Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello everyone,
I'm embarking on my first build, a 00-18 12 Fret. I've got the sides bent, and the blocks almost ready to glue in. What are some ways all you experienced luthiers impart an arch to the neck and tail blocks? By arch I mean the arch on the surface that glues to the sides.

I have a few guitar building books, Cumpiano suggests sanding the arch into the block by using a large sanding board and rocking the block as you sand. What about planing? What about taking it off with a table saw? what about belt sanders in a sanding station?

Any guidance would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks!
MikeyV

A sandpaper covered radius dish.

I'm refering to the surface of the block that contacts the sides, not the surface that contacts the top and back plates.
It's a cylindrical surface, not spherical, as the radius dish would impart.

I put a slight arch in the tail block just with a block plane, then sanding it a bit. The base of my guitar is generally almost flat though, so not much needs to be done there.

I use a stationary belt sander and slowly and carefully rock the block back and forth- checking it to the mold often- until it fits nicely.

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ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com

Ah yes, I see. My neck blocks are dead flat, and I use the edge sander for the tail blocks.

I also use a plane sometimes, and also a sander sometimes.


Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Not so experienced, but I used to sand the curve on my stationary belt sander.
Now I have made up a simple jig which mounts on the table of that sander.
I know the radius of the tailblock and neckblock areas of my molds, and use the jig to sand that radius on the blocks.
But any of the above methods will work.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Ah, yes, a jig, I could use a swinging radius arm and swing it in front of my belt sander clamped to the table....
Thanks for all the suggestions. One intersting thing about building guitars, is that there are SO MANY ways to do something.

i get it in rough shape on a belt sander first. then, with the sides in the mould, i turn the mould on its end. be careful that the whole business doesn't tip over. then i stick an adhesive backed 100 grit sanding disc onto the sides where the block will mate. a minute of sanding and the fit is perfect.