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Making Neck Pocket Templates.

A

Aka Nameless

Oct 24, 2006
155
1
#1
Where to start...

I have made a body and neck template for a body/headstock shape that I want to reproduce with ease. Now onto the neck pocket template...

I have read about using 2 flat pieces of wood taped along the sides of the neck/neck template, and another flat piece taped at the end of the neck, then remove the neck/neck template and route. My problem is that the end of my neck isn't flat, it is rounded... so I was thinking.

(Bare with me)

If I rubbed wax along the heel of the neck template that the neck pocket template will fit, then made a slightly oversized, rough neck pocket template, placed them both on a piece of hardboard with waxpaper in between (this hardboard will in the end be the final neck pocket template), then line up the center lines, clamp it all together, then fill the gaps between the oversized neck pocket and neck template with epoxy, wood putty, or something.

Then after it dries i can unclamp the neck template, which will slide out because of the light wax coating, and I will end up with a sort of epoxy or wood putty mold for the neck pocket, which will hopefully hold up to a router bearing riding along it to make the actual template.

Hopefully someone can make sense of that.

Would that work?

Am I overlooking a simpler method?

My brain hurts.

Thanks for reading.
 
#5
Aka Nameless said:
I have read about using 2 flat pieces of wood taped along the sides of the neck/neck template, and another flat piece taped at the end of the neck, then remove the neck/neck template and route. My problem is that the end of my neck isn't flat, it is rounded... so I was thinking.
Click to expand...

so you could still use the two pieces of wood clamped to the sides of the neck and just make a small rounded template that sits between these for the heel - would involve much less sanding.

i havent tried this yet but this is my plan for when i route my neck pocket.
 
#6
If you are setting up templates for more than a small run it really helps to take the time and do it accurately. If it's going to be something you use for the next 10 years then you might want to consider making a "master" and locking that one away for making future jigs when the one you have has an unfortunate accident.

Sounds to me like the only problem you are having is the rounded heel. Just build the temporary jigs for making the "master" jig and shape the bottom piece by hand carefully. The side pieces should be straight so that shouldn't be a problem.

Don't forget to allow a little room for finish on both the neck and in the pocket. A perfectly tight joint in the white will be too tight with finish applied.

Greg N
 
#7
Guess my main questions are, would my idea above work? Would it give me a perfect copy of the neck template? Would it be too perfect, and too tight when finish is applied? It seems a lot easier than trying to match it perfectly with sandpaper, it is a tough curve to copy.
 
#8
Aka Nameless said:
Guess my main questions are, would my idea above work? Would it give me a perfect copy of the neck template? Would it be too perfect, and too tight when finish is applied? It seems a lot easier than trying to match it perfectly with sandpaper, it is a tough curve to copy.
Click to expand...

If the neck fits *perfectly* and snug when dry, I'd call it good. You can always sand or scrape the finish off in the neck pocket later. The snugger, the better. I like to make my bolt-on necks so they are "pressed in" and can support the weight of the body without bolts.

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#9
For what it's worth there is a great luthier here on San Juan that uses bondo and does just what you are talking about. If he wants a REALLY tight fit he puts a peice of tape on the neck/heel template so that it needs to be worried in with a scraper or sandpaper.

Cheers,

Cb
 

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