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I have just started gluing up tops and backs for a build, and am planning on using the knock down furniture bolt on method to attach my neck.

In reading about setting neck angles and getting everything lined up right, I started to wonder about who to fine tune neck angles when you use a bolt on neck. Let's see if I can explain...

When building the neck blank, likely everything will be square and I will drill the holes for the barrel nuts and the holes for the bolts at a perfect 90 to the neck heel block, on their respective faces. Also the bolt holes on the neck block will be 90 degrees to the side wall. This means that if I attached the neck as is, the neck and the side wall will be 90 degrees and make 180 degree straight line. This doesn't work if I use a radiused top however since I need some neck angle. Well then if I need to shave a little off of the cheeks of the heel when attaching it, and have the complementary angle on the top, but my bolt holes are still at 90 degrees will the bolts continue to hold everything square and not at my desired angle?

I suppose the solution is to have enough oversize wiggle room in the bolt holes, and not glue the barrel nuts so that they can rotate a little bit. Then once the neck is attached and correctly angled, remove the neck and glue the nuts where they sit.

Does this make sense? Am i overthinking anything or missing something obvious?

Thanks,
Mike

I am not an expert but I have installed the barrel bolts you describe. I do not glue them in, also the bolt hole is a little bigger than the bolt in both the neck and the heel block. One thing I do is to cut a close very close estimate of the neck angle on the bottom of the neck before I cut the tenon. I cut it at the desired height of the tenon. I then drill the bolt holes square to that surface also before I cut the tenon.

I like to drill the holes before cutting the tenon to lesson the chance of cracking the tenon when drilling the bolt holes or braking off the tenon when drilling the barrel nut holes. You really need to understand the neck angle and where the cheeks are going to be on the neck, so you can cut the heel at the appropriate height and the drill the barrel nut holes correctly.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

I used to worry about this too, I don't any more.
I cut the tenon and mortise out before installing the hardware. I get the cheeks close to the right angle. I cut the end of the tenon square with the cheeks. I have a block of hardwood with a mortise slot cut out and the positions of the nuts and bolt holes. I slip this over the tenon and drill the holes. Make the bolt holes in the neck block over-sized by a mm. Don't glue in the nuts at all.
After you have done one you'll see how easy and forgiving it is.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

Okay, thanks for your answers. So I can get the soundboard angle where I think it needs to go and then cut the end of the heel block to match that angle, ensuring that my tenon end will be square. Ideally that would mean the cheeks of the neck will also be square. Then either before or after cutting the tenon out, drill for the barrel nuts, measuring from my newly angled block end ensuring the nuts go in square and parallel to the side of the guitar.

When I get to this point I'm sure I'll just have to give it a go and see how it all shakes out. Lots to do between now and then! Thanks again for your input.

Mike

soma: Just a couple of points. I use barrel bolts but never glue them. If you are drilling holes in your head block for the body before assembly remember to make allowance for the top thickness, radius sanding and any additional adjustment for flatting the upper rim area. Seems like you understand that the real important part of the neck angel is getting the box built correctly. Onward and upward.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!