So... how did it work?

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Well... pretty good!  I used walnut to test instead of the rough lumber, and with the improvements to the jig design the results were much better.  The corners of the thin straight router bit I had used on the first jig had been digging into the neck as the neck rotated, so I used not only a wider bit to avoid this issue but also a bit that was designed for plunging (with the cutting focus on the underside of the bit as opposed to the sides).

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Once Again... The Benefits of Guild Membership

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I am the proud owner of a car that can transport up to two people and, with a bit of persuasion, a small lunchbox in the back, so since I was unable to borrow my wife's van on that particular day, I couldn't take the jig along to the first outdoor event organized by the Guild.  I did however manage to take the neck platform and the sled with laminate trimmer attached to show others what I had been busy with.

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As I described the prototype to the other members, and mentioned that I planned at some point to add a handle or knob to turn the platform, Tony Drawmer made a wonderful suggestion: use a bass guitar tuning machine with a coupling to turn the platform axle.  This would have two benefits: the rotation could be very finely adjusted for each pass up and down the length of the neck, and this design would also effectively lock the platform in position for each pass.

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I wasn't entirely sure what type of coupling could be used to make the machine turn the axle, so a few days later I visited Tony at his house so he could show me exactly what he had in mind (of course, we both wore masks and maintained a cautious distance from each other).  I showed Tony the jig, and demonstrated how the sled was minutely able to move from side to side at one end only since the sides of the jig were not exactly parallel (and this, after using a 1-2-3 block during glue-up, but for a jig like this, a couple of thousands of an inch make all the difference!).  Tony also suggested that removing the slight play on one end where one of the UHMW blocks moves up and down its' slot (again, only about 0.005" but significant nonetheless) would really improve the already good results I was seeing.

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I have not had time to work on the jig since that visit to Tony's house, but I do plan on implementing them, along with other improvements, in the final version of the jig.  Here's the thing... I expect that the tuning machine design will make the jig much better and I would never have thought of this!  Once again, I expect to benefit from the input of another member!

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There are a lot of good reasons for any luthier, regardless of experience, to join the Guild, but a very important one is the practical benefit of being able to tap into a wider range of experience and knowledge.  In a wonderful article, also in this issue, Brian Forbes suggests that beginning luthiers should read as many lutherie books and watch as many videos as possible, and I couldn't agree more.  And to Brian's advice, I would add that beginning luthiers should seek out others with experience that can help, and there's no better way to do this than to join the Guild.

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What's Next?

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In the next installment I'll include all the details and specifications of the final jig that you'll need if you decide to make your own.  I'm not suggesting it's the best jig of it's kind but it will be a working one, and when you make improvements to my design, and you will (remember the main lesson from this article: two Guild members are better than one) please don't forget to let me know about them so I can improve my jig!