Body sanding jig

[bobz]

This is a follow up to some posts I made to crawdad`s topic "Getting the dovetail right". Mandoplyr asked how do I match the curve of the body to the curve of my machined necks ? Well here`s how. This is not my invention, I have to credit this jig to Don Macrostie. Here is a photo of the jig.

[bobz]

Here is the jig in use. The sanding block slides backwards and forwards in wooden guides. The block sands on the push stroke only and the body is lifted slightly on the pull stroke.

[bobz]

I had to make a slight modification in use. The scroll of the body hit the block guide before sanding was complete, so I chiselled some wood away from the slide.

[bobz]

Here I`m making the sanding block. The bulk of the wood was removed with a convex moulding plane.

[bobz]

Here I`m sanding the block with a body test piece which has a curve that exactly matches my machined neck dovetail. 80 grit abrasive was attached to the end of the test piece.

[bobz]

The finished sanding block. I have already used the jig on my two F5 mandos and it works beutifully. I cut the dovetail off one of my test necks and fitted it to both bodies. It fitted perfectly with no light coming through the shoulders of the neck. The jig could also be applied to those of you who are cutting your neck dovetail on the bandsaw. You will only need one neck template to mark your neck as you will know the body will be a consistant shape on every mando you make.

[John Jesseph]

I love those classic planes, nice to see them put to good use!

I saw this jig in the GAL journal. I am brainstorming a permutation of this for both sides of the dovetail, for those of us who want to cut the neck on the bandsaw. I will post my solution if I am successful. I hope to make it less dependent on abrasives, because of my (irrational perhaps) concern for dubbing and rounding. I am more comfortable with those old hollows and rounds than with sandpaper!

[John Jesseph]

I just had another "ah-ha" moment as I read reviewed my post and looked at your pics! I am going to contact a couple of my planemaking mentors and see what I can do....need more coffee..hmmm...