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Well, I've had this really poorly made (by me) neck rest which I was using for the past 5 years and it was time for an update.

Here's the old neck rest, bad eh?



Ya, ugly too. It worked ok, but certainly not great. So I needed something that was going to really hold the neck steady, yet I wanted to be able to access the frets for leveling etc...

I've always liked the guitar vise that (I think) Brian Gallop designed and David Collins showed on the OLF, but I'm a cheap skate and didn't want to purchase the vise screw

Here's a picture of the Gallop bench vise (David Collins picture)



Nice eh? So, I was thinking, how could I make something similar to that, only smaller and on the cheap.

So, here's what I came up with.





Just a few pieces of wood and a piece of threaded rod (could use a carriage bolt too). Took me about 20 mins to think up and make and it works really well.

As you can see, I cut a few kerfs in the arms to help them bend in when I tighten the screw. I have to put something over the threaded rod so I don't damage a neck, a piece of leather like David has would work great (now I just need to find a willing cow )

Cheers.

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I like that, Rod. Thanks for posting it!

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

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Rod,
Do you have an old belt?

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Dean

I always save old leather belts. They make good hinges, gaskets or whatever. If you don't have some I bet some of your friends do.

Good idea, I need something similar.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I really like that Rod. I need something like that too. A short piece of foam pipe insulation might work on the bolt. Not as classy as leather though.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Good idea Rod, I'll probably build one too.

Thanks
Chuck

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Nice!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Hey Rod,

Why would we think your a cheapskate? Just looking at the neck rest you've used for 5 years?
Hey that took guts to post!

But your new one, now that's a winner for sure, perfectly fits the job!
I'm going to build one of those first thing.

Thanks,
Joe

Thanks guys,

An old belt, great idea. I don't have one but I'm sure I can find one at the thrift store for a buck or two

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod, this is JUST what I've been wrestling with. I keep seeing old shots of the D'Angelico / D'Aquisto workbench with a gallop style vise inset into it & wonder how I could incorporate something similar but removable. Thanks for posting. Do you have a feel for the "range" of yours, before you get cracking at the kerfs?

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Dave
Milton, ON

Very well done Rod!
I like the portability of it. A section of rubber hose would make a nice bolt thread cover.

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jw ( o)===:::

Another home run by Rod True! Thanks buddy. I like it.

Danny

Thanks folks. Ya, every once in a while I have a decent idea



Dave, I just drew it out on paper first then it was pretty easy. I started with the neck widths I most commonly work on, than I added 1/8" plus the cork and that was my spacing. The rest of course is pretty basic. Actually, I knew I needed the kerfs to make the arms bend.

I made it so it would take a 1-7/8 neck and it closes down to 1-9/16 so actually that moves just enough for most necks I would ever put in there. If you'd need it to open bigger or smaller just cut the kerfs a bit closer and maybe add a couple more. Also extend the height of it by 1/2". I also could have moved the tightening rod up which would have added more force due to increased torque.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Cool, thanks Rod. I'll do it on my reverse-kerf lining jig. If each side flexes 1/4", I'm ok from 1 11/16" to a 7-string. I might bevel the inside faces a degree or so to allow for neck taper. Coming out of the "knob side", if you screw the threaded rod through surgical tubing or the like and then into the other side, should be ok.

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Dave
Milton, ON

Dave, another thing I just thought of for this would be to angle the bottom (mating surface to the base plate) of the arms so that the vertical sections of the arms contact lower on the neck than right near the edge of the fretboard.

Oh and I glued and screwed my arms to the base plate to make sure they don't pop off.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Re non-vertical jaws, what are you wanting to avoid/improve? (I'm thinking this might cause the neck to move/dislodge mid-pretzel!)

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Dave
Milton, ON

Very cool - a piece of rubber hose over the thread should do fine until you can get some leather on that thing. I do like mine with the faces angled a bit, getting tighter toward the bottom. This way the neck won't fully drop if the vice is loosened. Here's my portable bench vise. I keep meaning to replace the OSB base plate with a hunk of brass for mass and stability, but since I really don't use it that often I haven't been too motivated.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

Rod: Thanks for sharing. I will add this to my list of things I need to build.

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Greg Hatcher
North Carolina

Looks nice Rod. I thought a lot of you guys were using a pattern makers vise for that or a parot vise with cauls.
A small piece of hose over the rod will shield it too.

Roc,

Very nice. Minimalist design, small size so it stores easily. I'm
gonna build one before my next setup- about a week away.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

David answered the reason below your post. Also, I'm thinking that a slight angle to the jaws would allow the neck to be held just shy of the fretboard face edge thus allowing some room (we're probably talking about 0.030+/- though) for leveling frets and that the neck can sit below the top corner of the jaws.

Thanks for the props folks. Build away, that's why we post these things

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Depends on what you want it to do. I wanted mine to hold the neck and body still so it doesn't (the body) skirt around when filling a nut or something.

This holds the neck tight and the body still while the bean bag gun holder doesn't.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

That must have hurt!

Sorry, couldn't resist. Nice neck vise. Looks like something else that I need to add to my list of things to build. Thanks.

Alan

Thought I'd show my copy.


Maple jaws, walnut for the rest, and leather sling. I added a couple of more kerfs for a greater range. Nice addition to the shop.

Thanks Rod,
Joe

Cool idea Rod. You're a Genius. Stew-Mac would sell that for about nine thousand bucks.

Hey Joe! man, you really got on the ball. Looking good.

Thanks for the idea, now I'm going to have to go make one.

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Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins