Neck making

Neck making
I started making the neck for my Guitar #2.
I was deciding between a V-joint or normal scarf joint for the neck but in the end opt for a simpler scarf joint.
After all Torres also did a normal scarf joint.

The main reason was that my neck blank wasn't thick enough so for a V-joint I would need too attached a piece of wood to thicken that part.
Also V-joint needs more precision cut.

Anyway I got my new tool: a Ryoba saw (double edge Japanese pull saw - 両刃鋸).
First I marked out the angle of the head stock, 15 degree and enough wood for doing the headstock shape (probably a Torres 3 bun head stock).
Then I proceed to clamp a guide block and started sawing.

The saw did drift and my cut wasn't perfect.
I stopped and cut from the other side.
The rest was corrected by using the plane.
My new sets of long wooden plane does help but the greatest help was my wooden MuJingFang block plane especially in leveling the scarf joint surface keeping it square and flat.
Constantly I will check for squareness and flatness of the joint.

Once I can see no light at the area I proceed to glue up the scarf joint.
I used the hide glue which I had kept refrigerated for the past month.
It didn't smell bad so I proceed to use it.

Here are the pictures:


Guide block


Sawing with my ryouba nokogiri


Top view - can see the scarf joint angle.


Jaggered edge - due to my lousy sawing no fault of the tool just my skill.


Another view


Planing the scarf joint flat


The MuJingFang block plane really works wonderfully.


Checking the squareness and flatness


Checking the flatness


Preparing the hide glue


The scarf joint snug fit


Clamping the joint after applying the glue


Top view


Another view

After I removed the clamps and examined the joint, the joint looks pretty well done.
Hide glue really holds the 2 pieces together pretty strong, well at least it feels so.
Then I proceed to remove the woods in the head but it was sure hard work to remove so much wood by a block plane.
How nice if I had an CNC router machine programmed to make a neck...


The joint after gluing looks pretty good.


I don't have any wax paper so I just use a paper towel.
Those area will be removed by planing anyway.
I think I should get some wax paper... for top plate jointing.


Preparing to thickness the head


Thicknessing the head


After rough thicknessing the head, there is some tapering.
But I haven't exactly measured the exact thickness including the headplate and veneer

Sawing the neck using a ryoba