Dovetail Sanding

[tippie53]

there should be a ramp from the neck block to the top of the sound hole. If you lay a straight edge on the upper part of the top pointing to the saddle bridge area you want to see a slight gap at the point of the saddle of about 1/16 to 1/8 inch

[Zen]

You may need to lengthen the mortise look at how much you have to take off , You also want to be sure the hole for the screw , that may need to get lengthened as well and you can do that with a rat tail file. Let us know and sent pic. Again we can do a skype call and that may be the best avenue for you .

I have to get a booster for my internet so that it works in my workshop John and should have it by the weekend and Can use Skype then

In the meantime heres a few pics

If I put a straight edge on top of the frets running it along the body then the straight edge is practically sitting on the body at the bridge position so the neck needs to be pulled back

The joint itself is quite loose so far and i would have been expecting it tighter by now.

I followed most of the steps in your you tube videos and sanded the top/side level around the mortise. I removed a little wood from the inside of the tenon

To an inexperienced eye like mine it looks like the bottom of the heel needs to have some wood removed to allow the neck pull back?

Hi again . Finally got around to strip sanding around the tenon with a strip of sandpaper ---took ages--and slowly but surely the neck angle is beginning to come "almost" right. John , did you say I should be looking for a 16th over the bridge when I lay a straight edge on top of the frets--they are already fitted. If thats the case then I am still 1/8th out, as right now the straight edge just barely tips close to the top of the bridge and still does not sit on top of it.
Also theres a gap between the bottom of the tenon and the neck block of about 1/8th so can you tell me if the tenon should actually sit down on the heel block or do people use a shim there to fill the gap ? You can see from my previous pics where the gap was-and still is.
The reason I ask is that my overall joint is Very Loose right now. I presume I glue it in when its all set up but can shims be used to tighten it up?

Remind me to never buy a dovetail joint kit again---hope you supply bolted versions !!
Rusty

[tippie53]

your neck should be tight. No gap
Send a pic and you can use shims

[Zen]

your neck should be tight. No gap
Send a pic and you can use shims

More pics to come john but as you can see it pushes together ok but is also very loose. When I pull the joint back you cans see the gap at the bottom
I still have about 1/6th gap from top of frets to the straight edge when its sitting right on top of the bridge

[Zen]

your neck should be tight. No gap
Send a pic and you can use shims

[Zen]

your neck should be tight. No gap
Send a pic and you can use shims

Not tight as youn can see when I separate the joint and theres a gap at the bottom.
Also its not tight fitting even when pushed all the way in

I would guess theres shims badly needed to tighten it up ?

[tippie53]

Can you call me ???
There are 2 things that I suspect
A maybe there is something is holding off the neck

B are the mating surfaces correct.

I am here to help , if you need to contact me at john@bluescreekguitars.com I think we can get your through this.

[tippie53]

you will need to work the heel so you can the neck to roll back a bit.

[tippie53]

did you flat sand the neck area?

[Zen]

you will need to work the heel so you can the neck to roll back a bit.

I worked the heel and strip sanded enough from each side to eventually have my straight edge sitting evenly from the frets to top of the saddle--my only problem now is that I have very loose joint. Where would the shims go to tighten it up or is there a video anywhere of someone putting in shims to tighten up a loosely fitting dovetail neck joint ?

This was the only way I could get the neck to fit as with hindsight I now think the geometry and relationship of the neck block to the back and top was wrong all along. I had no radius dish and used a lot of guess work so i am now paying the price

But , I have to move on and make the best of where i have ended up so any info greatly appreciated as usual

Rusty