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Permalink Reply by Goldsmithexile on August 3, 2015 at 9:59pm

I have used both methods in the last 2 weeks to make a scarf joint on the neck/head stock.

I spent an hour or so creating a simple sloping jig, clamped the 2 pieces in and routed the angle on to them. I glued up straight from the router using small and flat hardwood cauls. It was good but not perfect, there was a slight hairline shadow.

I also tried doing it using a hand saw and a sharp fine set block plane and a good try square. This method was far quicker and far more accurate. Not 100% perfect (top luthier standard that is), but way better than the routed version.

To be fair, if I had fettled and adjusted the routed version (take a couple fine passes down the centre to leave micro concave surfaces) it would have been better, but if you need to fettle, why use the router to begin with? (I used a good quality cutter BTW) Saw takes just a few seconds.....

But next time I will stick with the saw/plane/square version. For one thing, doing it manually you can custom-make the angle each time, a jig restricts you to using the same angle. If you need a new angle, another hour creating another jig that takes up yet more storage space

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Permalink Reply by Graeme L on August 8, 2015 at 1:48am

I cut my scarf joints on my bandsaw and then clean it up as much as possible with a small block plain and then sand the jointing surfaces in a "sled" that I built out of some scrap laminated mdf and chipboard, it's approximately 15 degress (give or take) and gives a nice clean joint.........I just use double sided tape between the neck and headstock joints and then double sided tape to secure the both pieces into the "sled"     Gives me very good and consistent results.  I also glue up with the join on top so the fret board covers the join! 

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Permalink Reply by Graeme L on August 8, 2015 at 2:20am

I cut my scarf joints on my bandsaw and then clean it up as much as possible with a small block plain and then sand the jointing surfaces in a "sled" that I built out of some scrap laminated mdf and chipboard, it's approximately 15 degress (give or take) and gives a nice clean joint.........I just use double sided tape between the neck and headstock joints and then double sided tape to secure the both pieces into the "sled"     Gives me very good and consistent results.  I also glue up with the join on top so the fret board covers the join! 

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