cutting truss rod slots in assembled necks

[peter havriluk]

I have a pair of necks which need their truss rod channels cut. These necks came my way already assembled - - - neck shafts rough-tapered, paddle heads installed, heels installed. I'm asking for advice and perspective so that I can predictably slot these necks. My only idea at this point is to make up a u-shaped trough that a neck sits in, centered, and the router is confined and centered by the sides. I'd be grateful for any suggestions and improvements.

Thanks very much.

[Dave Bagwill]

The key is to have one side of the neck 'perfectly' flat, so you can run it along your router fence - if you are using a router table, that is. Once you have that flat side, it's a simple process.

[peter havriluk]

Dave, the lights just came on. Same general principle I used in bridge-making. Sort of. At least the idea of shimming the work piece into being able to take a straight path through the router. Hadn't thought of using my router table. Much simpler.

Thanks very much.

[ken cierp]

A Chinese supplier sent us some samples of those necks (I sold them on Ebay). Yes can screw them to some Masonite, center line parallel to the edge then use a router table

[peter havriluk]

Ken, thanks. That's the same alignment idea I used when I cut the necks apart so as to laminate a hunk of walnut in the middle. Never thought of using that idea to cut the trussrod slot. I even have the Masonite. The necks were made to suit a narrower fingerboard than I wound up wanting to use, and the lamination widened them up right nice. And, not that it matters for the problem I gave myself, not Chinese necks. Made by a luthier in New York.