almost there!

Sorry for the Delay everyone. As I grow closer and closer to finishing the guitar I keep forgetting to take pictures so I have had to wait and take pics of other people so that I can show you the steps.
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So once the finger board is all prepped I move on to the truss rod. Modern guitars have a metal rod running through the neck to help stabalize it. The are adjustable and can help the neck straighten out if it because releived by the strings or warps into back bow.

I mark, on the centerline of the neck, where the trussrod will fit. I set up the router to cut the slot just deep enough for the truss rod to sit just below the surface.




Truss rods can be positioned to be adjusted either at the headstock or through the sound hole. I originally planned to adjust mine through the sound hole but the rod was too long so I flipped it and I will now have it adjust at the head.


the rod is still a little long to be adjusted at the neck so I have to route into the neck block.


I do this using the saddle slotting jig and router.





next I plane the head stock back to the edge of the nut shelf. This has to be perfectly flat because I am going to glue on a headcap laminate.


I am using an indian rosewood headcap to match my back and sides. I thicknessed the cap to about 1/16" and then I tapered the edage that meets the nut shelf so the nut will fit securely later.


Next I made a plexiglass template for my headstock

I drilled 2 holse in it where my tuning machines will go. I then dilled holes through the headcap and the headstock and pinned them in with toothpicks so that the cap wouldnt slide on me.



Then I glue it all up with titebond.



Next I used a safety planer to take the headstock down to about 1/16"over thickness.






Then I traced out the headstalk and attached a block on the bottom of the headstock to lift it.



Next I cut out the shape with the bandsaw and took it to shape with the sanders.


Next I used a jig on the drill press to cut the tuning maching holes. I am doing a slotted headstock. These are popular on nylon string guitars. So first I drill the holes in the side. This was extremely difficult because they had to be squared up perfectly so the tuners would sit nicely.

Next I used a saw and chisel to make an opening for the truss rod to be adjusted. This will be covered later.



Next I use a Forstner bit on the drill press to drill 4 holes to make my slots.


Next I took a saw and cut the slots out.



I cleaned this up with a rasp and file... but it still didnt look right to me. So I came up with the idea that I could use the saddle slotting jig to route perfect slots that were straight and square. So thats what I did.


And I showed CanaDave as well.

the result was very nice.


Before gluing on the neck I needed to use the spindle sander and fence to finish thicknessing my headstock. Sorry no picture. I also had to cut the access heel that I have... later I will put a heel cap on this.


Next I made a caul to hold the heel to the guitar as I glue in the neck.




I glued the neck in with hot hide glue.

after it dried I used a roll of 120 grit sandpaper to break the edge of the sound hole because the finish doesnt stick well to sharp corners.


Next I dry clamped the fingerboard to the neck and began to lin it up. it needs to line up perfectly center to the bridge.


Next I drill 1/16" holes in the 1st and 12th fret slots and into the neck.

I used the drill bits as pins. This way the fingerboard wont move when I glue it on.


I used a caul that fit around the pins and glued up the fingerboard with hot hide glue.



Once the fingerboard was on I installed frets. I could have done this before gluing on the fingerboard as well. I nipped of the ends of the frets.

I used some cardboard to protect the guitar top around the fingerboard.



And I used this swell file that I made last semester to file the ends flush.

And bevel them slightly.


Next I shaped the neck. I used this jig.

Which sits in my vice and clamps the neck tight. it has slots in it so I can use my calipers to measure the thickness as I shape.


I used a spoke shave, my rasp, sanding sticks, scrapers,and sanding blocks to shape the neck straight and comfortable.



Now I am practically done. I dont have much more to do. Here are some pics of how she looks.