Official Luthiers Forum!

dear friends,

I am trying the new tenon and mortise neck like cumpiano and have a question.

Hesh does a picture of flossing cheeks. but how is best to hold the neck to give even pressure to my sanding? how can I not scratch the finish?

thanking you,
Eugenio

You can always put a wide piece of masking tape to protect the finish ... but I would hope that the neck is pretty much fit beofre you finsih the body right ??? I have to final fit my necks before final assembly (post finish) but it only takes a few swipes with 400 grit to get it there. The small scratches left on the body easily sand out with 1200 and then polish again ...

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Another way to do it is with self adhesive sandpaper stuck to the guitar body. Stick it on and cut away the part that covers the mortise.
Holding the heel flat, with good downward pressure slide the heel across the paper. Use short strokes & check both axes of alignment often.
If you need to DECREASE the neck angle, you will not be able to sand the last 1/4" or so (under the fingerboard) perfectly flat. A sharp chisel will pare away a high spot in this area.
If your neck is leaning one way, you can dull the sandpaper on one side so most of the wood is removed from the right area. Just rub another piece of sandpaper over the area you don't want to remove any material.
Good luck... This can be a frustrating task, the first time. Go carefully, measure often. You'll get there in time.
Oh yeah... Make sure the tenon is not touching the bottom of the mortise, or you'll never get it flat. Ask me how I know this...

when past I do dovetails the dovetail pulls a neck into a body and gives pressure for to sand. the tenon and mortise is very tight but not pulling into body. any tips for to apply even pressure?

Thanking you much
Eugenio

Just a matter of practice Eugenio....no real "tip" involved. You'll soon feel whether there's too much pressure on the the heel top (paper comes out without resistance), bottom (paper won't come out) or just right (nice, smooth resistance)

_________________
Dave
Milton, ON

I very much like the helps. I feel that it should be helping me.

Thanking you!

Eugenio

A good way Not to scratch the body is to not put the sandpaper upside down like I did and floss the the body instead of the cheeks!
Also, I found that reinforcing the sandpaper strip with masking tape really helps prevent tearing.
Finally, next time I will do like Hesh: fit the neck before gluing on fretboard, the extension really gets in the way when flossing.
René