I have a question about neck and end blocks

[Kevin in California]

So as best I can remember, I've always neck and end blocks that I've cut with vertical grain, which runs parallel to the grain of the sides. Today I read that some folks use blocks with horizontal grain that runs the same direction as the sides. The reason??
Well, for one, it's better for them to match the sides when there is humidity issues. The idea that it will all move together. Hmmm. The other idea is that the vertical grain blocks mean you are gluing the top and back onto END GRAIN. Oh my gosh!
So. What should I do? When I first started building I bought the blocks from a supplier and I can't remember what the grain orientation was, but I'm quite sure since I started making my own they've been vertical. For probably 15 guitars, with no issues I'm aware of.

If they should be horizontal grain, where do you get mahogany or in my case sometimes Spanish cedar in 4 or 5" width boards ( which will give you the height you need), and up to 1.5" or so thick for a neck block??

What are you guys all doing? Thanks for your help with my delema.

[John Parchem]

I do not use the end grain for gluing. On a normal head block the plates are glued to the face grain (runs cross to the plates) the rims are glued to the side grain. My cutaways are made with 2 pieces so there is a gluing surface partially on the end grain. I use plywood for the tail block but If I did not it would be like my head blocks. The block do run with the grain of the sides but never considered expansion.

Getting the right size pieces is a pain as my normal neck block width is not quite wide enough. One of neck vendors sold a short separate block that was wide enough and deep enough to make a couple head blocks.

[Herman]

The blocks I use always have horizontal grain. Never had any trouble with them.
For the end block I use horizontal Abachi/Ayous. Very light, strong, stable, no splitting and cheap. (used for sauna banks)

For high neck blocks I use thick boards of mahogany. But in the past I did glue some pieces together to get the right high. If fitted together just perfect, it will be strong as a one piece block.
Herman

[Kevin in California]

Okay I've got it figured out at least fir my next OM.
I'm making a Spanish cedar neck and I just got a 3x4x6 block of SC for this purpose, I just wasn't looking at how I'd cut for horizontal grain. I can get 3 neck blocks and 4 heel blocks all 4" tall. Works for OM.

I also am now doing screw down fretboard extensions and the way I'm doing them these blocks will work for Dreadnaught neck blocks too. I'll have to use some other strong light weight wood for heel blocks on the dreads. Maybe I'll try birch plywood.

Thanks for helping me think about this.

[peter havriluk]

End blocks out of birch plywood are all (7 and counting) I've ever used there. I consider using the plywood a triumph of reason over 'tradition'. And the plywood's cheap and so am I.

[Kevin in California]

I would want to use high quality ply like used for pattern making. LMI used to sell it. Where to buy it now?

[peter havriluk]

Way-back-when I bought a 'sale' bundle of Finnish birch plywood of several thicknesses from Woodcraft and I've been nibbling away at it. No knots, no voids, sanded smooth, a zillion plies, metric dimensioned. Works good for somebody who doesn't know a damn thing about wood.