Gore/Gilet Book Body mortice routing jig

[woodrat]

Hi Everyone, I thought that I would post a little review of my experience using the jig as described in the book Contemporary Acoustic Guitar Design and Build. I have been up to now building with pre morticed head blocks and although the method is perfectly functional I always had more fussing than I liked when it came to the neck alignment with this method. Enter "the Book" and when I saw Messrs Gore and Gilet's method of routing the mortice in after the body has been constructed I said that's for me...but it did mean building a new jig that had a fairly major metal working component in it. The book calls for a heavy steel plate as the base of the jig and with good reason as the mass down low makes this jig very stable and easy to use. Fortunately I have a good friend who is a home machinist/engineer as well as an accomplished woodworker so we were able to mill the 19 x 100 mm slot much easier than the "alternate" method of hack saw and files. The wooden fence is attached using the same 3/8 inch brass stock that I use for attaching the necks. I have actually always used the Gore/Gilet method for neck attachment from day one because Gerard explained it to me on the phone when I made me very first order for tonewood from him:)
Anyway the review is easy to write....it works very well and is worth the effort to make. I dont know how one would go with just an MDF base, which one might be tempted to try if you were only going to make the one guitar but I expect that it would not be nearly as pleasant to use because of its lesser mass but probably adequate for one guitar.

Anyway here is a pic of mine... 16mm Mild steel plate, Quartersawn Red Ash and steel and brass connectors.

[Dominic]

Nice John. I thought about making these but I don't have a mate who can help cut thick steel plate. Plus my current setup is fine. I cut my neck joint after the box is closed on an upright jig and I have hardened steel bushes for drilling the holes for the hardware.
However, you could make one out of mdf or ply and use shot bags inside the guitar to give you the mass.
Cheers
Dom

[woodrat]

Hi Dom...that is a good idea (the use of shot bags) and one that I didn't consider. It should work too and certainly would be easier to make. I am fortunate to have a friend who has a mill and all the metal working gear. He also modified a lathe for me to make a powered radius dish that makes life pretty sweet too!