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Headstock |
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Here is a fixture used to mill the
headstock face flat. This is very important as we shall see later
on. I almost never use any pencils to mark anything. Needing to use
a pencil is an indication that a fixture is not yet useful or
refined enough. |
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The indexing hole that was just
drilled in the last sequence is immediately put to good use. Note
the pin on the block of the fixture. This aligns with the hole in
the neckshaft near the heel. |
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This neckshaft is now indexed on
the fixture by means of the pin. Therefore, when the headstock face
is milled, it will be perfect in relation to the pins on the
neckshaft. This allows the fretboard, nut and headstock to all be
aligned with each other. Even details like the downward bearing of
the strings on the nut are determined by this step. |
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The guide collar on the bottom of
the shaper shaft (below the cutterhead) rides on the fixture and
guides the cutter as it mills the neckshaft face. Note the Toggle
Clamps dogging down the neckshaft and headstock. Otherwise the
headstock could flex back under the pressure of the shaper cutter
and create a "dished" surface. |
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Here is the headstock face freshly
milled. It is accurate; that is, perfectly indexed to the
neckshaft fretboard "bed" and flat. |
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Here the neckshaft is ready to
index on the fixture that will be used to cut the headstock to
length. Note the pin right across from the hole in the neckshaft. |
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The headstock is rigged on the pin
and ready to be cut to length. A simple operation to be sure but the
jig makes it automatic, accurate and (most importantly) safe. |
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This surface (the top of the
headstock) will later index the neckshaft while the "ears" are glued
on. These "ears" will glue on later, achieving the full-width
headstock dimension. |
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I use only fine-grain carbide, ATB
combination 10" blades on the Unisaw. I have several of the same
exact type and make. When blades are off being reground and
sharpened, I have fresh blades. Using a different blade (with a
slightly different kerf dimension) would create a small inaccuracy
in the parts. My philosophy on accuracy is this: Shoot for the stars
and you hit the moon; shoot for the moon and you hit the treetops.
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One of the early challenges in
building an accurate neck is to ensure that the headstock face and
the fretboard "bed" of the neckshaft are in proper relation. This is
harder than it looks due to the fact that the two surfaces are on
different and angled planes |
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This little Plexiglas template
aligns with the upper pinhole in the neckshaft and creates an index
that will later be used to rig the neck while the headstock face is
milled to its final dimension after the ears are glued on. But that
step will happen later on down the road. |
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