Bainzy Posted July 14, 2007 Report Share Posted July 14, 2007 How much pressure should be applied? I recently put in a 3/16" vintage style truss rod in a Les Paul neck I'm building, and I believe it's gone in too tight. Before putting the fillet strip in, when pressed to the bottom of the curved channel the rod was snug but could be turned around in the slot (it was free to move). The fillet was pressed in with hot hide glue so the rod was sheathless, something I went for just because I wanted to try building it the traditional 50's Gibson way, and in Melvyn's book he says the fillet needs to press the rod firmly into the slot but not too tight as to jam the rod, since a stuck rod won't work. I used 3 G clamps, and the fillet was pushed down with the clamps until I could feel the rod seating in the bottom of the slot. After letting the glue dry, I had a go at tightening the truss rod nut and all I got was a bit of adjusting nut shredding and some creaking noises. I kept measuring the neck with a straight edge but nothing appeared to be changing after turning the adjusting nut. What am I doing wrong? Should the rod be almost seated in the slot by the fillet, allowing it to move up and down as well as left and right? Should I try twirling the rod while the fillet is being glued in to make sure its moveable? Also, any tips for removing the truss rod fillet? It's being a bit of a bastard to remove, especially since the knife I tried heating the other day to loosen the glue slipped and went 1" deep into my left hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGW Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 If you're trying this on the blank as shown, before the neck carve, it will probably not move at all. I say this because I'm new to this and just did a fillet type and tried a test adjustment as well before the carve and it would not move. I tried again after the carve and it bends very nice. If you have carved, then maybe the glue has adhered to the rod too much. I coated my rod in vaseline and then sheathed it in heatshrink tubing, shrunk with heat to fit tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted July 15, 2007 Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 (edited) the rod was snug but could be turned around in the slot (it was free to move). The rod should not turn, its function is to provide lengthwise tension on the neck by tightening the brass nut (the only part that moves) at the adjustment end. Did you buy the rod prefabbed or make it from parts? It should be fused at the anchor end and the anchor is not supposed to turn. The end of the rod is either welded to the anchor or threaded into the anchor with the exposed end peened flat. Edited July 15, 2007 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bainzy Posted July 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2007 Damn, should've really asked this before trying to remove the fillet strip. I bought the rod from Allparts, when I meant the anchor turning I meant the whole rod didn't turn, it's just that the anchor would've been the only exposed part of the rod that I could see is turning. Surely the glue can't have adhered to the rod too much, hot hide glue doesn't adhere to truss rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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