Convert slothead to pan head?

[peter havriluk]

Dave, that makes perfect sense to me. Having a better perspective of your process, I'm agreeing that buying a 'conventional' neck is the most appropriate solution for one of your students - - - limit the ambiguity and move forward. The clock does tick, and students have sometimes been known to lose focus with more tasks than they can process. Especially me.

Enjoy!

[Dave Bagwill]

FWIW - my approach to neck building these days is to use a template of the neck shape to cut 3 , 1" thick profiles and laminate them together, and go from there. Usually two outside pieces and contrasting wood for the center piece.
Normally I will include a volute in the profile.
For me this has a lot of advantages. The laminate is incredibly strong; I don't have to make a block; the slope of the neck is already cut, etc. I'm not the world's best machinest - I won't use a table saw for one thing - and this approach is for me, simpler. I know my limitations. YMMV

[peter havriluk]

Dave, every neck I've made (all four of them) has been laminated, for the very reasons you mention. Wonderful use of material. And I love looking at them.

[Jim Ebert]

Maybe you could fabricate the neck ahead of your students arrival and charge him for the extra labor. After buying the neck from someone else and then having to spend all the extra time to modify it, you might be time and money ahead.

[Dave Bagwill]

Actually Jim, that's not a bad idea!

[Herman]

Hey Dave, this is imo a crazy post. Your student wants something different and you act like it is your problem.
You don't deserve that. My opinion: Either he goes with what is available, or you make him the neck he wants, and pays the double.
I might seem blunt, but this is the way I would appoach this.
Anyway, love to you all
Herman

[peter havriluk]

Dave, I think Herman's made a good point: Student wants something not available as a commercial catalog item. He can be offered what is available, or agree to cover the cost of a custom-made neck that suits his specifications. Herman's suggestion of not making the student's problems yours sounds like a good anchor point in the discussion with the student.