Dishing the cheeks

[Dave Bagwill]

Thanks H!
So what I just now did, before the shop hits 100° F today, was rough out the cheeks using a dragon rasp, to remove some wood, then a small chisel to finish up. Looks fine, I'll just stop stressing about it.
Why am I stressing? Because I'm making this for a guy who knows some things about guitars, and I won't be surprised if he does remove the bolt-on neck and take a look. So I think I will sign the cheeks and french polish them.
Not.

[John Parchem]

When I have to do it I use a chisel. It is a bit rough. Mostly I cut the cheeks at 3° on a table saw which naturally provides relief.

[Carl Dickinson]

I've been using a dremel with rasp #199. Here's a pic with a piece of aluminum tubing over the shaft to prevent friction burns on the edge and keeping the cut shallow. The Taylor pic looks like a closeup of that type of rasp.

IMG_20210704_141655_4.jpg (35.28 KiB) Viewed 1345 times

Here's a pic of a neck heel with the recess cut out leaving a narrow edge for flossing. It was cut out before fretboard attachment and heel cap glued on.

IMG_20210704_141642_8.jpg (29.24 KiB) Viewed 1345 times

I'm liking butt joints more and more, so much easier to make the cheek recess with a router.

[peter havriluk]

Okay, I took the bait. Dremel 199 on its way. Nothing about this task is easy. We've all tried and have been frustrated by any number of attempts to make this do-able. I'll be a big spender and spend six bucks, see what happens.

Thanks. Learn something every day.

[Dave Bagwill]

Thanks Carl, that's just what we needed! I too will put out the $6, right now.

edit: Done!

[Dave Bagwill]

So I got that little dremel bit - and love the darn thing. Thanks for that tip, Carl.
I find myself using it for many little tasks other than cheek dishing, but for dishing, it is the bomb.

[peter havriluk]

Been using the little rasp. Wonderful use for six bucks.