tips and advice needed on shaping the back of necks

[tjclem]

After cutting through to the truss rod channel on 2 necks in the last year I figured I would ask you all how you figure out how much you can shave the back of a neck you have built without going through. Any tips or help would be great. I have been making my neck blanks 13/16" thick and using a 1/4" thick fingerboard with the Stewmac spoke trussrods. Thanks ...........Tom

[Tim Barber]

Total thickness - [fingerboard thickness + depth of truss rod channel] = thickness of wood remaining below channel.

[tjclem]

I am aware of that. But what tools do you use? Do you use a caliper to measure how much you are taking off? .....t

[Tim Barber]

yep

[Mon Rominee]

Anything I've attempted, I admit, I always leave pretty much the full thickness, @ 1" from top of fingerboard. I love a chunky neck tho... it gives me @ 3/8 material behind the trussrod. I use the same rods... I sand the majority of the curve on a belt sander, and I have guages I made off a pin guage to replicate the back contour of my old G&L 2000 neck. My favorite neck ever, to be sure, but I like it a little beefier. I have big hands so I like tha big neck. It also makes the whole headstock transition easier, imo. Not all people like it, but I love it.

Yup, a 20 dollar caliper gos a long way indeed for tapers.

[tjclem]

I hope to get to it this weekend. I will be using my calipers this time.......t