GuitarMaestro Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Hi! As most of you know I have a very nice curly Western maple neck blank. The piece seems very hard and stable to me but several people here an in other forums recommended to somehow reeinforce the blank as Western Maple is not as stiff/stable than Western maple. I now decided to laminate a piece of Wenge in the neck. I have two options how to laminate the neck (from left to right): 1. Curly Maple, 6mm Wenge, 6mm Curly Maple, 6mm Wenge, Curly Maple 2. Curly Maple, 12mm Wenge, Curly Maple Can you tell me which of both options will result in the stiffer/stronger neck? And whats the best way to cut the pieces precisely. Thanks in advance, Marcel Knapp! Edit: My curly maple neck blank is quatersawn and the end grain runs from the top(where the fingerboard will be) to the bottom(where you have your palm). How should the Wenge be sawn and orientated for maximum stiffness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 well the more laminations you have,the stiffer it will be.but the 3 piece would surely be stiff enough.i think the 5 piece though would look sharp. to make it as precise as you need it i would take my bandsaw,set up a fence,cut the pieces wider than needed,then plane them flat with my surface planer.if you don't have these tools you might want to pay to have it done. a tablesaw would work also for the cutting.but i don't have one of those.maybe i should get one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 i'm kinda with wes, 1. is cool, but if you're worried about precision in cutting i'd say save your self a stroke or 2 and go with the three peice, a table saw will do it, and probably with a cleaner cut, BUT it will also take more wood cause the blade is much wider. i'd go with a good bandsaw you also have the option of putting in carbon rods in the neck along side the truss rod, at 8$ a peice they're a fairly good alternative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted December 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Thanks for your answers. I will certainly go with the lamination, as I want the guitar to be made of wood wherever possible and if you route the trussrod channel and two channels for the carbon rods, there's not enough wood left for my taste. I would prefer the look of the 5-piece lamination, but I fear it will make everything much more difficult. I have access to a bandsaw, a tablesaw, a jointer and thickness planer. How difficult will it be to get a good result with these tools? P.s.: What about the grain orientation for the 5-piece? Thanks in advance, Marcel Knapp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 sounds like you have everything you'll need rip on the bandsaw with a fence, clean it up and square it on the jointer then get your uniform thickness and width on the planer, then glue'r up, leave a bit of thickness so you can plane the blank down a bit once you get it all glued together though oh right..... for quater sawn you don't have to worry about grain direction, just keep them in the quatersawn layout, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 with those tools it should be a piece of cake...btw those carbon rods are great...they don't detract from the sound at all.but if you don't want them then that is cool.the 5 piece will look greatdon't worry about the grain orientation.reverse the middle piece of maple if you want,but with all those laminates it is not necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted December 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 Thanks for your help again! I'll definately go with the 5-piece....Should look great. Unfortunately I cannot reverse the center piece of maple, as I dont want to destroy the look of a highly figured neck. My question concerning the direction of the grain was aimed at the Wenge actually....Should I buy quatersawn Wenge pieces and if yes, should the endgrain run parallel to the maple or perpendicular? Thanks, Marcel Knapp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 25, 2003 Report Share Posted December 25, 2003 definitly quatersawn everything for necks when ever possible, run the grain parallel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 a tablesaw would work also for the cutting.but i don't have one of those.maybe i should get one Wes, a bandsaw is better than a tablesaw. You can put up the fence like you said, and take it off for shape cutting. I am currently without a bandsaw, and have a table saw. The otherway around is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 a tablesaw would work also for the cutting.but i don't have one of those.maybe i should get one Wes, a bandsaw is better than a tablesaw. You can put up the fence like you said, and take it off for shape cutting. I am currently without a bandsaw, and have a table saw. The otherway around is better. agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted December 26, 2003 Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 notice it was my second choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarMaestro Posted December 26, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2003 Having both is still better though.... Dont get angry....I would(and could) not afford all those tools I mentioned in my posts. My father is an engeneer leading a company which does not only scientific research but also build prototypes from time to time. Therefore they have a big and proffesionally equipped woodworking shop. They decided to only keep their metal workshop in the future, therefore I can use the woodworking shop until it gets closed. It is a huge hall with all woodworking machines I could imagine. Now I only have to learn how to use them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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