OK so I have cut my angled headstock.

[tjclem]

How the heck do you glue the 2 pieces together? Do you guys make a jig for that too? How do you stop the pieces from sliding?

[M_A_T_T]

I take it this is a scarf-joint? One the first on I did, I kinda fought it until the pieces didn't slide when glued, as I recall...on the second and only other one I did I fastened the two pieces together with bolts on the outter-ness, or scrap area you could say, to hold them together while gluing and clamping.

[Bass Kahuna]

There is an old trick whereby you take a staple gun and put a staple into the neck blank piece off to the site where it will be cut out when you cut the headstock and neck profile out (like on either side of where the nut will be....). MAKE SURE you put the staples somewhere where they will be cut out, you don't want to start shaping your neck or headstock and have a staple leg become exposed in the neck and ruin your work!

You then take a pair of wire cutters and cut off the top of the staple so that just about 1/16" or so of the staple legs are sticking up out of the wood.

Then spread on the glue, put on the headstock piece and clamp it up.

I put a piece of lexan / plexiglass on the top piece (the side where the fingerboard goes....) and then a clamping block. The Lexan keeps the glue that squeezes out from glueing the clamping block to the neck.

I use this same trick for glueing down fingerboards and other butt joints used in basic luthiery.

Some guys will dry clamp the two pieces, and then drill a thin 1/8" or so hole partially into the two pieces and put a small dowel in to aid in alignment. If you use this process, again ensure that you place the dowels somewhere that they are cut out when carving the neck and headstock or they won'tshow up later when carving the neck and headstock and look funny... unless you want them to show up....


:^)~

[tjclem]

Excellent! Thanks. My table saw will only cut a 3" wide board so I guess I wont be able to do a 6 string.

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by Bass Kahuna

There is an old trick whereby you take a staple gun and put a staple into the neck blank piece off to the site where it will be cut out when you cut the headstock and neck profile out (like on either side of where the nut will be....). MAKE SURE you put the staples somewhere where they will be cut out, you don't want to start shaping your neck or headstock and have a staple leg become exposed in the neck and ruin your work!

You then take a pair of wire cutters and cut off the top of the staple so that just about 1/16" or so of the staple legs are sticking up out of the wood.

Then spread on the glue, put on the headstock piece and clamp it up.

I put a piece of lexan / plexiglass on the top piece (the side where the fingerboard goes....) and then a clamping block. The Lexan keeps the glue that squeezes out from glueing the clamping block to the neck.

I use this same trick for glueing down fingerboards and other butt joints used in basic luthiery.

Some guys will dry clamp the two pieces, and then drill a thin 1/8" or so hole partially into the two pieces and put a small dowel in to aid in alignment. If you use this process, again ensure that you place the dowels somewhere that they are cut out when carving the neck and headstock or they won'tshow up later when carving the neck and headstock and look funny... unless you want them to show up....


:^)~

I've done something similar to the last method but I used 2 very small drill bits. I drilled the hole with them and then flipped them over and put the shank in the hole to lock them in position. But like the Kahuna said - check twice to make sure they're outside of the live area.

[tjclem]

"I've done something similar to the last method but I used 2 very small drill bits. I drilled the hole with them and then flipped them over and put the shank in the hole to lock them in position. But like the Kahuna said - check twice to make sure they're outside of the live area."

Exactly what I will do....t

[Bass Kahuna]

My table saw has a thickness limit too... so for really wide necks I just cut as deep as I can, then I cut the remaining on my band saw or by hand, and then flatten the glueing surface with my belt sander and then finish off with a wood scraper.

:^)~

[wilser]

I've actually built 3 basses (the only three) where I put the staple in the middle of the neck blank without any problems. you just have to plan ahead and be very careful.

[JSPguitars]

The other weekend I accidentally "forgot" about a staple in a piece of wood I was joining. I ignorantly declined to check the edge of the wood before joining, and so then I quickly had some REALLY NICE DIVOTS in the cutting knives of my BRAND NEW JOINTER. Gotta love learning things the hard way. but boy, did those knives do a great job of flattening out that staple.

[tjclem]

"Gotta love learning things the hard way. "

I have heard there are other ways to learn I just haven't found them ...t

[Hambone]

Originally Posted by tjclem

"Gotta love learning things the hard way. "

I have heard there are other ways to learn I just haven't found them ...t

Yeah, I've got a book on those other ways laying around here somewhere - but I glued the pages shut.

[tjclem]

very good Mr. Bone!

[count_funkula]

I have used the method of drilling through both pieces at the very edge of the neck. then after applying the glue I hammered some nails through the holes and it didn't budge. The nails were slightly larger than the holes so they went in nice and tight.

I tried the staple method but it still slipped after clamping. The staples just maded a little groove in the wood where it slid.

[tjclem]

Actually I am practicing on a corpse. My first attempt at an angled headstock. No hurry no stress just learning........t

[count_funkula]

I just realized I used the word "maded" in my last post.

[tjclem]

I didn't notice. Itis amazing how people read stuff sofst the see what is ment not what is written..t

[JSPguitars]

say what?