Mortise & Tenon neck fabrication

[peter havriluk]

Well, the original forum title mentioned 'small shop' and for sure that's what I have. I've had a bolt of insight - I think - and I'd like some observations and advice.

I found it difficult to trim a tenon (that's the tab that goes into the body, if I kept the two terms straight) to size, but it was easy for me to rout the mortise (that's the slot, no?) into the body. So, and here's my bright idea, what's wrong with routing the neck heel for a tenon and gluing it into the neck? Two pieces involved, and necks are made by gluing a bunch of wood together anyway.

Anything wrong with using that technique to make a tenon? All kinds of notions arise, like drilling the mounting bolt holes beforehand and installing the threaded inserts when everything can be nicely clamped in place nice and square before drilling and such.

As I am doing this for myself, with no consideration of whether it would be another costly step in a revenue-producing shop, my notion is that it would yield me more accurate parts as opposed to using tablesaw/bandsaw/chisels to carve a tenon in situ.

Maybe somebody's already doing this?

Again, I'd appreciate some perspective on what I dreamed up.

Thanks!

[John Parchem]

Interesting thought. I wonder if doing a way with the mortise and tenon would be a better solution than gluing on a tenon. A bolt on butt joint. Most heel designs are deep enough for the insert. It would be a more secure solution. If you glue on a tenon you are left with a small glued surface to hole on the neck. With the butt joint you have the entire heel.

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm just finishing up a butt-joint neck, the same design used for years by Taylor guitars. There is no downside to it that I have been able to find, and it is easier.

[peter havriluk]

Thanks for the feedback. I was trying to avoid the possibility of splitting the heel when installing a strap pin. Or snugging down the bolts, for that matter. Sure ain't much material in the heel without the tenon down there. Low-experience builder and all that. I found working with a tenon is a serious pain for me when the neck is integral with the tenon and it needed to be narrowed (I'd cut down the middle an existing neck made with a tenon in order to insert a center lamination. Turned out nice but narrowing the tenon was a nuisance.).

[Hans Mattes]

A butt-joint bolt-on seems like an easy and secure attachment. It might take a substantial heel to make it work, but that shouldn't be a problem. I've read the suggestion of drilling a significant (⅝" or ¾") hole in the heel (from the "bottom" up toward the fretboard) and inserting a dowel to give a stronger foundation for threaded inserts (vs. the end grain of the raw heel). Any thoughts?

[Dave Bagwill]

I've heard that idea myself and it sounds like a good one. I don't think Taylor did that with their early generations of guitars, but I'll check that out also.