeshave, final shaping on the belt sander, then finish with sandpaper.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on September 15, 2010 at 11:36pm

When the spokeshave bits into the wood instead of cutting clean. But then again, I have an El Cheapo spokeshave.

-WY

Scotty C. said:

I just started work on my first neck shaped with a spokeshave. How often do you guys find you need to sharpen the blade?

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on September 15, 2010 at 11:38pm

Ooooo, I used to do that. Could never keep the angle/line straight plus I do heels on the neck and can't cut around that.

-WY

Todd said:

the last one i did i set my bandsaw table at 45 deg. marked out headstock and body trimmed the "square edge" off then finished roughing with a hand rasp.

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Permalink Reply by Brett Morgan on September 15, 2010 at 11:57pm

So is a flat spoke shave better or a curved one for this purpose?

Brett

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