Got a little crack around the back of my neck

[verycoolguy]

Fatter low string with a longer neck definitely makes it easier.

I'll take it to a local luthier soon and see what he has to say about the neck.

[John Arnold]

Are the scoop and filler piece both cut free-hand? What tools are used? Seems like it might take a fair amount of trial and error to get the contours to match. Is there any trick to getting the surfaces to mate?

I generally cut the scoop with a 3" diameter drum sander mounted in a drill press. The patch is bandsawn and finished by hand. Chalk or carbon paper can be used for fitting. I also use a backlight from the side to see any gaps.

[fazool]

Originally Posted by verycoolguy

Fatter low string with a longer neck definitely makes it easier.

I'll take it to a local luthier soon and see what he has to say about the neck.

You do know he is doing that on a steel bodied resonator, not an acoustic guitar, right?

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

I would not use splines. I would cut a long scoop on the back about 1/4" deep and glue in a mahogany piece. That will be stronger than splines. Of course, I would glue and clamp the crack first.
It won't be pretty, but it is fairly inexpensive.

We all repair and or build deifferently.

Why do you feel that a patch is stronger than splines.

I am of the opposite opinion, I feel splines would be stronger than a wood patch.

Steve

[verycoolguy]

Originally Posted by fazool

You do know he is doing that on a steel bodied resonator, not an acoustic guitar, right?

And so am I, just not a baritone.

[Looburst]

I agree with pastor Steve, if you heard it and it looks like a pretty serious crack, then I would take it quickly to your tech and get it repaired.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

I generally cut the scoop with a 3" diameter drum sander mounted in a drill press.

It's not jiving, (or is it "jibing" ?) with me, this scoop graft joint .

If you machine a scoop 2" long with a 3" diameter drum (and I would have thought for a crack like this, 2" would be an absolute minimum ) you are going to go more than 3/8" deep from the back of the neck. That could well mean that you are going to machine a scoop in the truss rod as well.

The spline solution has no such downside as far as I can see ... two splines, about 5" long, one on either side of the truss rod slot, routered to just underneath the fretboard, and well glued in , would make that neck rock solid.

A scoop graft could certainly be added afterwards ("belt and braces" as they say in the UK) but the spllnes are a sine qua non IMO.

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

I generally cut the scoop with a 3" diameter drum sander mounted in a drill press. The patch is bandsawn and finished by hand. Chalk or carbon paper can be used for fitting. I also use a backlight from the side to see any gaps.

I've done similar when patching violin tops, using an extremely sharp gouge I cut a swath out of the top and use the same gouge to use as a guide to cut a new patch in the right shape. But with a drum sander this seems to be kind of weird.

Seems like you'd have to take an awful lot of wood off the back of the neck, I get the concept it just seems like you might cut into the truss rod channel if you're not careful.