Great job buddy. I admire your patience!

@Smugwood

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Alf. Longest project I think I’ve ever done...😂😂

I have made several such necks using a straight up 1" round over bit. BIG ol' boat necks but they feel SO GOOD. They are so beefy that I have made several with NO truss-rod like the very first original Fender necks. 5 years and they still hold up with no warp whatsoever. Best playing and sound necks I have ever played. You do need to learn to shape the transition from neck to heal and head to get that smooth V transition. But other than that, looks pretty good.

Nice video, thanks for not giving up!

@Smugwood

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks...never realised how challenging a guitar build would be...makes me appreciate other peoples guitar builds a whole lot more too :)

Been looking at jigs for neck shaping and have to say this idea is like hand feeding a great white shark

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

It is pretty lethal. I didn’t think I’d use it again…but used it on my recent Great Guitar Build Off entry and surprisingly it went well. Still very lethal though 😂

Were you able to get a taper on the depth of the neck? Meaning it's a bit thinner when measured at the 1st fret as opposed to the 12th? Something like 22mm at the first and 24mm at the 12th.

@Smugwood

5 жыл бұрын

I didn’t realise until a couple of weeks ago that there should have been a taper. I took my guitar to a guitar builder (Crimson Guitars) and they took a look at my guitar as I asked for feedback. They mentioned about the taper which wasn’t something I’d even thought to add. So I’m now looking at building a second telecaster and making all the changes/improvements suggested by Crimson. I plan to cut the taper then run it through the Modern C router bit and hopefully it’ll look spot on. I was also told to go a bit deeper with the cutter as I hadn’t quite got the c shape...it was slightly flat on the bottom. So fingers crossed, next one will be spot on.

@hi-ccowboy7983

4 жыл бұрын

Smugwood that won’t work for you. Look at the back of a Fender headstock and notice how it’s not level with the first fret. You’ll need a jig that holds the heel slightly higher than the headstock.

great video I use this bit on a overarm router.

@Smugwood

6 жыл бұрын

I might have a look at something like that. Might be a bit safer.

I think you should use with the router bit being on top and the fretboard pacing the table

@Smugwood

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah overhead would be safer. The router bit works well well its lethal and really i need to look at a safer way of using it. I ended up having to finish this neck by hand as I became wary of the cutter. But if I can find a better way of machine with the cutter id definitely benefit from using it.

Good job, I'm about to do it for the first time

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Its lethal...be warned :-) But...in the right setup (mines definitely not) its really good. I need to improve the way I did it to make it safer...if you come up with a better way It'll be interesting to know :-)

@skyblue021

3 жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood I know and I am afraid of it. Thanks

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

@@skyblue021 No worries. Take care :-)

Used to work in a joiner's workshop (woodshop). Foreman got too close to the cutters on a machine one day. Lost a substantial amount of the palm of a hand. It's not possible to be too scared of power tools.

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

This is one of those tools that Ive still not sussed out how I can use safely. Im building another guitar next month and really need to come up with a safe way of using this bit as it works really well.

@zilspeed

3 жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood Build a jig which holds the neck so you can clamp it into the jig consistently and allows each hand to be a good 3-4 further away fork the cutter and also has hand holds.

It seems a little bit risky and dangerous just to save a little time. Not that I'm trying to poo poo doing it that way. but files sand paper and disk sanders always worked well enough for me. And a whole lot safer as well.

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

It is a risky piece of kit thats for definite...quite scary to be fair. I didn't think I would use it again, but if you have seen my more recent guitar video where I built the Rick Parfitt guitar...I ended up using the cutter again and it went a lot better. Was still a bit scary but I managed to do a reasonable job of the neck. :-)

I hope you have figured out a safer way to do this.

how do you taper the neck thickness

Even before the kickback happened, I was watching in apprehension. The cardinal rule you broke was that you had your hand on the same side of the workpiece as the cutting tool - that’s a no-no. You need to almost develop an instinct to position your body in such a way that you are not in the line of the business ends of power tools. Thank your lucky stars that you weren’t using a table saw.

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

It was a lesson learnt thats for sure :-)

Neck turned out nice. Not sure why you weren't using paddles for safety.

You almost gave me a heart attack about 5 times. Safety first -Safety first -Safety first ! Please !!!

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

It scared me too. I said I’d never use it again. But I ended up using it on my Rick Replica Video and took extra care and I felt a bit more confident this time round. Still very wary though.

Wonder how it goes on a highly figured neck???

@Smugwood

6 жыл бұрын

Wouldn’t know at the moment as this is my first but something I’d possibly try in the future as I definitely fancy building more after this one.

@Beemerboy324

5 жыл бұрын

It works well but like any router bit, it will burn, especially on Maple. Turn the speed down and take light finish passes and it mitigates the problem somewhat. Sanding and scraping takes care of it.

Very good...

@Smugwood

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks...still a long way to go yet :)

Truss rod??

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah it has a dual action TR

That near miss you had there looked properly scary! I have to say, though, using a table router for neck shaping made it all looked like a very hit and miss affair to me (almost literally at a couple of points). The only time I've ever seen roundover bits used for neck shaping they were in a drill press with the neck passed through fretboard-side down on the drill press table. You can see what you're doing much more easily. I think Big D guitars had a YT video of it a little while back. You should really try hand shaping though with files, rasps, spokeshaves and the like. There's really not that much to it and there aren't nearly as many ways to lose whole limbs while you do. Interesting test, but certainly not a method for me.

@Smugwood

5 жыл бұрын

I definitely want to try a neck shape using hand tools, but I also believe that If I can just find a safer way of using the router bit it’d be a really quick job shaping the neck. It’s just going to take a bit of thought and design...but something I’m really keen to do. But I’d still like to shape one by hand tools just for the comparison and experience 👍

that was terrifying

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

Ive learnt my lesson :-)

You should use push handles!! If you cut off a couple of fingers you,ll have to learn slide.

@Smugwood

5 жыл бұрын

Haha...funny....but very true. To be honest, its made me want to come up with a safe system of work whilst using it. Im thinking of a few different ways...its a really good cutter, saves lots of messing about...but I just need to come up with a safe way of using it and make more necks :)

Wondering if this guy still has all his fingers? Pretty reckless.

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

I didn't realise how crazy it was until I started using it...although I have used it on another guitar build last year and it performed really well. But it is a scary bit of kit and this time I took some precautions :-)

you almost lost a big hunk of meat. almost shat myself watching that haha.

@Smugwood

Жыл бұрын

Yeah it was a wake up call 😊

@jandro

Жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood good to see and hear that you luckily took no damage! I've also had headstock endgrain kick back, headstocks explode, sanded off a knuckle on a 30 grit wide belt, router kiss my fingertip. Lucked out on all of them, all were .01 microsecond mistakes. Bought a CNC lmao

Make a holding jig

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah I definitely need too...and once I do it'll be a really useful tool. The way I did it wasn't very safe and something I need to look at...but the video should hopefully show how lethal it can be if not done right :-)

Push blocks.

@Smugwood

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah certainly an option. Currently looking at a better and safer way than what I did. 😊

@FPChris

5 жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood I hear ya!

YOu will lose your fingers at some point if you continue to do it the way you were in the video, but you already know that. Here's an accessory from Lee Valley. www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=41780&cat=1,43000 It won't work for what you want to do, but it wilol illustrate the idea. I have this item and it works well. For your application, make out of baltic birch plywood (or some other material) a base that the neck is bolted or clamped to (you could bolt through the peg holes and at the other end clamp for example), have two vertical handles bolted to the base (Lee Valley and other places sell such handles separately) with these handles AWAY from the cutting side. Only cut one side of the neck (with the handles on the other side above and nowhere near the action). Flip the neck around and cut the other side. Pretty safe.

@Smugwood

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah I do need to look at safer alternatives. Once I can suss out the best way im hoping I’ll have another go and see if it makes the whole process easier and with a good degree of safety.

Don’t watch this with sound on

@Smugwood

4 жыл бұрын

That hurts :-( I make all the music to my videos...but each to their own I guess...plus it's nice to get feedback on my music...positive or negative...or constructive. :-)

@MaxSebastianMayer

4 жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood I´m really sorry that I hurt your feelings. If I had known that it is your music I would have been more constructive or would not have commented at all. To be fair and bring some constructive feedback: I think the music doesnt fit well with this type of video, a more laid back music style or voice over normally does the job. Have a nice day

@Smugwood

4 жыл бұрын

@@MaxSebastianMayer Thanks :-) If im honest...I know my music doesn't suit everyone. A lot of the time I chose the music as I didnt have the confidence to do a voice over...but on my more recent videos Ive been able to do that so theres less music and more speaking. I appreciate feedback though...good or bad. Id rather people be honest then I can look to improve for future videos. :-)

omg your hands are so close to the bit....

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah it was too close. I need to look at a safer way to do this 👍

save your fingers and use a spokeshave for this.

@Smugwood

Жыл бұрын

It is pretty lethal. Works alright though, but wouldn't mind learning a different way.

@r.llynch4124

Жыл бұрын

@@Smugwood watch crimson guitars spokeshave video.

rofl

Use push blocks ffs.

@Smugwood

2 жыл бұрын

I find them difficult to hold the wood with…but I did use them on my more recent build. It wasn’t easy but I did feel a lot safer 👍

I would have used scrap wood first

Please throw that bit away, it's just not safe to work with!!

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Its definitely a bit scary but if you saw my recent Rick Parfitt build I used it on there and if im honest...it went really well...scary...but well :-)

this will be grerat . . keep filming everything . . . . we'll get a ringside seat of your arm getting ripped off, or whatever . . . . if filming is such a distraction , you are making mistakes . . stop it, before it costs you dearly . . we dont ccare , anyway, really . . whereas you'll miss your arm, if its gone

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for such a pleasant response. Yes, many people had asked about it as I’m a member of many forums with 100s of thousands of members, of whom lots of people were interested. I’m also involved in several Maker Communities and have attended many maker conventions and represented several groups. The router bit was from a country that very few people are from in the groups and with the initial cost of the cutter many weren’t prepared to risk purchasing due to initial purchase and shipping costs. The cutters were also a fairly new thing with very few KZread videos showing the cutter in action. Most people hand carve the necks...I wanted to try something different. So I bought the cutter, shared it to the groups and had great interest from many of the luthiers. I film everything I ever build...wether on here or my other channels and was asked if I could demo the cutter. This was my first time...hence the near accident in the video. I don’t often bite to video comments but one thing I don’t agree with is offensive language and being called a liar. I put these videos up for fun and for others to enjoy watching. They obviously aren’t of interest to you and that’s fine, but to call someone a liar is just rude. Thanks for your feedback.

@Smugwood

3 жыл бұрын

Chris Sinclair No need to delete. You’re entitled to your own opinion. Take a look at my projects...most of them I have no clue about. I take on projects I’m clueless about as it’s a challenge. Filming them drives me to study how to do a proper job and of course i make mistakes...look at my workshop build. My mistake cost me thousands. Check out Smugwoodmini. I’m restoring a car but I have no idea what I’m doing. That’s just how I roll. 😂

If you still want to have all your fingers in a reasonable time, stop woodworking immediately. You are not at all qualified to work on a machine.