Laminated Mandolin Neck - Construction Advice

[Kim Strode]

I want to make a laminated neck for a mandolin, more for aesthetics reasons than strength. I have a piece of quarter sawn Qld Maple large enough to cut out a one piece neck, but I was thinking of adding a thin blackwood stripe down the centre, bordered by maple and black veneer each side of the blackwood (veneer sheets purchased from Australian Luthier Supplies).

I am seeking views on construction and assembly to ensure the end result is strong enough. For example, do I glue all layers in one go, or do I assemble the layers progressively? Also, will the veneer sheets have sufficient bond to provide a strong neck once glued together?

[jeffhigh]

They say that their black veneer sheets are black dyed maple (not black fibre) so strength wise you should be fine.
I'd be gluing it all up together, which is what I did on my sole laminated neck to date.

[simso]

Glue it all up at once

[peter.coombe]

Glue all up at once, and so long as the veneer is real wood veneer and not fibre sheets then it should be fine.

Peter

[kiwigeo]

Epoxy?

[demonx]

I do a lot of laminated necks.

If its only a few pieces, then I just glue and clamp. If it's several pieces, sometimes I do nine piece necks, then I make what I call wood kebabs.

I cut the pieces longer than I need, allowing enough room for a dowel joint at either end. I dryclamp, then drill, then pull it all apart, glue up, I use a roller to roll the glue quick and even, then I simply drop the pieces onto the kebab and then clamp up. The pieces of dowel stop it from wriggling around and it makes a slippery job nice and easy.

I recommend the use of a drum sander to prep the laminates, I see you're local to me so if you don't have one you're welcome to come around.

Exact process I used to do all this:



and the matching fingerboard:

[scuffle]

i have made a few laminate necks with veneer accents. I just glued everything at once and used titebond original wood glue. They are very strong necks as well. Takes a bit onger for the truss rod to adjust these ones
Flame maple with ebony accents

Not as many layers as Allans but from what you have said you wont have a million pieces like he does

Good luck with it. From the description it should look pretty nice!

[Kim Strode]

Thank's to everyone for your advice. Glued up the laminated neck yesterday and took clamps off this morning. Will post pics of finished Mandolin. Thanks Allan for your offer of belt sanding…must drop in to Ballarat and have a chat one day very soon.