My cheap truss rod cutting jig for router.

[fscotte]

http://postimage.org/image/1ea5u9p7o/

http://postimage.org/image/1eacgf36s/g

Just used some scrap I had lying around. But I did have to buy the wingnuts. Pretty simple and does the job. The router moves along the white guide. You can adjust the neck underneath to line up with the router. You should be able to use it on the neck no matter what stage of carving, all it needs is a flat fretboard plane. It's set up right now for carbon fiber rod but if you need to cut for a traditional truss rod, you can just put a shim between the peghead and the jig to raise that end and make the cut less deep. I made it to use for my Bosch palm router.

[fscotte]

Here's a shot showing how the router sits on top. I've cut the slot and it came out straight and true.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my idea since I've seen some newbie builders asking how to cut the slot if they don't have a radial or table saw. This way, you don't have to worry about having the edges of the neck straight and true, just the top needs to be flat. Carved or pre-carved neck. Actually I think I'd prefer this router method over a table saw or even a radial saw. You can clearly see the progress of your cut line and the depth of cut.

[bropete]

I like it. Goodbye to table saw.

[Avi Ziv]

Thanks for the photos. I need to build something like this for my project. It will use a CF rod as well. I'm collecting materials and building a body mold and jigs right now so I'm watching ya

Thanks for sharing

[Martian]

Good job, What is holding the neck blank in position something to do with the 4 screws on top?

[fscotte]

The second link in my first post shows the flat brackets that hold the neck in place. I use wingnuts to tighten it down. You don't have to tighten very hard to keep the neck in place.

[billhay4]

If you cut the slot while the neck is still in its rectangular shape (assuming it is), then you can cut this on a simple router table with a fence. No need for a separate jig. You cut the slot and rough out the neck around it.
Bill

[resophil]

fscotte, I beg to differ with your assessment of the situation. You seem to place great value on "SEEING" what you are doing, and take comfort in that that your process is going well.

A professional eventually reaches the point where he relies on his jigs and tooling to do what he wants by faith. That is to say, when he fixes a clamp, he fixes it so that it will stay where he wants it. When he chucks a bit in a router, he does so in a fashion that assures that there wont be any slippage. When he routs a slot, he trusts his set-up to the point that he knows that he will have a perfectly good finished product when he's done the operation.

As billhay4 mentioned, there are simpler ways to do this, and, dare I say, more efficient ones. I tend to simply clamp a straight fence to my router base with two small C-clamps, and cut the slots while the neck is still in it's rectangular shape. By paying attention to the direction of cut, the router bit will be pulling the fence tight to the workpiece, and there will be no danger of going awry.

I know this is your first build, and that you don't have the confidence yet, but look forward to garnering this "sense of professionalism" as you go. Good luck!

[fscotte]

Yes I contemplated building a router table since I don't have one, but alas, this seemed easier, and cheaper. All in all, it seems to be at least for me at the early moment in my luthiery, the perfect setup for neck slotting. Plus I kinda like the idea of moving the router rather than moving the neck to make the slot.

[billhay4]

Good enough. You have to do what you're comfortable with. I daresay, though, that you'll need a router table for lots of other things before it's all over.
Bill

[Rick Lindstrom]

I say go with it. I'm in the cut the slot on a router table before you shape the neck camp, but I like your creativity.

Some people think there's only one best way to do a thing (their way usually), but anything that gets the job done correctly is fine. Whatever works and makes sense to you.

Rick