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So last weekend, I started a couple of OLF MJ. And now I've got a question. From the drawings, it looks like the heel block is two pieces? It stops short of the top and then there's an extension on top of it that follows the fret board a bit. Am I seeing that right?

Assuming that's it, can anyone explain the thinking? Saves weight with a smaller block? I'm guessing there's a switch in grain direction...?

Other details about that that my non-drawing-reading-trained mind doesn't know to ask?

Thanks,
Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

It sounds like you may be describing a paddle neck block - I don't have the plans so I can's say for sure.

Hesh,
I don't know what a paddle block is, but that name could describe what I'm looking at. Can you tell me more? Google wasn't particularly helpful.

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

Yeah, it is a paddle that resides under the fingerboard to the upper transverse brace. I am not exactly sure how the plans are drawn (you would think I would know, but it has been some time since I looked at them closely), but on my guitars I use a 3" wide block (mahogany) and a 5/8" thick paddle (high grade baltic plywood) and butt it firmly against the UTB. The purpose is to help support the torque from the string tension.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks, Brock. That helps. A couple of follow up questions:
Do you taper it to match the fretboard taper? Underhang or overhang?
Do you angle the block so the paddle is at an angle, or do you shape the paddle? Or, do you leave the whole thing at a 90 angle?

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

Thanks for the reminder, Todd. It's easy to get caught up in the plans and forget that I do know how to do this.

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

No do not taper it to match the outer boundries of the fretboard. I designed it to be slightly wider than the fretboard for a reason. The top plate will glue to the cantilevered flange (paddle). The extra width and the flange its self is there to provide resistance from the loading on the top plate exerted by the fretboard when under tension to eliminate the top from spliting at the edges of the fretboard as the neck tries to rotate in towards the sound hole over time. Don't forget to plane the top of the flange as shown to match the neck set angle.

I leave mine wider than the FB and I do not taper it. It is a straight 3" all the way to the UTB. I use 5/8" baltic ply for the paddle to eliminate the weakness you have in the short grain when you use solid lumber (mahogany). I am not sure if this extra strength is necessary, but it certainly can't hurt. I don't route the slot for the truss rod adjustment until I am ready to put the top on. I find this much easier than trying to get everything to line up perfectly during glue up.

I don't angle the paddle side of the block. It is a pure 90*, it gets adjusted as I sand the rim. I do eyeball in an angle on the back of the block to help make the rim sanding easier, but there is no magic to how I do this. I just eyeball in an angle and make sure it is square before I glue it up.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com