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I've been making instruments with bolt on necks, with the dado in the neck block already cut before attaching to the sides. It works good just keeping everything straight while gluing the neck block into place using an outside mold for the sides, especially if the body at the neck joint is pretty flat. And neck angle seems pretty easy to set by sawing the correct angle on the neck blank on my table saw. Also, I make one guitar at a time with some over lap of assembly and finish.

But I have very limited space in my shop so hate having to store body molds, even though they work so great. And it has occurred to me, that if I were to build on a solara, I could assemble the neck and block using the bolts nearly tight, and then assemble the body as if it were one piece, like in a Spanish heel/classical setup. Then when attaching the sides, just tighten the bolts to secure the sides glued to the block but not the neck.

Has anyone else done this with success, or encountered any issues to be concerned with?

This seems like a good way of ensuring neck angle is close since the neck could stay in place until after the back was on and the box closed. Also, I could dispense with the molds and use a semi-standard assembly stand.

Thanks, Ray

I've had some luck assembling the neck and block with a 2mm spacer to leave the side slot, and then using the assembly as if it were a one-piece neck on a solera. You have to get the angles right on the shoulders of the tenon on the neck so that the sides end up perpendicular, but otherwise it's almost a no-brainer. You can either bolt or glue on. What's cool is that you get the 'auto-alignment' feature of the solera, without losing the ability to re-set the neck. All you need to do is remember to cut out the top to allow for steaming the joint apart later, and you've got all the advantages of a dovetail or bolt-on.

Well if you want to stay with the outside mould it's possible to make them pretty minimal - just one single layer of 18 mm plywood. I made mine just 35 mm wide, following the body shape. It works because I've just done one. I'm very limited as far as space is concerned but the moulds can be hung up or suspended out of the way. They are also very light in weight.
First time using an outside mould (after 35 years of making!) and I'm liking the method. Less stress that freeform, a bit quicker too.

Hi Michael,
That 18mm mould sounds good. Hope you don't mind me asking, but do you think it would offer enough support to use radius dishes for profiling the sides and a go-bar deck for gluing on the top and back? I'm going to use one next time, so I'm just planning.

All the best,
Nick

Radius dish! That's what amateurs use who haven't got the skills to use a block plane!
To be more serious: I don't know. I've never used a radius dish, nor am I likely to anytime in the future.
Nothing to stop gluing Back/Top with go bars though.

Ok. I built my first two free form and without dishes but having seen others using them with moulds, I thought it looked like a reasonable way to do it. Does a plane ensure an appreciably better joint? Could I use a dish to get the shape and then a plane to get a good surface? I'm still feeling my way in the dark, really. Still very early days and I'm just trying to find a process that suits me and improve it with each build. I'm looking forward to my first use of the go-bar deck next time, for instance. Maybe I ask to many questions

The slimline mould certainly would save a lot of space.

If I understand you correctly this is exactly the way I do it. But I would consider it more as such that you are using the neck as a clamp rather than as an assembly at that point. Because in almost every case, in fact all cases, I then simply unbolt the neck, glue on the back and then 'reset' the neck. In most cases this neck reset is minimal if even needed. In my method the neck is not even carved at this point and the heal is left over sized to make a better clamping caul. I used to do Spanish heals and still do if requested to do so. So basically what I do is build to the Spanish heal method right up to the point of slotting for the sides but instead run the heal through a band saw after already drilling for mounting bolts. So this includes removing material on the head block to fit the top flush to the neck/fretboard surface.

Basically you are describing a butt joint that is bolted on.

Well, almost. It's a mortis and tenon I'm thinking of. But essentially the same idea when it comes down to applying glue etc. Thanks!

Ray

I had not thought of the spacers, good idea!

Ray

That's a good idea. I've been making the first layer of my forms with 5/8" ply anyway because it's easier finesse the shape.

Ray

What I did, the one time I've used a dish, was to use the dish for marking the sides, then shave close to the line with a block plane, then glue in linings and final sand with the dish. If I were better with the plane I might use it for all the shaping, but I'm not sure how I'd mark accurately.

Ray