Ugly Neck Pocket

[dave422x]

Hi again guys

I finally got some tools to start this new body, but even though I'm feeling good that the neck pocket and basic shape are done, they're pretty darn ugly, so I'd like some advice... bear in mind I have practically no tools, and definitely have no money!

Here's the basic shape (bandsawed with lots of room to the pencil line - the blade was very loose :-/ with the neck sitting in its place

The neck pocket went pretty nicely, until I had to tidy up the bits I couldn't / wasn't brave enough to tackle with the router. The router is a nice one, it's a Porter-Cable, but as you can see the only bit I got with it (everything borrowed) meant I couldn't use a template:

I borrowed some chisels, originally bought from (shudder) Harbor Freight. They'd been used before and I have no way of sharpening them I did as best I could to finish the neck pocket, but as you can see... it's very untidy

So, my question is this:

Can I / how do I make it look nice for the neck? OR do I put the front pickup right next to the neck join, thereby removing the ugly bits?

btw the front pickup wil be a rails type single-coil-sized humbucker and I'd really like at least part of it to be under where the 24th fret would be - I've always had it there on previous bodies and I really feel it has an effect on the sound.

Thanks in advance guys, PLEASE don't advise me to scrap the project! I need a lefty guitar and I need it six months ago!

Dave

PS I know there's some more wood to be taken away around the neck joint, I'm cool with that, and I know I need to sand this mutha these things are the least of my worries at the mo

PPS Yes, it's a lefty using a neck I've loved for around 14 years. After the body's done I'm thinking of re-radiusing the fingerboard, but hey - let's walk before running lol

[jay5]

The best way to COVER that mess is to use a pickguard, otherwise, I don't know what to tell you.

[dave422x]

The best way to COVER that mess is to use a pickguard, otherwise, I don't know what to tell you.

←

i thought that too... otherwise a little wood filler and the paint will do the rest.....

[fryovanni]

First of all. If I understood you correctly. You had the neck in place when you were band sawing. I would recomend you avoid that especially with a neck that you really love the feel of. If you spend a bit of time setting up the guides on the band saw you could probably remove a bit more of the extra material and save yourself a heck of a lot of sanding. The neck pocket looks pretty sketchy. I see you have not located your bridge or done any pickup routing. Maybe you could reposition that neck a bit deeper into the body (looks like maybe 1/8-1/4"). That would allow you an oportunity to clean the pocket up with a good template to guide the router (not freehand). If nothing else be sure you use good templates to route the rest of the body. Freehand will yield poor results 99.5% of the time.

Good Luck!! Rich

[dave422x]

no, the neck was not in place during routing, otherwise i'd have a routed neck too!

the bandsaw has only one guide, and that's how thick the material to be cut is... so it was basically useless, and the blade was VERY loose, hence cutting so far from the line....

the sanding i am not afraid of, the ugly neck pocket i *am* unhappy with

once the neck is in its final place i will mark the position of the bridge and then the pickups.. i'm not as lucky as you guys as to have templates for everything...

locating the neck deeper into the body would not be feasible - the way it sits now the fingerboard is *just* proud of the body top

again, templates are NOT an option as i have only the router bit that i showed you... if i used a template with it i'd have no body wood left! lol

after that i have (blunt ) chisels and a knife....

thanks for your input!

Dave

it can't have been this hard before routers & templates were available!

[dave422x]

there's no EDIT option! ***?!?!?!

i meant "no, i didn't have the neck in place when i bandsawed - it's still not joined to the body"

[Mickguard]

You can go with a pickguard -- that's a good thing, and that's what they're made for anyway! They hide a lot of flaws...

For a purely cosmetic fix, one way of going about it would be to route a new, straight line-- doesn't have to be too deep --- a mm or two will do-- then glue in a straight piece of the same wood, matching the grain as much as possible.

If you go for a solid color finish --and you should, it'll take a lot of the pressure off, because this might not be your last mistake -- then the fix will be completely invisible.

Oh yeah, here's something I discovered : my router comes with an attachment plate (called a collet, but I think that's just the french for it) --it's gives you a circular lip to work with

So instead of having the bearing on the bit, you use the lip on the plate to follow your template --you make the template a little smaller (the amount depends on the size of your bit in relation to the edge of the collet).

And it works! It requires a little more measurement than the bearing bit but it can be every bit as accurate.

It's also very helpful for preventing slips with the router --you're going to want that when you start routing for your pickups!

[Exoticwood]

I understand being low on bucks but sharpening your chisels is an absolute must! Working with dull tools is very dangerous because you have to use excessive force which leads to explosive mistakes and chopped flesh! Get yourself the cheapest sharpening stone you can find,

flatten it if it's not and get those tools sharpened, you'll feel like a craftsman if you do this. It's the process that is the fun of working wood, the product is a bonus.

[dave422x]

thanks guys... i'm borrowing a car for half a day tomorrow, so i'll get a sharpening stone and a couple of plastic trash cans (to make the pickguard) if money allows...

[fryovanni]

Sorry dude if you took any of what I was saying wrong. Really nothing meant to hammer you at all.

I think you may have taken the re-routing the pocket a little different than what I was meaning(my bad for poor wording). I was not suggesting that you make the pocket deeper down into the body, but closer to the end where your bridge will be setting. Only enough to clean up the line that I see in the picture. As far as templates, you could clamp down a straight pieces of material(doesn't have to be wood) to guide the base on a straight lines(I have done this before). I ungerstand you are limited as to what you have to work with, we all face this problem. I think you will find down the road that hiding mistakes is not a good way to go. Coming up with a good fix or acceptable repair is the only way to go. Those little things will allways be a sore spot to you in the future. Pickgaurds are to protect the finish from picks. I really hope the project turns out well for you.

Peace, Rich

[dave422x]

Ahh yeah now I understand you!

I was thinking of something along those lines myself... maybe a little Dremel would be easier to handle, just to take the pocket a few mms nearer to the bridge? I can probably borrow a Dremel from a friend... the router I have doesn't really have anything to run *against* if I had some spare wood clamped to the face of the guitar, even the round plastic base has cracks and a big piece missing

[dave422x]

...or maybe even coarse sandpaper on a block...?

[fryovanni]

Hmmm...

Router sounds ruff man. I would aviod the sand paper if possible. Sanding like that would probably create a non square edge. A Dremel may be an option, but you will have to take it slow with several passes (they just are not designed to remove a lot of wood, and will jump around if you force them).

Peace, Rich

[Mickguard]

...or maybe even coarse sandpaper on a block...?

←

No fryovanni's right --you can easily take the pocket a little farther into the guitar (and remove a bit from the outer edge so you don't lose your fret access).

And I used the straight edge method before I figured out how to use the collet.

You'll need clamps though and a pretty long thick ruler (or other straight piece of metal that doesn't bend easily).

Then you clamp the ruler in place so the cutting edge of the router bit falls exactly on your line (you're going to need a good straight line).

The router can't go any farther than the ruler, so no worries. You just have to be careful at the edges (but you can block the router with another straight edge there.

You can also work up a template that will do all of this for you.

The main thing is to practice your moves on scrap wood before taking it to the guitar. Once you've successfully routed a few pockets in your scrap, you're ready to take it to the guitar itself.

I ALWAYS screw up the first few times when I try anything new!

[thegarehanman]

I say collet too. It's a little brass piece that attaches to your base and works much like a bearing bit. Right idch?

[dave422x]

the clamps and straight edge plan sounds like the thing to do... thanks everyone... i'll get on it asap

[nollock]

You can also use a clamp & straight edge as guide against the straight edge of your router base. It means you have to measure the distance perpendicular from the edge of the cutter to the straight edge of the base and then clamp the straight edge that far away from where you want to cut.

In case you dont know, you should be carefull of what direction you cut with the router. In *general* the blades should pushing you away from the wood, so that if the bit catches it doesnt drag the router in farther but instead it pushes the router out away from the wood. So to actualy remove wood you have to apply presure rather than the router running away with you trying to restrain it.

chris

[Mickguard]

I say collet too. It's a little brass piece that attaches to your base and works much like a bearing bit. Right idch?

←

Yep. I just figured out how to use it --changes everything. Now, all my screw ups will be on my templates (well, most of them... )

[CudBucket]

Hey dave442x,

Seems like you're in good hands here. I just wanted to chime in and say I admire your drive and ambition. Keep at it.

Dave

[dave422x]

Hey dave442x,

Seems like you're in good hands here.  I just wanted to chime in and say I admire your drive and ambition.  Keep at it.

Dave

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Thanks Dave, comments like that keep me going

And regarding the good hands, well I knew where to come as soon as I was having problems! I've practically memorised most of Brian's articles & tutorials the number of times I've visited projectguitar.com!

[dave422x]

You can also use a clamp & straight edge as guide against the straight edge of your router base. It means you have to measure the distance perpendicular from the edge of the cutter to the straight edge of the base and then clamp the straight edge that far away from where you want to cut.

chris

←

That's what I thought to do. The pic of the router should show that the bit is huge! It's, hang on I'll measure it... half an inch in diameter and the entire bit is a cutter, measuring an inch and an eighth. From the outside edge of the bit to the outside of the (round) base it's 2 9/16, so I thought to clamp the straight edge(s) 2 3/4 away from my line.

Because the base is round I don't need to try and keep the base against the straight edge - all distances from the bit to the edge will be the same.

I've read and re-read Melvyn's book a billion times, and I know he talks about using a template to start and then use the shaft of the bit to ride against what you've previously cut, basically using your initial cuts as a deeper template, and believe me I'd have done that in a heartbeat had I had the right kind of bit!

Thanks for all your support everyone! I'll keep ya posted!