preferred head block design / construction?

N

Nu Uke

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
69
Reaction score
0
Location
Cape Cod, US
I'm hoping to get some advice from the experienced builders and pros here. I'm going to build a ukulele from scratch. I will be posting a question here from time to time in hopes I can get some help while I study construction techniques and methods, and practice.

My question is; what is your preferred design for the head block and method for neck to body attachment? Spanish style? Dovetail? Bolt on? Glue on? Other?

I'd be grateful if you would post pros and cons and the reasons why you prefer one method over another.

Assumptions: builder has fine woodworking skills, a fully outfitted shop, but will have to build jigs and has no experience building musical instruments and doesn't want to start with a kit.

Thanks very much.

Slip
 
Hey Slip. I came at this with a similar background...experienced woodworker with an adequate shop but no uke building experience. I have made other instruments - banjos, hammered dulcimers, lap dulcimers, flutes - but no ukes or any instrument that required heat to bend the sides. I learned a lot by watching Pete Howlette's you tube videos (thanks Pete) and Dave G's (thanks Dave). They have different approaches, but that only helped me realize that there are a lot of good ways to do this work. I chose to build my first saprano with a spanish heel (Dave's approach) and have made a mold for a second one that will have a bolt-on neck (as Pete shows in his video). I'm no expert or pro, just a guy who enjoys building in my small basement shop, but my advice (as others say, "worth exactly what you paid for it.") is to choose a method and dive into it. My first build is not going to rock the ukulele world, but it is a nice playable instrument and I expect the next one to be even better. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Go for it. kww
 
The best bit for me is building the jigs...I started off building a fox type bender out old scrap bits , It hardly cost anything...Then the mold.... I tried several of my own original designs but ended up using one very much like all the other builders use...Then I made a Kerfed lining cutter for the bandsaw... then a Jig for turning necks in the lathe...And a Thickness sander and then some Dovetail cutting jigs for the neck joints.....It was ages before I produced the First uke...I was a Toolmaker before I started and woodwork was new to me..I'm still making jigs as I feel the need...I seem to have a jig or template or gauge for every operation.
 
Last edited:
I have VERY little experience but so far I like a bolt on neck. I can bolt up the neck and make sure everything is just right before gluing it up. If any adjustments need to be made (and they always do) they are easy to make before things are permanent. For me the bolt is a permanent clamp.
 
Thanks Ken. yeah. Just going to chose a method and dive in, like you say. I was just hoping to get the pros and cons of different approaches so I can tell which one. I'm probably not going to make a habit out of building ukes. This might be a one-off, but I have lots of wood and the desire.
Thanks Timbuck. "turn necks on a lathe" ? That sounds intriguing! I can't figure that one out, for the life of me. Yes, I've a lot of jigs and templates to build. I'm studying and mulling over various details and design features before I start my build, not to mention building jigs and fixtures. Doing my initial research. So... Spanish heel ???...or bolt on ???
 
wheelgunner said:
I have VERY little experience but so far I like a bolt on neck. I can bolt up the neck and make sure everything is just right before gluing it up. If any adjustments need to be made (and they always do) they are easy to make before things are permanent. For me the bolt is a permanent clamp.
Click to expand...

Thank you wheelgunner. I'm leaning toward a bolt on neck. I think I even saw a bolt on mortice and tenon somewhere. Maybe it was on a guitar site. Bolt on sure looks like it would make it easier to shape the heel and so forth.
 
Nu Uke said:
Thanks Ken. yeah. Just going to chose a method and dive in, like you say. I was just hoping to get the pros and cons of different approaches so I can tell which one. I'm probably not going to make a habit out of building ukes. This might be a one-off, but I have lots of wood and the desire.
Thanks Timbuck. "turn necks on a lathe" ? That sounds intriguing! I can't figure that one out, for the life of me. ???
Click to expand...
Yes! I showed this last year..I can't find anyone else who uses this method. it takes about 5 min's to do two necks at once. Just click on the pic for a slideshow.
 
Last edited:
Timbuck,
Fascinating! I was figuring, since you were a Toolmaker, (correct?) it must've been on the metal lathe, and two at once, but didn't see how you could turn between centers. And, with Taper Attachment! Fantastic. Very novel. Thanks for the link.
I may try the dovetail heel too!
Scott
 
Timbuck you rock.

Here's a link to a page that details a tenon and bolt joint that I'm interested in. William Cumpiano's hardware-based neck joint http://www.cumpiano.com/Home/Articles/Special interest/headblock.html
I especially like this part "has for good measure been reinforcing the tenon with two hardwood slats at either side, with their grain traveling at 90 degrees to the short grain of the tenon."
Of course you would only need one bolt for the ukulele.
 
Thank you Vic,
I had that page bookmarked too, and was leaning toward that form of attachment. Looks rock solid. In doing my learning and research , I bought a copy of Cumpiano's book, a great reference, but had my doubts about trying his pinned mortice and tenon joint. I've made pinned tenons before but shied away, thinking making a perfect drawing pin arrangement inside a uke might be tricky. Not to mention I'd have to make a special tool to accomplish it. Thanks Vic. Scott.
 
I've been doing bolt on necks, but I'm setting up to do dovetail now. I'm not sure which one I'll stick with or use both. The bolt on idea for me came from Cumpiano as well. Pete and Chuck use a similar method. If you have an excess of wood down there on the Cape, I'll gladly come take it off your hands!


Timbuck--I always watch in amazement at your processes--Now I have to add a lathe to my list of must have tools!

~Steve
 
Flyfish57 said:
I've been doing bolt on necks, but I'm setting up to do dovetail now. I'm not sure which one I'll stick with or use both. The bolt on idea for me came from Cumpiano as well. Pete and Chuck use a similar method. If you have an excess of wood down there on the Cape, I'll gladly come take it off your hands!


Timbuck--I always watch in amazement at your processes--Now I have to add a lathe to my list of must have tools!

~Steve
Click to expand...
The "only" reason I do a "Dovetail neck joint" is because I try and make replica vintage Martin style "O" ukes ..If it did'nt have a dovetai joint!l it wouldn't be a replica would it????
If I made my own model..I would use another method..Most likely Spanish heel, co's i think that would be the the best for easy neck setting..I tried a "bolt on" for an experiment, and found it required quite a lot of extra work to get the fit right to the radius...(it was almost as much trouble as the Dovetail) unless you are making flat ended ukes, then all you have to do is grind the heel at 90 degrees to the neck and glue it on (a bolt, or woodscrew, spline, dowels, or biscuit, etc: will make it stronger)
But do what you think best:cool:
 
Last edited:
Contemplating the Spanish heel approach, it looked like somewhat of a pain to shape the heel with that head block attached, but the ability to shim the sides to fit looks good, for a tight fit between the sides and heel. I hadn't thought of the problems fitting the bolt on neck to the curved sides , Timbuck, figuring the slightly undercut tenon faces would be about the same as Spanish heel, but I can imagine what you mean now.

Spare wood Flyfish!? HA! ...none so far but, come on down and fly fish for stripers this season. Anytime.
Scott
 
I like the dovetail joint because it's a strong repairable joint that doesn't add the extra weight of bolt and nutsert...And I love the Martin design. I'll spend the extra time for a rounded front bout too.

OK I'm a headin' down fly rod in hand!
 
In the Stew-Mac DVD, the folks from Myamoe suggest using a disc or belt sander to gently flatten the area on the body where the neck is glued. That, along with some minor shaping of the bottom of the hell with a sharp chisel, worked pretty well for the doweled joint used in the kit. FWIW.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
  • Poll
Your preferred number Frets before joining body
Replies
17
Views
630
UkeOkay
UkeOkay
Three Tenors
Preferred Capo
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
rustydusty
rustydusty
Hochapeafarm
  • Locked
WTB: Tenor Resonator (Mya-Moe preferred)
Replies
2
Views
275
Hochapeafarm
Hochapeafarm
A
Preferred bridge material and why
Replies
4
Views
482
bazuku
B
J
Preferred strings for an Outdoor Soprano?
Replies
2
Views
232
Spicysteve
Spicysteve
Top Bottom