Making a neck

[lbridenstine]

How do you guys get the long sides of the neck perfectly straight?My design is simple enough, no scarf joint, jazz neck profile; but the 25.5" straight cut sides from heel to headstock is difficult to achieve. I made an MDF template of my neck using a router and straight-edge, but even then the final product cut into the maple had little "dips" and "hills" on the long sides that could be felt and seen. The long-and-thin shape of the neck doesn't provide a very stable platform for my router, and my belt sander is nowhere near long enough to sand the entire length at once.

Make sure the mdf template is completely smooth before you use it on the neck and your neck should be smooth. If it's not a big enough surface for the router to sit on, you can just use pieces of mdf, wood, etc on each side (of equal height) to rest the router on top of while you're routing.

 

[Neek]

Make sure the mdf template is completely smooth before you use it on the neck and your neck should be smooth. If it's not a big enough surface for the router to sit on, you can just use pieces of mdf, wood, etc on each side (of equal height) to rest the router on top of while you're routing.

Thanks for the reply lbridenstine. I understand what you mean, using scrap pieces of wood on the other side of the router bit (making a "valley" for the bit to pass through) to prevent the router from tipping. I tried this method yesterday afternoon, and it successfully remedied the nerve wracking balancing act issue with the router.

 

[lbridenstine]

Thanks for the reply lbridenstine. I understand what you mean, using scrap pieces of wood on the other side of the router bit (making a "valley" for the bit to pass through) to prevent the router from tipping. I tried this method yesterday afternoon, and it successfully remedied the nerve wracking balancing act issue with the router.

I'm glad it worked, I've had to do that several times.