Neck vise/rest for setup work

[Rod True]

Well, I've had this really poorly made (by me) neck rest which I was using for the past 5 years and it was time for an update.

Here's the old neck rest, bad eh?



Ya, ugly too. It worked ok, but certainly not great. So I needed something that was going to really hold the neck steady, yet I wanted to be able to access the frets for leveling etc...

I've always liked the guitar vise that (I think) Brian Gallop designed and David Collins showed on the OLF, but I'm a cheap skate and didn't want to purchase the vise screw

Here's a picture of the Gallop bench vise (David Collins picture)



Nice eh? So, I was thinking, how could I make something similar to that, only smaller and on the cheap.

So, here's what I came up with.





Just a few pieces of wood and a piece of threaded rod (could use a carriage bolt too). Took me about 20 mins to think up and make and it works really well.

As you can see, I cut a few kerfs in the arms to help them bend in when I tighten the screw. I have to put something over the threaded rod so I don't damage a neck, a piece of leather like David has would work great (now I just need to find a willing cow )

Cheers.

[Bob Connor]

I love your work Rod.

Consider it stolen.

What's it called?

"The True Grip"

[Rod True]

Da Grippa! LOL

or how bout "The Head Lock"?

Steal away my friend, that's the idea. Oh you'll have to send me $25 for the.....oh, never mind

[Allen]

I've been looking at lots of different ideas for something like that Rod, and yours is brilliant. If you used a piece of leather like from a wide belt, then it could be used as a loop, under the neck and attached to the jaws for the non-marring surface.

Thanks for the inspiration. This place is the best.

We're getting so many of these great ideas, that perhaps it would be a good idea to have a "Jigs and Fixtures" section.

[Lillian]

I like that Rod. Nicely done. When Hesh showed the vice he built for his bench I thought it was a cool idea, but I really don't have the room for it to stay bolted to the bench and didn't want to fuss with taking it off and putting it back each time I needed it. You have solved my problem very nicely. Thank you. Consider it stolen and shoved towards that top of the list.

[Dave White]

Rod,

Simple and elegant like all the best inventions. Oh yes . . . and even better - cheap

[Craig]

Looks good Rod . Simple and affective

Good idea about a " Jigs and Fixtures " section Allen

[John Maddison]

A very elegant innovation.

[Hesh1956]

What's it called?

Cheney?

[Hesh1956]

If you used a piece of leather like from a wide belt, then it could be used as a loop, under the neck and attached to the jaws for the non-marring surface.

That's right - the leather loop spanning the two sides of the vice is cheap insurance against having the neck fall through the vice and get messed up...

A good deal of set-up work requires some filing and other operations that need a rock-solid hold on the guitar. In addition the shape of the vice jaws in David's picture have a method to them so as to hold the neck from popping up too when you want the neck in the vice, clamped, but need the fret board completely exposed for leveling, dressing, polishing, etc.

Nice vice Rod!

[John Maddison]

...perhaps it would be a good idea to have a "Jigs and Fixtures" section.

Agree entriely, Allen.
So often these great new ideas become lost in the Instrument Builders Forum and Tutorials.

[Kim]

This topic has already been moved to the new forum for 'Jigs & Fixtures', please post any further comments there. This shadow was left for continuity purposes only.

Cheers

Kim

[pau]

Can't you stick a bit of sponge to the one side of the jig above the bolt while you look for your cow? It's pretty squashy stuff and may do the trick. Or even a strip of carpet.

(Whoops. I didn't read a couple of the replies.)

[matthew]

electrical heat-shrink tubing from DSE is great for covering exposed threads in jigs.

[neilmac]

Well, I've had this really poorly made (by me) neck rest which I was using for the past 5 years and it was time for an update.

Here's the old neck rest, bad eh?



Ya, ugly too. It worked ok, but certainly not great. So I needed something that was going to really hold the neck steady, yet I wanted to be able to access the frets for leveling etc...

I've always liked the guitar vise that (I think) Brian Gallop designed and David Collins showed on the OLF, but I'm a cheap skate and didn't want to purchase the vise screw

Here's a picture of the Gallop bench vise (David Collins picture)



Nice eh? So, I was thinking, how could I make something similar to that, only smaller and on the cheap.

So, here's what I came up with.





Just a few pieces of wood and a piece of threaded rod (could use a carriage bolt too). Took me about 20 mins to think up and make and it works really well.

As you can see, I cut a few kerfs in the arms to help them bend in when I tighten the screw. I have to put something over the threaded rod so I don't damage a neck, a piece of leather like David has would work great (now I just need to find a willing cow )

Cheers.

Hi Rod
I'm new here and happened upon your vice idea
I have a perfect solution for you to cover that dangerous bolt:
Go to Billy Hydes Drum section or Drummers Paradise and you will find
packs of inexpensive replacement cymbal stand felts
These are high density felt donuts of goodness and if you thread
your vice bolt through half a dozen or so of them your bolt will be
forever sheathed in felty niceness, protecting those valuable necks from it's cold steel core!
They vary in density , with the Hi Hat felts being the firmest
cheers Neilmac

[Rod True]

Thanks Neilmac, I got an old leather belt for $1 at the thrift store. It works great.

[Kim]

Good tip thanks Neil.

Welcome to the ANZLF

Cheers

Kim