I positioned and repositioned to make sure it was right.....but still the pocket is slightly too wide.......don’t know if I used a wrong reference line somewhere, haven’t been back in the garage since to check yet.

@peebee I’ve done this a lot and I think I finally understand what the problem is, it’s not the measurements. I had a conversation with @darrenking a while ago about perhaps making a perfect neck routing template/pattern for the neck pocket template. He then said something that made perfect sense and that I obviously hadn’t thought of. The router bit, especially on a 1/4” drive, can wobble slightly due to movement in the motor, the bit shaft or bearing. So, getting absolute perfect cut every time is not really possible, you have to account for the discrepancy. I think what @clinton has suggested with putting masking tape on the inside of the routing template before routing is the way to go in the future. 👍

I wondered if also what you could do is get the template on position and then, as it's tapered, move it back say 5mm (That's just a guess at this stage) and then rout. I have tried tape on another template for something else but the router bit bearings can sometimes bind the tape.

How sloppy is the neck fit?

I wondered if also what you could do is get the template on position and then, as it's tapered, move it back say 5mm

@peebee The trouble is with that is it changes the width of the nut. 

I had a quick play with it today and I think it’s about .35mm out each side. I had ago at veneers off the bandsaw and without trying too hard got a couple at .58mm. So should be able to glue something like these to the sides and sand evenly and it’ll fit a treat. Fingers crossed.

@boo......I think that if the neck pocket template and the neck taper template are made from the same plan, which mine were, then it should be possible to move the neck pocket template slightly rearwards, the taper is the same for both, by moving the template back you are making the pocket a little tighter is all, but the taper ‘angle’ is still the same.

I did rout this with a 1/4 bit, I do have a 1/2 bit too, I might have a practice with that too to see if it’s more stable!

@peebee

Spot on with your last comment I think that's the way round for the future. I have a PRS custom 22 fret template that I have had to shim the neck sides with .35mm cuts. I cut a slice from the body off cuts so as to keep the maple cap in the same place and sand it between to blocks. I will say that it gets a bit frantic trying to glue in the neck and the shims at the same time but can be done, depends on how tight a fit you want. The wood swells slightly when you add titebond anyway. I needed to add a 6mm piece to the wider end of the template to stop this happening again. Effectively moving the template back as you stated.

If you're not learning something new, you can't be doing it right 🤣 🤣 

Pictures next please.

Sound like @darrenking has it covered.. I usually get mine from here, especially the pinstripes for 9 piece necks.

http://www.luthierssupplies.co.uk/Veneers.htm

Thanks again, I will get some pics when I get some proper time in the Garage, I’ll be working in the garden this week I reckon.

I usually get mine from here, especially the pinstripes for 9 piece necks.

I bought a load from thewoodveneerhub.co.uk at the end of last year, for that same purpose.

Actually managed to get it all cut into neck-length pieces yesterday (which makes storage a lot easier).

Now I’ve just got the necks to make ....

I had a quick play with it today and I think it’s about .35mm out each side

@peebee - that sort of difference *might* be caused by whether you cut the neck, and the neck pocket, templates on the pencil line, inside the pencil line, or outside the pencil line.

If making something thats going to fit into a hole, cut it with the line still visible (ie marginally over-size, potentially).

If making something that’s going to be fitted into, cut it with the line still visible (ie marginally under-size).

A pencil line can easily be >0.5mm thick (I usually use 0.5mm Rotring pencils for detailed stuff).  So a neck width could be +/- 1mm, which is more than enough to make it a loose fit.

If making something thats going to fit into a hole, cut it with the line still visible (ie marginally over-size, potentially).

If making something that’s going to be fitted into, cut it with the line still visible (ie marginally under-size).

@tv101 That’s good thinking TV 

@tv, could be. I made the neck pocket template quite long. I then put the neck in position and the fit the neck pocket jig over the top and slid it back along the body until it was tight against the neck, took away the neck and marked the body so that I could affix the template in the correct place. I think what I could have done is then moved the template just slightly further back and so narrowing the pocket to allow for router bit run out etc.

I will give this a try on some scrap, I’ll video it and post, maybe at some point this week.

funky looking ply soon

Hi Eddie, I'm not sure which ply you mean. Could you give some more details of what you need?

Darren