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head stocks, necks and....scarf joints?

Posted by Salty Sea Empire on April 4, 2010 at 11:03am in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

so i am wondering how to go about pulling off a scarf joint(i think that is what it is called) to give my headstock an angle do i need to use pins or some type of mechanical joint or do i just butt one piece against the other and glue... also what kind of clamping jig should i use to laminate my headstock back to the neck...or am i totaly off base and i should just make the neck/headstock out of one piece of wood...and what kind of sawing jig to get the right angle...i have lots and lots of questions so any info would help... i just want to get that angle and not waste alot of wood

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Replies

Michael Gajeski April 5, 2010 at 8:12pm

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but you can sink a staple about half way into the wood and clip the head off so that just a little bit of the two legs stick up into the joint. that keeps the joint from slipping in your clamps.
Salty Sea Empire April 5, 2010 at 6:44pm

thanks a bunch all the thoughts really help i appreciate it guys
Diane in Chicago April 5, 2010 at 2:01pm

When you put your scarf pieces together, the seam can either be hidden under the fingerboard or be on the headstock. There you can leave it like it is, cover it with some kind of veneer or do like I did here and paint the head face with acrylic paint, and seal the whole thing with a wipe on poly stain.
Diane in Chicago April 5, 2010 at 8:15am

If your table saw blade is nice and square, the amount of sanding/planing/"fixing" is minimal. I mark a pencil line through both pieces of the neck when perfectly aligned, and then glue and clamp the pieces to the table using the pencil line to watch for movement.
Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates April 4, 2010 at 10:21pm

Great post Nathan. I make them the opposite of Josh but both are great joints.

-WY

Nathan King said:
Josh Gayou has a VERY great group here on CBN where he shares many of his techniques and experience with us lesser beings.

Check out his post on scarf joints: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/smokehouseguitars/forum/topics/... and be sure to read his other stuff. Very knowledgeable, and very helpful.

Plus, he talks about luthier ninjas living in the mountains of Paraguay. How cool is that?! :-)
Nathan King April 4, 2010 at 9:16pm

Josh Gayou has a VERY great group here on CBN where he shares many of his techniques and experience with us lesser beings.

Check out his post on scarf joints: http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/smokehouseguitars/forum/topics/... and be sure to read his other stuff. Very knowledgeable, and very helpful.

Plus, he talks about luthier ninjas living in the mountains of Paraguay. How cool is that?! :-)
ken farmer April 4, 2010 at 9:08pm

I use an electric miter-box to get 30 degree angles. It's very safe, easy and fast. But that's more angle than I'd like - and for my kid workshops I'd like to go with hand tools. I'm planning to build a jig to cut a 11.25 degree angle and see how hard it is to cut through a 1x2 & 1x4 with a backsaw.

For glueing I've found the easiest way is to first clamp/glue fretboard on, then glue in headstock while neck & headstock are clamped to the table. The fretboard stops the headstock from sliding up-neck, a stop can prevent it from sliding down-neck, and the clamps to the table keep it true.

Works great until you clamp a wider headstock to a narrower-neck. I'm planning to build a jig to help with that.
MichaelS Country Boy Guitars April 4, 2010 at 7:24pm

I don't use a joint, I cut my neck from one piece of wood on a bandsaw. I use 12 degree angle. and I have enough wood in the neck to cut the relief under the lid and form a heel joint. Takes a bigger piece of wood though, 2" x 2" works well. No glue, no clamps.
Alan Roberts April 4, 2010 at 7:04pm

Uncle Dave Heaukulani in Hilo makes wonderful ukuleles. Here's his video on how HE does it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64dT9SC9hbA&feature=related
You can build a jig that would work with a table saw, but make sure it will hold your instrument neck while keeping your fingers WELL CLEAR of the blade, eh?
Diane in Chicago April 4, 2010 at 6:37pm

Here is a nice thread about scarf joins:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/class101/forum/topics/the-elusi...