Rough Necking

Moore Bettah Ukuleles

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There is currently some discussion here about one piece and laminated necks. I happened to be making a few necks this morning so I decided to shoot some photos. I don't claim to ever do things the right way but this is how I rough out my one piece neck blanks.
I start by cutting my wood (Spanish cedar in this case) into 3" x 3" by 18" cants to yield two necks. I use two bandsaws, one equipped with 1/4" blade, the other a 1/2"one. The photos explain themselves. In the photo with three billets, I show the three stages that go through to cut the side profile. The bottom billet, where I've cut along the heel line, is cut with the 1/4" blade. This creates a pocket that allows me to use my 1/2" blade for the other cuts.
More in the following post.
 

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Before I cut the top profile I need to dado the groove to accept my .200" X 250" carbon fiber reinforcement rod while the sides are still square. This is easily done by stacking two saw blades together that happen to give me an exact .200" width that I need. Find a couple of blades that will make up the width you need. You can make fine adjustments in the width by rotating the blades against each other so that the teeth touch or don't touch, etc. The headstock portion is cut with the 1/4" blade.
 

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Finally, the neck area is cut with a 1/2" blade and I'm done roughing out the necks. Although this wood is dry and has been sitting in my shop for some years, I feel better in putting them aside in my climate control room for a couple of months or so (the advantage of making a lot at once) to let them move or change if they want (I doubt if they do) after the neighboring wood has been removed.
When I'm ready to shape a neck it only takes about 10 minutes or so to do so in my 6" x 48" belt sander. That takes about 10 minutes. Intermediate sanding is done with a RO sander (80 grit) and then finally hand sanded.
Cutting the billets, marking the profiles, dadoing the groove for the CF rod and cutting the top and side profile took about 2 hours to rough out 12 necks. I usually do 24 at a time but time was running short this morning.
 

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Artistry, craftsmanship, care and concern. Moore Bettah in every respect.

(I'm gonna go out a limb here and say that I think maybe you've done this before. ; ))
 
Nice demo, Chuck. That's the high end version at every step. I'd love to see video of you shaping the back of the neck if you ever have the time to kill. Shaping Spanish cedar by hand doesn't take very long, but it takes more than 10 minutes. I'd like to be able to work that quickly.
 
I am not a luthier, but I love seeing how things are made, especially by an artisan and craftsman of such high caliber as yourself, Chuck.

I deeply appreciate you sharing this peek into your workshop and your build methods.

Thank you, ever so much for sharing the info a photos. :)
 
Nice demo, Chuck. That's the high end version at every step. I'd love to see video of you shaping the back of the neck if you ever have the time to kill. Shaping Spanish cedar by hand doesn't take very long, but it takes more than 10 minutes. I'd like to be able to work that quickly.

John, I wouldn't know how to post a video if my life depended on it. Here's a couple of pics though. Actually, John Greven does it the same way and he does have a video somewhere. It really is a 10 minute job (or less) on a sander. I designed my neck profiles to match the radii of the wheels of my sander. I dimension the back of the headstock by pushing it through my thickness sander with the feed belt turned off. As you can see I do this dusty job out doors with proper respiration. All of my "stationary" power tools, with the exception of the drill press, are on wheels for just this purpose. Perfect for the small shop, especially if you have a deck attached.
 

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Excellent photos detailing your method. How do you attach the necks to the body of the uke?

Mervin Friesen
 
I am not a luthier, but I love seeing how things are made, especially by an artisan and craftsman of such high caliber as yourself, Chuck.

I deeply appreciate you sharing this peek into your workshop and your build methods.

Thank you, ever so much for sharing the info a photos. :)

I don't post here much anymore because in the last 10 years or so at some point I've shared just about everything I know. The newer members are doing just fine stepping in and sharing information and answering the same questions. Most of the sharing I do now is on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chuck.moore.376
 
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Great series Chuck. But don't abandon UU Lounge just yet. We need some of you old gray beards to catch us newer members when we get it completely wrong.... I've been thinking deeply about cutting out one piece necks but always come up against the problem that I have an 80 inch bandsaw with a 1/4 inch blade and I'm guessing it will bog down and go out of line. The saw will take a 1/2 blade, but then I realize I need two bandsaws cause I'm not into switching out blades. Anyway Chuck, mahalo nui loa. Aloha.
 
Great series Chuck. But don't abandon UU Lounge just yet. We need some of you old gray beards to catch us newer members when we get it completely wrong.... I've been thinking deeply about cutting out one piece necks but always come up against the problem that I have an 80 inch bandsaw with a 1/4 inch blade and I'm guessing it will bog down and go out of line. The saw will take a 1/2 blade, but then I realize I need two bandsaws cause I'm not into switching out blades. Anyway Chuck, mahalo nui loa. Aloha.

Look at the number of my posts. I used to be you. Now you could be me the way I used to be. ��
An 80" saw, properly set up and with a new blade should be able to make all the necessary cuts with 1/4" blade without much problem. The half inch blade is a bit faster though.
 
Yeah I used to do a bit of rough necking, mind you I was much younger then :smileybounce:
 
Look at the number of my posts. I used to be you. Now you could be me the way I used to be.
Hey! Chuck ...you've got 1,000 more posts than I have...and I thought that "I" talked too much without listening.;)

*EDIT* the actual number is 850 to date.;)
 
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Hey! Chuck ...you've got 1,000 more posts than I have...and I thought that "I" talked too much without listening.;)

I'm not saying a word Ken. ;)

But you remember what it was like here 10 years ago. Things were pretty quiet when the forum first started. I used to be smart then and had things to say. I'm not so smart any more.
 
I'm not saying a word Ken. ;)

But you remember what it was like here 10 years ago. Things were pretty quiet when the forum first started. I used to be smart then and had things to say. I'm not so smart any more.

Damn, I am pale by comparison, if we're counting.

Those were the days of some good spirited dialogue, most times. . .
 
I wonder how many of us are still here since the beginning? I think that was 2007. I used to advertise on the UU home page. haha
I've been back to 2008 and found the first post by Pete..Entitled "Black p***" the pics are not available now but I think I've found the ukulele that he is taliking about
petes uke by Ken Timms, on Flickr
 
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