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After building the fret slot cutting jig and milling some fret boards, I was pretty much forced to build something, so this is it....my first CBG. Don't know what I'm doing so this will be in the style of, as Brent says....here, hold my beer and watch this.
First step is to move stuff out of the garage so there's some room to work.
Next is the jig needed to help cut the 15 degree head stock to neck scarf joint. You don't need to use a scarf joint, but it helps ensure there is enough angle on the strings to keep them pressed firmly into the nut. I found a jig plan on the net and glued it up. Added a handle made from an extra push stick. I made a similar one for the band saw to cut wider pieces.
With the jigs ready for action I cut some neck blanks from a piece of 1" cherry from the stash. I'm hoping it will be strong enough for the job, since most of the necks I've seen were oak. These are 1"x 1-5/8"x 38". I'll run them over the jointer to bring them to 1-1/2" wide.
I milled up some 1/4" thick fret board stock out of left over flooring at the same time that I built the fret slot cutting jig. I saved the finish on the flooring. It remains to be seen whether keeping the finish is going to work OK.
Out of the rafters comes the stash of cigar boxes accumulated over the last couple of years. Interestingly, empty cigar boxes have begun to demand serious money in our area. The tobacco shop near me wanted six dollars for their empty boxes! I collected these boxes out in Oklahoma when visiting our daughter. They were about 75 cents each and some had really colorful graphics.
So, now I have some boxes, fret boards and some necks. Wondering what to do for a head stock (the part where the tuning pegs live). I was thinking of trying to do a fish theme and work in some carving. Maybe a fish head or tail.
First step is to move stuff out of the garage so there's some room to work.
Next is the jig needed to help cut the 15 degree head stock to neck scarf joint. You don't need to use a scarf joint, but it helps ensure there is enough angle on the strings to keep them pressed firmly into the nut. I found a jig plan on the net and glued it up. Added a handle made from an extra push stick. I made a similar one for the band saw to cut wider pieces.
With the jigs ready for action I cut some neck blanks from a piece of 1" cherry from the stash. I'm hoping it will be strong enough for the job, since most of the necks I've seen were oak. These are 1"x 1-5/8"x 38". I'll run them over the jointer to bring them to 1-1/2" wide.
I milled up some 1/4" thick fret board stock out of left over flooring at the same time that I built the fret slot cutting jig. I saved the finish on the flooring. It remains to be seen whether keeping the finish is going to work OK.
Out of the rafters comes the stash of cigar boxes accumulated over the last couple of years. Interestingly, empty cigar boxes have begun to demand serious money in our area. The tobacco shop near me wanted six dollars for their empty boxes! I collected these boxes out in Oklahoma when visiting our daughter. They were about 75 cents each and some had really colorful graphics.
So, now I have some boxes, fret boards and some necks. Wondering what to do for a head stock (the part where the tuning pegs live). I was thinking of trying to do a fish theme and work in some carving. Maybe a fish head or tail.
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