Neck Taper

[benldwyer]

Hi All,
Simple question, but I'm interested in different methods people are using to taper the neck prior to shaping, I'm not happy with how I'm currently doing it...
Cheers,
Ben

[johnparchem]

I use a safe-t planer on a pillar drill. I get the taper by calculating A nut side shim the I attach to the finger board side of the neck. The Book shows using a Safe-T plane as well but the neck fits into a jig with the correct taper.

I just did this for a concert ukulele

I shim up the nut side of the neck to give me the thickness. I have measurements for the 1st and 7th fret of 11 mm and 12.5 mm respectively. As shown in the first picture the distance between the 2 frets is 105 mm, the distance from the 1st fret to the end of the neck 200 mm. So I calculated the slope of the taper rise/run and determined a shim height needed when pivoting on the end of the neck by taking the 200 mm multiplied by the slope. So 2.88 mm. I glued the shim right on the 1st fret location.



Then I planed away with the safe-T planer where I could until I had my desired thickness.

[benldwyer]

Thanks John, yeah that's pretty much how I do it, with a safety planer, but I should spend more time perfecting it like you have.
For some reason the safety planers make me feel a little uneasy....

[kiwigeo]

For some reason the safety planers make me feel a little uneasy....

The safety planer wont throw you across the room if you try a climbing cut like a router will. Lower the cutter by a few mms with each pass and pay attention to the direction you run the neck blank past the cutter and you won't have any problems.

Most of my necks are around 22mm thick at 19th fret and around 19mm at 2nd fret. One important thing is to know how deep the truss rod trench is and leave enough meat between back of the neck and bottom of the trench.

[nkforster]

Spindle moulder. See 2.15 of this video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSN1KMLpCYG/

Prior to that, it depended on the stock I was using. If you are adding the heel and head, you can taper on the jointer by hand, or on the table saw using a shim.

[TallDad71]

For some reason the safety planers make me feel a little uneasy....

The safety planer wont throw you across the room if you try a climbing cut like a router will. Lower the cutter by a few mms with each pass and pay attention to the direction you run the neck blank past the cutter and you won't have any problems.

Most of my necks are around 22mm thick at 19th fret and around 19mm at 2nd fret. One important thing is to know how deep the truss rod trench is and leave enough meat between back of the neck and bottom of the trench.

Hi Martin, I am interested in getting one of these Safe T Planers but I don't have a really big pillar drill, I have a Proxxon precision drill. The chuck diameter is around 30mm to give an idea of scale, however it does have some good torque

You said that the planer won't throw you against the room, do you think it might work well enough for a smaller drill press?

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28124.php?search

[Allen]

I've always built the taper with a wedge on the bands saw. Adding the stacked heel and cutting the scarf joint aftwerwards. About 500 instruments now. Can't see any reason to make it more complicated than that.

[kiwigeo]

I haven't though hard about that option but I like to have the headstock on and thicknessed so the headstock/fretboard angle is fixed and a reference point for locating truss rod trench end and heel block. Im building using Gore method.

I've always built the taper with a wedge on the bands saw. Adding the stacked heel and cutting the scarf joint aftwerwards. About 500 instruments now. Can't see any reason to make it more complicated than that.

[lamanoditrento]

I used a shinto rasp then a zester to get the target thickness at each end and then join them up with a spokeshave.

[kiwigeo]

Hi Martin, I am interested in getting one of these Safe T Planers but I don't have a really big pillar drill, I have a Proxxon precision drill. The chuck diameter is around 30mm to give an idea of scale, however it does have some good torque

You said that the planer won't throw you against the room, do you think it might work well enough for a smaller drill press?

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28124.php?search

I have my doubts that Proxxon is big enough to handle a Safe-T-Planer.

[lamanoditrento]

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28124.php?search
[/quote]
I have my doubts that Proxxon is big enough to handle a Safe-T-Planer.
[/quote]
From memory, I think the safe-t planer recommends using with speeds >2500 rmp which is much faster than you would normally think for such a large bit.

[seeaxe]

Interesting discussion

I'm not building for sale so im not bothered about how long it takes to shape a neck. For me its one of the more enjoyable bits of building a guitar.

I start with a 25mm thick plank and do the scarf first. I then spend a bit of time truing everything up on the jointer and with hand planes. I do as much as i possibly can like this so that holding the thing in vices and clamps is facilitated. When ive finally got the FB on i will profile the neck at two or maybe three points then spokeshaves and planes and scrapers to get the finish result. Given im not taking much off the 25mm plank ive never felt the need to automate it.

Always interesting to hear how others do it.

[TallDad71]

https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28124.php?search

I have my doubts that Proxxon is big enough to handle a Safe-T-Planer.
[/quote]
From memory, I think the safe-t planer recommends using with speeds >2500 rmp which is much faster than you would normally think for such a large bit.
[/quote]

Thanks Trent, Martin
I went ahead and bought one for my little Proxxon anyway. It will run at 4,500 rpm so the speed isn't so much of an issue more the power I think.
Best case scenario: It works just fine.
Worst case scenario: I have to go and buy me a big shiny pillar drill.

Its win-win!

[Steve.Toscano]

Hi All,
Simple question, but I'm interested in different methods people are using to taper the neck prior to shaping, I'm not happy with how I'm currently doing it...
Cheers,
Ben

A spokeshave.

[TallDad71]

Darn it!

The spindle on the safe t planer is bigger than the 10mm on the Proxxon chuck. I need a big drill press it seems.

[kiwigeo]

LOL....believe it or not I was lying in bed last night thinking exactly this.

While were talking Proxxon...today I fired up my new Proxxon minimill and milled up a nut for a parlour guitar. Not a bad bit of kit although the tracking on the cross slide table needs a bit of adjustment.

Darn it!

The spindle on the safe t planer is bigger than the 10mm on the Proxxon chuck. I need a big drill press it seems.

[benldwyer]

Thanks again everyone, there's a lot of different methods out there! I'll persevere with the safety planer, I think I need to put together a better jig.