#28 Cutting the Scarf Joint
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- I demonstrate my process for cutting the scarf joint for the headstock. The joint can a tricky one for some! This determines the headstock angle. Fine prep work is necessary to get this joint right.
I mark and cut the angle freehand on the bandsaw. Then I smooth and manage the skew of the joint with a blockplane and progressively finer grits of sandpaper.
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Best explanation of making a scarf joint I've seen. Thanks for the detailed process.
Why anyone would give a numbs down is beyond me !
I have made a jig to cut the scarf joint. A flat piece of board with the angle cut on one side. I have screwed a batten to the angled edge. I clamp the neck against the batten with the cut line just sticking out past the front edge of the batten. Then cut the scarf by running the reference edge of the jig along the fence.
Nice work, I use a scarf joint sanding jig that I learned how to build from Fletcher that works great. I definitely advise doing this method first though if you are new to building, it gets you proficient with hand tools witch is super important in guitar building. Great series!
Thank You for these very well arranged educational videos, everything is very clear, and I learned many things...
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you like them.
Really nice tutorial on a most difficult subject. Some great tips. Thanks.
The corner of chalk at 15:50 might be due to flex of the thin edge. Try backing that with a block under the piece. The plane will also not be as effective without some thickness there. You could for example use the scrap from the headstock thinning step.
Awesome video man! Thanks for the very smart ideas. I'm just starting my luthiery journey.
Awesome Eric! Well done! Thank you.
I've watched like 20 videos on how to do this that have all made me cringe like crazy, this is the first one that hasnt! Good job
" if this is your first scarf. .." i would highly recommend to start with cheap pine.
Excellent video tutorial. Thanks
Truly excellent videos.
Awesome - neckwork always makes me nervous, but this is helpful. Thanks! :-)
Cool video. I have a Jackson dinky with a scarf joint and it’s interesting how a scarf joint neck is assembled. My neck is maple btw.
Nice video. One suggestion would be to put the head stock over the neck and not under. The joint would be a lot longer and stronger.
CrackerJack with glue creep, and tension under the truss rod, I've seen necks like that fail in 20 to 30 years.
Your suggestion is the standard approach.The contrary argument is that with Eric's method, the headstock is glued between the neck piece and the headstock overlay. Additionally, the machine heads act as supporting bolts. Regardless, the technique of removing the excess material from the headstock prior to jointing is a weakness, as it results in less of the scarf being sandwiched in the way I describe, and less gluing surface. This example has the scarf far too far down the neck negating much of the advantage I describe. Excess headstock material should be removed from the rear of the headstock after joining, if you choose this appoach.
Very good video. Gave me a lot of information I was looking for. I have been looking for the measurements to build a long scale acoustic guitar neck from a Mahogany billet. I see you cut yours at 32" 3" wide and 1" think..is this for a long scale build and could you provide me with the link to do the heel blocks.I have plans but I am having trouble finding exact measurements to make a neck online...I am new to this and any help and measurements you can provide along with this video would be very, very much appreciated. I can carve it and do the truss rod channel I just need to make the rough cut neck.Thank you again..
awesome video. Thanks. needs the 2nd part? can't wait.
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Unfortunately the second part won't be available on youtube. There are plenty of other free videos on my channel but that is not one of them. Gluing the scarf joint is included in the paid course:
www.ericschaeferguitars.com/course/building-an-om-acoustic/
thank you Eric . you mentioned plane marks i understand how to put a very slight radius on both edges of the plane blade to take care of that . i just can not remember who it video it was from one of the wood workers .
Ah yes, that's a great tip!
thank you
What is it with you guys over the Atlantic with sanding everything so it doesn’t fit! Planes please, I could totally see all the gaps
Can't find the follow up to this video!
Thanks,
B
Great tutorial! Does this method allow enough material to carve a volute?
Excellent video. Very informative.......Band Saw recommendation for a small shop?
Thank you so much for this video. What kind of block plane do you use? I find myself needing one. I'd like something descent. I don't want to spring for a Lie Nielsen.
Hey Eric, just wondering about the TPI on the 3/8" bandsaw blade you used. Cheers!
That Block plane is a low angle?
my acoustic guitar scarf joint 15 degree angle is not correct minor wrapped one up and other side down how to repair guitar headstock angle
How do I successfully separate a scarf joint that's under the fretboard on a Jackson style neck? I have a through the body guitar neck that the headstock is irreparable (long story) so I'm planning on using a donor guitar neck and grafting the headstock from one neck to the other. I know I have to remove the fretboard to do this operation. The guitar neck that I'm trying to save has a Floyd Rose locking nut on it. I'm planning on using a modern smaller screw into neck rather than a through the neck screw type. Any help you can offer is helpful. Plus I've never done this before. I'm a beginning luthier.
Heat gun and some very thin putty knifes like the ones in this video: ua-cam.com/video/jOBQWucjFO4/v-deo.html
Heat the knives, not the joint.
This is a weak design for a scarf joint. A much stronger design involves gluing the headstock piece to the END of the neck piece, not to the bottom of it. This way the headstock is glued to the end of the neck and also to the underside of the fretboard. For demonstration I have stood on the scarf joint on a walnut/purple heart neck and even hopped up and down a bit and it did not break. There is also a much easier way to cut the scarf joint using a jig for a miter saw.
Exactly my idea! Not only is the contact surface smaller, it is also end grain area which does not hold glue that good.
See my reply to your almost indentical comment below. Cheers
@@robertnewell5057 🤣I guess I’m getting senile, I don’t remember making either comment. Cheers to you as well.
@@rudybigboote3883 Well, it was about a year ago - I just about remember breakfast ;->
@@robertnewell5057 I always tell people that if it didn’t happen last week then it’s just somewhere in the back of my mind in a box labeled random memories. 👴🏻 I’m not quite that old but working on it.
Great vids! Thank you! May I ask you why most liuthers prefers scarf joint over one piece headstock/neck construction? I mean for angled headstock which method is the best? Does one piece gives more resonance? Thank you!
The short grain left by the latter method results in a weaker headstock, more susceptible to breaks. A volute helps, too.
Hello from France,
Thank you for tour nice work !
I was wondering where can I find your very handy systeme for clamping the neck at 4min and 44seconds ?
Thanks again
Matthieu
Its called a shooting board. This video can walk you through how to build one:
www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZnMy-1InXAhVJxYMKHW80CoUQtwIIKDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dq-qumvaQYrY&usg=AOvVaw074ydUeRN8RFeUqFzT_oN3
Hi iam from India I need your help
I have made the handmade guitar and the guitar is complete but the guitar G string is not tune and the string is go to the D and the string is broken every time so please help and some suggestions give me
@Eric: Sir what d'you call that protractor-ish kinda tool u use of the neck at 02:00? And is it a specific luthier tool or just available in any home depot?
You nailed it. It's called a protractor and it is available at department hardware stores. Here is the same tool on home depot's site: www.homedepot.com/p/General-Tools-Steel-Protractor-17/100349259?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cTHD%7cG%7c0%7cG-BASE-PLA-D25T-HandTools%7c&gclid=CjwKCAjwtdbLBRALEiwAm8pA5WVzk4RnnIxismTkeOe3fdy-fGUplgV5JT-9BDWglVxiISvRxBvuyxoCgrkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Eric Schaefer thanks a lot :)
Hi, Im attaching to this answer cause I can find a place to start a new question. I notice the scarf joint you do fits UNDERNEATH the neck so the NUT is your datum. What do you do if you want the joit to be on top of the neck. Any help appreciated. Thanks
Well the clamping setup is essentially the same, although that's not covered in this video so that's probably not what you are asking about.
You would just have to account for the extra length when you mark everything out before cutting the scarf joint. As long as the line for the back edge of the nut is ultimately where the change in angle of the headstock is, then your good. I believe if you made all the measurements for the width of the nut, the scale length and the tenon based on the furthest point of the 15 degree angle cut rather than the nearest as I do in the video, then everything should line up. So your cut should be further away the end of the board than mine. Don't forget to account for a little extra in your measurements, about a millimeter, maybe 2, to account for planing or sanding the scarf joint flush afterwards.
I just recently bought a manual hand mitre saw that has a lock in angle at 15 degrees
could i use that instead of using a tenon saw cause i don't have a bandsaw
Julian Taylor I would assume so as long as you get 15
Why we do not use single neck?
You can cut a neck as a single piece, but the headstock will be weaker because the grain runs out. Of course, you can do things to compensate for this like a volute or a thicker headplate, but that is the main reason why most builders prefer to make a scarf joint.
Why don't you do grating on hard ground
This is a weak joint! It would be much stronger if you glue the headstock piece to the top of the neck piece that way the headstock is glued between the neck piece and the fret board. This headstock is no stronger than a Gibson.
This is a matter of considerable debate in the literature on this topic. The contrary argument is that with this method, the scarf is glued headstock is glued between the neck piece and the headstock overlay. Additionally, the machine heads act as supporting bolts. Regardless, the technique of removing the excess material from the headstock prior to jointing is a weakness, as it results in less of the scarf being sandwiched in the way I describe. This example has the scarf far too far down the necknegating much of the advantage I describe.
Blowing fine dust into the air on a regular basis as shown herein is not a healthy approach. If one doesn't have a dust collector one can at least get a vacuum cleaner with with a fine filter in it to vacuum up all the sanding dust instead of blowing it into the air to breath in the lungs. It seems like a lot of folks get into this very bad habit of blowing into the air.
More important is the lesson from Gibson on how not to do the scarf. 15 degrees is too much and you will have intonation problems.
I favor 10 - 13 degrees ;-)
This is not about Intonation...
@@f1chtl If you bend your strings the tension created between the nut and the tuners does not equalize properly....therefore intonation problems.
@@markdearborn1828 that is tuning instability, not Intonation. The issue with gibson headstocks is not the headstocks angle, but the angle between the tuners and the nut.
@@f1chtl True enough, still Gibson blew it in the engineering.
L9
good information and good work, but presentation is lacking. it feels very much like you're reading from a script and the long silent bits feel out of place and jarring, and the music could be more consistent so it feels less like a school lesson and more like a friendly tutorial like it should.
You make this same comment on other videos .. what's your point?
what? no i don't man. my point is constructive criticism.
The video is too slow. All of the fade in and fade out, zoom in slow, zoom out slow. I'll look somewhere else.
Well produced but wrong on virtually all counts. This is how "not" to make a scarf joint.
What specifically is "wrong"
@@EricSchaeferGuitars
ua-cam.com/video/OrkfN5TcfF8/v-deo.html
@@EricSchaeferGuitars Nothing; It is a scarf joint.However, I would join full thickness then cut away the excess material from under the headstock. WIth the material removed from the top of the headstock, the joint is very near the weak point by the break angle and reduces the advantage of having the headstock sandwiched between the neck stock and the face plate.