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Uke builders,
I'm building a baritone Uke. I've come to the stage that I need to think about the neck joint. I'm planning a butt joint with threaded insert and bolt, no dovetail, m/t, or spanish style this time thank you . I'm wondering if one bolt is enough or do I really need two bolts to keep the neck from moving?
I built a practice neck and block and was able to twist and rotate the neck on the head block with just the one bolt in the center even after I really tightened it up good.
So, my main question is, will gluing the fingerboard extension help lock it down so it can't move?
What do bolt-on neck Uke builders do?

Thing are pretty cramped in there although i think I have just enough room and I'm using 1/4-20 bolts too, the 10-24 hardware just looked too puny to me.
Thanks

Me would go with 2.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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I use 1 bolt on my tenor ukes located about 1" down. Adding the fingerboard stabilizes everything. You might want to lower the location a bit on a baritone uke.



Michael

One is more than enough. The tension is very low.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

One is enough. I am only now making my first uke (tenor) and I am only using one. I have successfully used only one bolt on a wood topped banjo and a mandolin, both of which have more tension than an uke. Once the fretboard is glued to the neck, it registers against the top and prevents the neck from twisting (as long as it is fitted well).

edit: BTW I am also using a 1/4 20 bolt for this uke, but only because I couldn't find a nice looking cap nut in a smaller size. A smaller sized bolt would be more than up to the task. Also worth mentioning, my bolts go into a doweled heel so they are not biting into endgrain.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

One is fine. I just finished a parlor sized nylon string guitar for my Granddaughter, and
one worked very well. As Bryan said, the fretboard helps with the alignment as you
tighten the bolt down.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

That's good to hear. I too am going to put a hardwood dowel in the heel for the insert.
Speaking of dowels, has anyone put a small dowel ( say 3/16 or 1/4 ) in the body to accompany the bolt and help prevent torque a little bit? Maybe that's a solution to a non-existent problem?
Thanks again


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One is enough...but I use two. I just love trying to work the bolt through that tiny sound hole so much

Go through the end pin hole.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Ukes don't HAVE end pins, do they? That must be a joke!

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A man hears what he wants to hear, and disreguards the rest. Paul Simon

Sure! Especially a baritone uke which is like a real small guitar with 2 broken strings.


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One bolt is fine, but I prefer two. Maybe I'm just insecure.

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Kevin Mason
Mason Guitars and Ukuleles on Facebook
http://masonguitars.net

I think you're plenty secure if you use two.

I'm done using bolts on ukes... maybe I'm using the wrong inserts but I had another bolt on guitar loosen itself over time for some reason, not something customers want to see for sure!

I've taken a liking to dovetails, and since I doubt anyone need to reset ukes no dissassembly is needed. Besides I no longer have to try to tighten bolts through a tiny soundhole. Seems easier to make dovetail joints look professional all around without needing patches or stickers to cover up bolt heads at the neck block... since any uglieness from fitting the joint is safely hidden.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

To Tai's point, I think this may be my only bolt on uke. I started using bolt on from the get go and have never learned to make a dovetail joint. On something as small as an uke, the bolt is really overkill and something more delicate seems appropriate. I just went with what I knew. I'm thinking the next uke I make will be the perfect time to fore myself to learn the dovetail. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Last bolt on I used on ukes not only was awkward to install, the bolt weighted enough that it actually gave the whole uke a heavy feeling, although I suspect there were others that contributed to its weight. I learned that was why the plan called for dovetailed neck...

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

These are the inserts I'm using, great quality, tough, and easily driven in with sawed-off 6mm hex wrench or McFeely's 6 mm driver.
I doubt that just one of these will add any significant weight to a ukulele butt joint. The socked head cap screw will be recessed into the neck block with a wave washer and maybe a little locktite.
I'm sure I'll be trying a dovetail later on maybe just to say I have, but at this point the sheer simplicity of cutting the neck angle with one slice of the miter saw just makes it more attractive to me.

The trouble I had with bolt on joint is I can never get the body hole (or the hole in the neck block) to align properly... even when I drill a larger hole to give me some leeway I am always way off. No matter how careful I was to measure them it really took me a lot of filing and cursing to get it right. This leaves an ugly and elongated hole that defeats any method I employ to make the neck block look nice and professional. At least if I got a dovetail not quite right I can shim it and once the thing gets glued in it disappears inside the joint. Dovetail joints will never loosen unless the glue somehow fails (hide glue did this a few times, no idea why) or the guitar was overheated. I have seen enough bolts loosen over time that I really don't want a commission coming back because of that.

I'm sure I'll get it with more practice but I find dovetail to be more forgiving.

_________________
Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Many of us don't even use inserts. Hangar bolts take up less space in the heel and hold just as well. they are pretty easy to hacksaw to the length you need for smaller heels too.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Is there a tool that lets me drill hole for say an electric guitar neck with holes in the neck but not in the body? Or say a table leg with dowel holes drilled but I need holes in the runner for the dowel to work? I always had trouble with hole alignment...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I don't know about electric guitars or tables but I use this little jig to mark my hole locations on the body and neck.


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Drill the hole in the body. Insert a transfer punch from the inside with the point flush with the surface. Hold the neck in the correct position against the body. Gently push the point of the transfer punch into the heel to mark the center of the hole. Drill the hole in the heel with a brad point bit. Works every time.



I used to do this with the drill press to make sure that the bit went in straight...



...but this degree of precision isn't necessary because the hole is so short that being a bit off on the angle doesn't have much effect.

The bolt goes into a barrel nut that is inserted down the hole in the top surface of the neck.



Transfer punches are cheap and readily available:

http://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-t ... -3577.html

It's permissible to buy them from Harbor Freight because they have no moving parts.

Oh, and one bolt, except two on baritones:

Ok, I will look. Problem is Harbor Freight doesn't do international shipping, and Grizzly absolutely refuses to sell to Taiwan for some odd reason, and I don't know what this thing is in Chinese, so I will have to look at ebay...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Or, just grind an old drill bit or other rod to a well-centered point. Pick a size to match the hole that you use. Mine are usually 1/4" but 3/16" is fine also.

One bolt has worked well on my last three ukuleles but I will use two bolts on by next two mandolas .
I use a large-headed furniture bold with the head partially counter-sunk into the heel and a tee-nut on the inside. Floss the heel-joint for a good fit. I use a quarter inch bolt and epoxy glue the flange and barrel of the tee-nut before I suck it in with the bolt (insurance).
Alignment of the top and neck is important. I clamp both to the bench-top when drilling the hole for proper alignment with a fifteen foot radius top.

Bob