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What do you use to shape a neck?

Posted by Paul Craig on September 21, 2015 at 2:49am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

People often find neat ways or different tools/items to shape the back of the neck.

I start off using a 1/2" roundover bit(3/4" on 6 string guitars) to knock off the edges and get me started. I use a rasp file(flat on one side and half round on the other), utility knife blades as scrapers, sandpaper and a cheap serrated edge steak knife as a scraper(works amazingly well).

What do you use?

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Replies

  • Paul Craig October 5, 2015 at 3:32am

    Thank you everybody for all the suggestions and video. Anybody needing this info will find this thread very helpful.

  • Bluesheart October 3, 2015 at 9:27am

    Wow, Richey Kay, cool video. I love the idea of doing the rasp work first, then the spokeshave. I"ve been doing it backwards! Also getting that neck out in open air will really speed up the process. I guess I need a sturdier work bench.

    • Richey Kay > Bluesheart October 3, 2015 at 9:36am
      Thanks Bluesheart! I should clarify that the only rasping I do before the spokeshave is the shoulder and heel of the neck. I then remove material with the spokeshave and round everything off with the rasps. Looks like we do it in the same order :-)
  • Rick Walker September 30, 2015 at 8:07am

    I have used almost every conceivable method to make my necks; draw knife, spoke shave, router, orbital sander, spindle sander, hand plane, wood rasps, etc., however, I don't know how I EVER got along without my new Dragon files from Stewmac.  Finally, wood rasps in my shop that actually work like they should.  Pricey, but well worth every penny.

  • Scott McGilliard September 29, 2015 at 4:40pm

    I rough out the heel with a coping saw and then use a hand held oscillating sander with 60 grit and then 220 grit to shape the heel, neck and headstock.  I finish up with hand sanding with 400 and then 600.  I've used maple, oak and babinga for necks and maple, oak, tiger wood, wenge and paduk for fret boards.

  • jim September 29, 2015 at 11:55am

    Sharp things

  • Clarky September 29, 2015 at 9:43am

    I use rough rasps, then a very cheap wood shaver to get the shape I want like this...

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stanley-Surform-Shaver-Tool-115/dp/B0001IWC...

    Then sand it down to finish.  Takes a while but if I go down the electric tools route I won't enjoy it anymore.

  • Diglydog September 27, 2015 at 12:25pm

    1.  Surform, rasp, spokeshave.

    2.  Cabinet scrapers.

    3.  Sandpaper.

  • darryl kernaghan September 24, 2015 at 9:17am

    If i'm just making a simple c b g,i just run a roundover bit at about 1/2 set to make it feel ok.If i'm tapering/shaping on hardwood,the sureform just doesn't cut it,so a good rasp to remove mass,then a spokeshave and sanding to finish,a quality rasp leaves little hard work to finish

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