Router bit to get a flat D neck...?

[michaelwayneharwood]

I agree a 1/4" shank would be unsafe but I think you could make even that work with careful technique. If you took the material off in numerous passes, maybe going 1/8" deeper at a time it would put much less load on the bit and be easier to control. As you approached the deeper cuts where you were approaching the full cutter profile maybe go in 1/16" increments. That said I would not use a 1/4" shank, 1/2" for me. Besides safety it will run so much smoother.

This most certainly *can* be done, though there is additional risk in regards to safety. There are also the following things to consider:

1. Bits with 1/4" shaft shanks will have more "chatter" than 1/2" shanks
2. By the nature of being smaller the 1/4" shaft is going to have more potential for failure in general, and especially on a bit this size.
3. The larger a bit is the slower the maximum speed it can be rotated at. For a bit this size the maximum recommendation for speed is 18,000 RPM, though I would stay well under that.

Not knowing your experience level with routers in general I would be remiss to not also mention the following:

1. Safety first.
2. Make sure your bits are sharp and clean
3. Make light passes rather than a single massive cut. As previously noted for a bit this size take off no more than 1/8" at a time.
4. Route in the right direction (counter clockwise)
5. Before you cut into a "production" work piece do a test run on scrap to get the feel for what to expect. Different woods require different speed settings, feed rates, etc.
6. Transitions from long grain to end grain can ruin your work piece (and your day) - be mindful of grain transitions as you work.
7. Always maintain steady balance and a firm grip on the router. If using a router table this still applies - you need a firm grip and good balance to keep a piece from kicking back, and to produce good cuts.
8. Continuously revisit point #1

 

[earlysecond]

Thanks for the tips Michael, they will benefit all who read them I am sure.

 

[modulusan]

Thanks for the tips Michael, they will benefit all who read them I am sure.

yes, thanks you michael for taking time to help with this....

 

[pilotjones]

hello, i made a few basses. I love work with woods and I play bass of course.
A friend mine will be in NY in august and i want buy those router bits that works fine to made a conft flat D back neck... Could you help me about which one i need buy or which one will do the work better for that work?

I saw this one but I dont know if will work fine...

Buy WoodRiver Table Edge Router Bit 1-3/16" D 1/4" SH at Woodcraft.com

Thanks for the help!
Santiago

I think that one is too small for what you are trying to do. The one that would probably work well is the one that shows up down the page as a suggestion
Buy WoodRiver Table Edge Router Bit 2-1/2" D 1/2" SH at Woodcraft.com
which is wider and deeper (and has a 1/2" shaft). Although it might be too large.

I own #8560 from this page
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which looks like it may be a little smaller than the larger of the two WoodRiver bits.
I just held it up against the neck that I hand shaped as well as against the neck of my Lakland, and for either neck it would have been a safe starting point that would have removed about 70% of the required wood without cutting in too far.

 

[earlysecond]

OK,

so I cut my first neck, from start to finish, with hand tools yesterday. . . yeah it's therapeutic BUT I plan never to do it again. The Shinto rasp is probably one of the coolest tools I have ever used.

Sadly, I have some neck problems (2 herniations and a floating piece of disc) and the extended amount of time I spent working the neck last night, well, I am paying for it this morning. I will work out a system which leaves all but final shaping to files and sandpaper!

I chose to build guitars as I figured it may be a little less physically demanding than some other hobbies. I would like to be able to build guitars until I die of natural causes in my sleep (haha) so there must be a better way to get rid of most of the back of the neck wood without compromising the entire profile of the neck. I am sure others have figured out, in fact I posted a video of one example. I am going to need to use power tools for this task.

BTW my neck came out nicely but I had 2.5 hours of solid work in it from drawing the profile lines though finishing up with 320 grit.

Brent

 

[Jisch]

2.5 hours seems like a reasonable amount of time, carving the neck is my favorite part of building, so it taking less time isn't particularly interesting to me, but I understand your physical limitations, sounds painful!

 

[earlysecond]

Jisch- I DID enjoy it and figured, mostly based on your input regarding your enjoyment of the process, that I should give it whirl. Shinto rasp is nothing short of amazing! I really enjoyed the final shaping but getting rid of a lot of wood at once, without ruining the profile, is my new goal! Even if I could get rid of 70-80% of the wood in a couple of passes (my bandsaw skills do not yet present that as an option!)

For a 50yr old guy, I am not in terrible shape. Like most people, I cannot allow my hobbies to cause me to miss work! I work with physical therapists and physicians who have helped me greatly!

 

[michaelwayneharwood]

@pilotjones - Both of those bits would be fabulous for body round-overs!

 

[Keith Guitars]

There are excellent purpose-made bits available for the "C" and "D" neck shapes.
They are produced/sold by SJE Tool in Australia. He ships worldwide.

They also make an excellent bit for radiusing fingerboards in two passes.
I have a couple of these and they are extremely useful - my last round of basses went from flat to
fully radiused/fine-sanded (400g) in about 4 minutes apiece. The bit is so predictable that there's almost
no sanding needed to get it dead flat - you're really just sanding to polish the surface.

Website: Invalid Link Removed

No commercial interest on my end, just a very satisfied customer.
The bits are affordable and he ships quickly, so don't be put off by the country of origin.
Just PayPal the money and it shows up in the mail 4-5 days later.

 

[earlysecond]

Must be good! He is out of stock! Perhaps another time I will check back in. I have the fingerboard radius task, including compounds down to about 5 minutes with a cool router jig. I re-named it "the fretboard rocker" after I found a video and the plans on youtube!

 

[modulusan]

Thanks for the input To all you guys. Great info/advices.

Which router that accept 1/2" you recomend me Buy (that no cost a fortune).

Im thinking mount one in a big pin router.

Thanks !