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I need to deepen a truss rod channel on a finished (carved) neck. After I did my final flattening my truss rod is about 1/64 too tall.

Any thoughts about how I can deepen the channel just a smidge?

Worst case I can make a sanding stick to do it, but I figure that SOMEONE has bumpped into this problem and solved in in a very easy way.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Find a chisel about the width of the channel and use it as a scraper. If I was just getting dust, I would make a little scraper and put a bur on it.

can you route it? clamp a flat board to one side and use as a guide...

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I had that problem on my current build, Brock. I did what Ken said. Used a sharp 1/4" chisel as a scraper, and it worked well.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I've had to do this a couple of times, and I just used a very sharp 1/4" chisel to lower the bottom. I just pared away at the bottom until I reached the depth that I needed.

AlA Peebels39041.9881365741

Only thing I see when using a chisel is there's a possibility of not getting an even depth all the way down the chanel. No biggie but I prefer an even channel to get rod contact all the way through the chanel.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Router plane, it's the perfect tool for that sort of thing. I don't have one, but it was a good friend of mine when I was with Al Carruth.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

The problem with routing is that if the neck is finished, you'd need to
move the neck on top of a router table. It wouldn't be hard if you had a
sled made for the neck with the same taper. It wouldn't be hard, but why
make a special sled when you can sand it in a few minutes?

If you only need to lower the channel a 64th why not put a file on edge in the channel and file away? You will remove the 64th in no time and it will be flat as well.

I sort of hate to remind you of this Brock, but didn't something similar as this happen about 8 months ago.

Here's your first post on the topicRod True39042.1289814815

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The router plane is definitely the way to go, but no need to buy one if you have a cheapo honing guide lying around...

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John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

I like Robbie's idea a lot, not too agressive and effective, ask me how i know this!

[QUOTE=Rod True] I sort of hate to remind you of this Brock, but didn't something similar as this happen about 8 months ago.

Here's your first post on the topic[/QUOTE]

Last time it was flat, this time it is carved.

I have a solution when the neck is still flat... but it won't work on a carved neck.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

[QUOTE=John Watkins] The router plane is definitely the way to go, but no need to buy one if you have a cheapo honing guide lying around...[/QUOTE]

Very clever John, I will remember that one, veeeerrrry clever

Brock, if you make a caul to hold the back of the neck I bet it will come in handy for lots of jobs after this one down the track. If you do not want to go to the trouble, maybe you could pack out your vice with some high density foam rubber and clamp the neck from the side.

Another alternative is to proceed ahead and get the tuner holes drilled. Make a flat block caul with some dowels protruding in the same pattern as those in the peghead, you should only need 2. Clamp the caul in a vice or onto a bench and then clamp the heel to support it laterally and you should be set to go with Johns trick,(veeeery clever John) or a 271 router plane, or a scraper as suggested above.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Kim

Thanks... These are good ideas.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Ah, ok sorry Brock.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I just had the same issue and resolved it by free hand routing with a smaller diameter bit., staying away from the channel sides. I cleaned it up with a chisel...the whole process took maybe 10 minutes. Of course you have to be careful freehanding the router but I did not have any difficulty with it and will do it again if the need arises.
good luck,
Tom Armstrong

I'll second the router plane recommendation. You usually can find them
pretty cheap on the 'bay', and once you have one you'll find more uses for it
than you thought you might. Wonderful tools.

Brock,
I made a wooden base for my lam trimmer and then glued a two inch long strip of wood that just fit in the slot and lined up with the router bit. The wood strip guides the router bit and recutting the channel depth is a very precise and easy.