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| Minimum dovetail depth? http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=34027 |
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| Author: | Ken Jones [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:56 am ] |
| Post subject: | Minimum dovetail depth? |
Hello good people of the OLF! I'm currently working on a 2 1/2-style parlor that's sort of a hybrid of old and new. One of the traditional aspects I'm attempting is the bridle, or "bird's beak" joint approach of joining the neck to the peghead, as illustrated by John Greven and Charles Freeborn in American Lutherie 102. Long story short, I short-sided myself by cutting one of the angles too deep, thereby causing the nut location to move south by an eighth of an inch. For reasons unbeknownst to me now, I didn't leave myself much, well any, wiggle room on the neck length, so the only way to salvage the neck is to make the dovetail shallower -- 1/2" instead of 5/8". Is this structurally acceptable, or should I scrap it and start over? It wouldn't be too great a loss since I only have a few hours in it thus far. Thanks in advance, and have a great day! |
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| Author: | Colin North [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
I don't have any experience with dovetails so can't comment, but is is possible to move the nut "up", by fitting it on the slope of the headstock rather than on the flat section of the neck under the fingerboard to maintain distance to the dovetail? Useless of course if that's already in the design. |
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| Author: | Ken Jones [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:00 am ] |
| Post subject: | Minimum dovetail depth? |
Great suggestion, Colin, but yes, that's the way it's laid out already. |
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| Author: | woody b [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:33 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
My dovetails (the part on the neck) are 1/2" long. I cut the pocket in the neck block ~5/8" deep. Link to picture http://brackettinstruments.com/Dovetail%20neck%20attachment.JPG |
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| Author: | Michael Lloyd [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
woody b wrote: My dovetails (the part on the neck) are 1/2" long. I cut the pocket in the neck block ~5/8" deep. +1 Same here. |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:35 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
Appropriate depth would depend slightly on the angle used. Steeper angles seem to stay tighter at shallower depths. |
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| Author: | cphanna [ Fri Oct 28, 2011 10:45 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
Ken, Woody and Michael also stated a second consideration. Their mortises are 1/8-inch deeper than their dovetail tenons. I believe this is a very good practice. It provides room in the pocket for glue squeeze, and it leaves a little space to insert a steam needle--should you ever need to remove the neck for a re-set or repair. The dovetail on my archtop was just a hair over 1/2-inch, and I've had no problems with it. Patrick |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:43 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Minimum dovetail depth? |
IMHO, 1/2" is fine. Though Martins are 5/8" deep typically, I have repaired many guitars that functioned well with shallower joints. Quote: Their mortises are 1/8-inch deeper than their dovetail tenons. I believe this is a very good practice. It provides room in the pocket for glue squeeze, and it leaves a little space to insert a steam needle--should you ever need to remove the neck for a re-set or repair. I cut the dovetail in the block before it is installed in the guitar (Martin method). I cut the dovetail on the neck the same depth, using the same setting on the table saw. By that method, the thickness of the sides determines the gap at the end of the dovetail. |
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| Author: | Ken Jones [ Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Minimum dovetail depth? |
Thanks, everyone for your replies. I now feel confident moving forward with this neck. John, how do you cut a dovetail pocket on the tablesaw? Is it a straight, through-dovetail, like on a mandolin? I'd love to see images of your process. |
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