Official Luthiers Forum!

How do you shape the top and bottom of your neck block. Do you precut the angle to conform to the angle of the top and bottom depending on the radius? If so how do you know what angle. Or do you let the radius dish do all the work? That is the way I have done it and it is a lot of work and not terribly accurate.

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Mark Ewing
Columbus Ohio
"Trees are an important and precious thing. We should build good things with them. Building good guitars with heart are the best use for them." K. Yairi.

Mark-
Until the 'final truing' stage, I use the radius (sanding) disk to 'mark' the areas to work with a block plane. I mark the rims/blocks with chalk, then a couple of swipes with the disc show the high spots for planing.
I wouldn't say it is 'quick' but it is a lot less work (and less dust) than 'sanding all the way'.
If there is 'way too much' block sticking up, I'll use a (Japanese) pullsaw to take off most of the excess, before I start with the chalk, disc, plane routine.
I find I get a pretty good fit this way, so no worries with accuracy. My radius discs are home-made .
Cheers
John

My blocks will get final shaped in the radius process. Check out this vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHPCeVRUA4

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it