#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

What's on your workbench?

This could be git related or not. So, what's on your workbench at the moment?

I have 4 scarf joint necks in different stages of work.

A 25" scale pine 5 string neck for a Banjo-Res, A 25" scale Red Oak neck for my 6 string Strat-Res build, A 24 & 1/2" scale Red Oak neck for my 6 string Double Cut Tele build and a 27" scale 6 string Baritone Conversion neck for a Modern Strat body I have.

20 members like this

Attachments:

DSCF4036.JPG, 109 KB

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on December 5, 2018 at 12:08pm

Hey Rat, it might also help if you have a bigger space " outboard " between your bolts, giving you a bit more leverage for less screw tension, but as you say, the soft wood ply is most likely the biggest weakness, may be a strip of 1/2" ply laminated to the edge could stiffen them a bit.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on December 5, 2018 at 1:01pm

Here's a bunch of cam clamps I made about 25 years ago, and just modified them as shown. They have a design fault that have put up with and will change one day......maybe.

Taff

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on December 6, 2018 at 12:27pm

This is what I was thinking, the wood clamp may be warping under pressure, but playing around with the fulcrum points may be the answer or both.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kigar on December 5, 2018 at 4:23pm

Hey Cause part of the problem is the plywood would be about twice as strong if it was rotated 90 degrees.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on December 6, 2018 at 12:29pm

Very good suggestion Kigar.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Michael Fred Johnson on December 7, 2018 at 1:53am

This type of clamp is based on a toolmakers clamp.The drawing shows the arrangement of the screws.

The left hand screw goes through a plain hole in the upper jaw into a threaded hole in the lower jaw.If you're using wood use a captive nut outside here.

The right hand screw goes through a threaded hole in the lower jaw(captive nut inside) and into a plain socket in the upper jaw.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on December 7, 2018 at 5:24am

I have there of these. All of them older than I am. The only difference between the old ones I have and your illustration is both of the rods go all the way through. These and a hand full of metal C clamps is what I had to start with years ago.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on December 5, 2018 at 7:00pm

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement. Think that's going to be my limit on plywood clamps. After two fails it's more or less kicking a dead horse. Going to save the rest of my ply for jigs and light duty stuff. And guitar building. After the holidays it's full going on that radius sanding block jig. Then learning to cut and fret. No more store bought guitar necks for me.