Completing the Rim

I didn't realize just how bad the webcam pics were until I looked at them again after they had been uploaded. For these pics I'm switching to our phone.

I glued the neck block to the rim last night. On my first guitar, I used a Martin neck block. It was simple to set up. I just made the top of the neck block flush with the top of the rim. I like this neck block better. It's older in style. But it required a little more know-how. I placed it so that when the neck tenon is placed into it, the fingerboard will be 3/16" above the top. This will give some room for later on. When I fit the dovetail, the neck tenon will sink down into the neck block mortise, until the fingerboard is flush with the top.






























After the block was clamped in place, I got started on kerfed lining. I use clothespins reinforced with rubberbands as clamps.














Here's the completed rim job. I used a battery powered drill and a chisel to make that v-slot around the neck block mortise.

































And here's the neck's dovetail tenon resting in the body's mortise slot.

































Now I just need to fit the top and back to the sides. I'll sand the rim using 2x2's that have the radii of the top and back cut into them. Then I need to shape the bracing so that it is all shorter than the binding at the ends, so that the binding will cover it all up. After that, I'll cut notches in the rim to accept the ends of the bracing. I really believe that taking the time to get a nice and tight, yet stress-free fit of all these parts really helps out the sound quite a bit. It's the kind of thing that doesn't happen on most factory-made guitars.