Robert Anderson - Luthier
Fine Hand-built Acoustic Guitars, Violins and Bows
Restoring Grampa's Guitar
A New Neck Block
Monday, September 27, 2010
I think an addition to the neck block that mimics the spanish method would be a good idea. It adds glueing surface area to the top and the back, without a massive chunk of wood adding a whole lot of weight. I have fabricated this one out of a piece of Honduras Mahogany left over from a neck billet. It should do the trick.
Here is another view of the block, before gluing.
I've set the guitar up on a solera in my open go-bar clamping station. The one bar shown here stabilizes the instrument while I work on it.
Please ignore the messy shop in the background.
This is a dry run showing the application of go-bars for clamping.
Next, I'll add a clamp on either side of the heel. Comme sa.
OK, LET'S GLUE IT !!!
Glued in place with hot hide glue. With hide glue, you have less than a minute to apply the glue, put the piece in place and apply clamps. If you are too slow, it gels and has no strength. This set up took me less than 30 seconds to complete.
One last detail - a shim under the neck to give the correct neck angle (I hope).
