Dovetail shim and trim techniques

[Sam VanLaningham]

Hi everybody - can you help me get better at adjusting a dovetail neck joint? I've struggled to know where to remove or add wood with the dovetails.

In my case, the neck is setting in at a bit of an angle to the center line, with the headstock leaning to the right. This means that if I went as is I'd have to put bridge on a few millimeters off the center line to the left. I don't want to do that if I don't have to!!!!

Any help would be excellent! Thanks.

Sam

[Ben-Had]

If you want to move the centerline to the left you have to floss the left side of the heel, go slowly it won't take much to move it.

[Sam VanLaningham]

Originally Posted by Ben-Had

If you want to move the centerline to the left you have to floss the left side of the heel, go slowly it won't take much to move it.

Cool Tim. After seeing something on Hoffman guitars website, I take it flossing is putting sandpaper between the body and neck on a cheek (abrasive side on neck) and "flossing" it through?

It seems like if I removed wood from the cheek of the left side of the neck, that would make the centerline of headstock move left and the bridge to move to the right? I guess I need more clarification. Sorry!

Sam

[Tom West]

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/v...=10102&t=15022
Have a look at this.
Tom

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Left of Sam

Cool Tim. After seeing something on Hoffman guitars website, I take it flossing is putting sandpaper between the body and neck on a cheek (abrasive side on neck) and "flossing" it through?

It seems like if I removed wood from the cheek of the left side of the neck, that would make the centerline of headstock move left and the bridge to move to the right? I guess I need more clarification. Sorry!

Sam

You are using the term "cheek" incorrectly.

What you will be flossing is the "shoulder" .

The "cheeks" are the sides of the dovetail which make contact with the mortise internally.

[Sam VanLaningham]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

You are using the term "cheek" incorrectly.

What you will be flossing is the "shoulder" .

The "cheeks" are the sides of the dovetail which make contact with the mortise internally.

Thanks for correction, murmac! And thanks everyone else. I found a couple other youtubes to help as well. I flossed shoulder and it got me close to centerline. It seemed though that anymore flossing was affecting gap between shoulder and body on other side, so I just called it good. It's going to take me a few more to get it, I imagine.


Sam

[Frank Ford]

Originally Posted by Left of Sam

It's going to take me a few more to get it, I imagine.

That IS the deal. Just like learning music, it's all about the practice. Fret work, neck setting, setup and finishing are among the operations that novice guitar makers may not have done before, and they are important to ultimate success. "Beginner's luck" can sometimes obscure the need for the practice.

[Jim.S]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

.

The "cheeks" are the sides of the dovetail which make contact with the mortise internally.

Murray you are using the term incorrectly, the cheeks make contact with the socket or dovetail socket not mortise.

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Jim.S

Murray you are using the term incorrectly, the cheeks make contact with the socket or dovetail socket not mortise.

Touché ... mea culpa ...

[Jim.S]

The AGF, often a lesson. Tonight I learned what "mea culpa" means.

[Sam VanLaningham]

Originally Posted by Frank Ford

That IS the deal. Just like learning music, it's all about the practice. Fret work, neck setting, setup and finishing are among the operations that novice guitar makers may not have done before, and they are important to ultimate success. "Beginner's luck" can sometimes obscure the need for the practice.

Yeah it's a true merging of so many skills! I absolutely love the process and love to see correlation of my patience and the quality of work. The most direct correlation I've seen in a state of mind to something tangible.

And thanks Jim because now I'm really confused and its youa culpa....actually I think I still understand.

Sam