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Necks- Can you build em Sideways ?

Ok, that's oddly put, but not sure how else t word it.

Here's the thing, I want an angled headstock, but also want laminated sides on the neck, as they will actually form the sides of the body too. (think like a fork with the middle tong cut off).

So, I need a thick neckstock to begin with.

The Easiest way for me, as decent finished wood in over an inch is not common round here, is the take say a 1x2 board, turn it so the thickness side is the actual face. This will leave me lots of wood to angle my headstock without making a skiff joint, and, I can glue my 1/8" thick x 1.5 inch wide strips onto the sides to give me my Inch wide neck I want, and the rest form the sides for my body.

QUESTION, a Neck made from a 1x2 board turned on it's side -- will that hold up strengthwise? is it more prone to warping -- or would it actually add strength ?

Can't get my head around it.

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on October 19, 2011 at 7:30am

I think I see what your are getting at, but it's an awful lot of waste wood. 1" core plus 2 x 1/8" strips is a pretty narrow neck, and that 1 1/2" deep side strip is barely enough to get a proper angled headstock out of that depth. I've done necks that way, with 1/2" centre 'spine', nice and strong, but I still had to scarf joint the side laminations (glued up from a piece of approx 1" wide stock then ripped down into two side lams)..a lot of work.

Bite the bullet and learn how to do a scarf joint. One saw cut, clean up the cut and glue it, leave to dry, plane & sand the top of the joint and job done.

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Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on October 19, 2011 at 7:42am

Thanks CBJ

Think is I got a bunch of those 1/8x1.5 or 2 inch strips 3 feet long, nice hardwoods.

This is for a narrow neck strummer (1 inch wide, mine "bought" strummer is 7/8 wide, too narrow). It's not a terrible amount of waste for me, because I'm going to pay the same amount for the neckpiece anyway, so, a simple length cut on the bandsaw is no biggie.

Some of the stock I can get is actually 3/4 x 1.5 or 7/8 x 1.5 or 3/4 x 2.5 and 7/8 x 2.5

2.5 would give me a lot of depth to do an angle stock yes?

Would also give me a but at the box entry too.

As for the sides needing to be scarfed, I actually thought of putting wings on the headstock and butting the sides up to it - simple construction and no scarf.

(ps- thanks for the word correction, why did I say skiff?)

So, aside from the wastage, you think the strength is there?

Cool.

Thanks !

Jim

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on October 19, 2011 at 8:30am

If you've got a bandsaw, then the cutting is pretty easy. With proper laminated necks, I usually use a 1/4 - 1/2" centre, then you've got a proper contribution to the strength from all 3 laminations, and its more likely to have better warp resistance.

Another option is to laminate with a thin centre stripe flanked with 3/4" pieces and trim to width. The strength of the neck is really in it's depth...if you look at a Turkish Saz, they have really narrow necks, but they are pretty deep (1 -1 1/4" deep).

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Permalink Reply by Richard G Caudill on October 19, 2011 at 10:41am

I do that a lot james ,, with select pine ,, I don't put the different color wood in it tho ,,, I glue the two 1x2 and turn em sidways ,,, in my case that makes a 1.5 inch top and 1.5 inch depth ,, I usually do this when i make a 4 stringer as i want more strength .. it really works for me ,, have had no issues at all with stength .I usually drill a 1/16 inch hole in several places ,,squaring the tops,, then insert a brad thru em so when i glue it don t squrrelly around on me

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Dubman on October 19, 2011 at 12:43pm

One of the reasons for laminating necks is it's easier to find flat sawn boards, since quarter sawing is inherently wasteful. A flat sawn board ripped in half and glued shut like a book creates a stiffer quarter sawn blank -- not that any of the flat sawn necks I've made have ever bowed themselves out of tune.

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on October 20, 2011 at 1:02am

James, you should be able to get an angled head from that. I make mine from solid stock but its not much different, mine ar usually 2x 1 3/4 sometimes as thin as 1 1/5" though. 12 degree angle or about that works fine for string retention.