Shimplate

[jessejames]

I had an idea while working with one of my templates today.

Since I haven't gotten around to constructing a neck pocket angle jig I decided to try and shim my template to see how well it would work.

The results were pretty good, practiced on a scrap piece that I had lying around and gotta say it added 2.0 degrees to the neck pocket with ease. Just used my angle finder on a scrap piece of maple, marked the desired angle, cut it with a bandsaw, then used my tabletop belt sander to get it to final spec. I'd just have to go in later and route the pickup cavity to spec after setting the neck.

Yeah I could do the same thing by angling the drop off of the body with a neck jig as well and attaching the template to that, but for what took me about 3 minutes to create, it worked pretty well.

Here are some pics of what I came up with and the results.

[westhemann]

I take a piece of wood the exact height of my TOM(plus the height of the fretboard) and clamp the template on top of it while it is in the bridge's spot...that gives you the angle automatically...then all you have to do is measure the depth of your neck heel minus the fretboard and rout the pocket to that depth...then double check to make sure everything is cool after you rout..

I don't factor in the height of the frets because I don't want the TOM to sit directly on the body,and that fret height plus the height of the action puts my TOM about 3/16" off the body...

If you use a different bridge,you may want to factor in the fret height...depending on the bridge

[jessejames]

I take a piece of wood the exact height of my TOM(plus the height of the fretboard) and clamp the template on top of it while it is in the bridge's spot...that gives you the angle automatically...then all you have to do is measure the depth of your neck heel minus the fretboard and rout the pocket to that depth...then double check to make sure everything is cool after you rout..

I don't factor in the height of the frets because I don't want the TOM to sit directly on the body,and that fret height plus the height of the action puts my TOM about 3/16" off the body...

If you use a different bridge,you may want to factor in the fret height...depending on the bridge

Just when I thought I was smart, someone brings me back down to reality with a genius idea like this.

[guitar2005]

I take a piece of wood the exact height of my TOM(plus the height of the fretboard) and clamp the template on top of it while it is in the bridge's spot...that gives you the angle automatically...then all you have to do is measure the depth of your neck heel minus the fretboard and rout the pocket to that depth...then double check to make sure everything is cool after you rout..

I don't factor in the height of the frets because I don't want the TOM to sit directly on the body,and that fret height plus the height of the action puts my TOM about 3/16" off the body...

If you use a different bridge,you may want to factor in the fret height...depending on the bridge

Excellent idea. I just might try that out when I build an LP style guitar.

My idea was to have some kind of adjustment screws at the bridge end but a simple block of wood seems so much easier.

How do you clamp on the neck side of things? Assuming you use a router to take the neck pocket wood, the clamps would get in the way, no? Clamping in the middle might bend the template, unless you add another piece of wood under there.

Edited December 14, 2010 by guitar2005

[jessejames]

I take a piece of wood the exact height of my TOM(plus the height of the fretboard) and clamp the template on top of it while it is in the bridge's spot...that gives you the angle automatically...then all you have to do is measure the depth of your neck heel minus the fretboard and rout the pocket to that depth...then double check to make sure everything is cool after you rout..

I don't factor in the height of the frets because I don't want the TOM to sit directly on the body,and that fret height plus the height of the action puts my TOM about 3/16" off the body...

If you use a different bridge,you may want to factor in the fret height...depending on the bridge

Excellent idea. I just might try that out when I build an LP style guitar.

My idea was to have some kind of adjustment screws at the bridge end but a simple block of wood seems so much easier.

How do you clamp on the neck side of things? Assuming you use a router to take the neck pocket wood, the clamps would get in the way, no? Clamping in the middle might bend the template, unless you add another piece of wood under there.

I'd just use double sided tape instead of clamps in this situation, clamps are likely to alter the angle you're going after as well.

[guitar2005]

I'd just use double sided tape instead of clamps in this situation, clamps are likely to alter the angle you're going after as well.

With the template at an angle, double sided tape won't work. You have 1 very small point of contact at the shim block @ the bridge and at the nck end, its the same thing.

[sdshirtman]

I used this method on my first build including utilizing double sided tape. It worked great.

[guitar2005]

I used this method on my first build including utilizing double sided tape. It worked great.

Could you post a pic? I don't see how 2-sided tape could work on an angled template

[sdshirtman]

Your in luck and I do have a picture.

I put 3m double sided tape on the pivot point and also on both sides of the shim. Dont forget to account for the tape thickness.

Any why we're discussing using double sided tame and templates. I use a cake knife to slowly and carefully separate the template from the wood. This helps prevent lifting a chunk of wood off your body quite a bit.

[guitar2005]

Your in luck and I do have a picture.

I put 3m double sided tape on the pivot point and also on both sides of the shim. Dont forget to account for the tape thickness.

That looks like much thicker tape than what I normally use. You're not worried about that shifting? I might give that a try.

[sdshirtman]

I had the tape laying from a project I had in my shop a few years ago. Its made to bond metal to metal and it works incredible. It doesn't shift at all.

[govtmule]

I've had good luck with golf club grip tape. It's 2" wide and it holds very well. Too well sometimes. I put it on my shirt first to take some of the tack down.

And it's cheaper than the stuff from SM and the like. I got a 36 yard roll at a sporting goods store for less than 10 and SM sells what looks like the exact same thing for just shy of 20.