Scarf Joint Angle

[Bmth Builder]

Hey I was wondering what the steepest angle you could use on a scarf joint before loosing too much strength, e.g as close to a butt joint as possible?

Cheers

Neil

[Woodenspoke]

Hey I was wondering what the steepest angle you could use on a scarf joint before loosing too much strength, e.g as close to a butt joint as possible?

Cheers

Neil

I guess you mean a 90 deg butt joint.

Without using a specialty router bit used to add surface area to a butt joint my guess would be why do it. If you need to go steeper I suggest you look up a variety of wood joints to join 90 deg angles. In reality a scarf joint is a butt joint but with more surface area. You have to modify the joint to add the additional surface area you are loosing. Try Japanese joinery for effect.

Plus string angle does come into play.

[jaycee]

There was program on the bbc last year about the history of the guitar, in one section it showed one guys collection of old guitars and he had a lute instrument that had an almost 90 degree headstock angle. I suppose some sort of mortice and tennon joint would have been used. Apparently they were notorious for staying in tune

Edited January 11, 2009 by jaycee

[Workingman]

There was program on the bbc last year about the history of the guitar, in one section it showed one guys collection of old guitars and he had a lute instrument that had an almost 90 degree headstock angle. I suppose some sort of mortice and tennon joint would have been used. Apparently they were notorious for staying in tune

My brother plays lute and I can tell you they are not known for staying in tune. My brothers teacher had a poam about how a lute player spends more time tuning then playing since by the time you tune all the strings the first ones have gone out of tune.

The pull from a lute, which used gut or now nylon strings, is much less than on a steal string acoustic or electric.