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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:00 am 
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Mahogany
Mahogany
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:07 am
Posts: 81
City: LV
State: NV
Country: United States
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Newbie. Just registered with a community furniture course, have access to their ShopBot 4'x4' so I'm scheming..

When I'm designing a neck and neck pocket (tight fit), should the neck width be the same as the pocket width?

Thanks.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:41 am 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:55 pm
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Location: Dallas, Texas
My first thought is no. The reason behind this is, each machine is different. Whether it be backlash, or endmill differences, flex, or wood types. Usually I will try a scrap piece with about 0.005 difference in cut and go from there. Some woods and machines will be tighter and some looser, but its a good place to start. Just my experience so far. My machine with maple is usually 0.004 offset from one to the other. In mahogany about about 0.002. These are usually a hard press fit, and good glue squeeze out, not requiring clamping other than to hold something in its place.

So have fun and practice before committing.

MK

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:13 pm 
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Koa
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First name: Trevor
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I'd recommend cutting the neck slightly oversize and then hand fitting it to the pocket. Bodies warp, wood grows, stuff changes....nothing wrong with taking that last .005" by hand...!

Trev

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 9:15 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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I draw the model with the fits net....meaning the neck tongue and the body pocket will both have the same geometery. That keeps things simple and less confusing for me. I highly recommend you don't try to establish your fits in your models...but rather...in your cam program files.

When I cut the necks I always cut the tongues net to the model...no over or undercut. So...if I make 10 necks I cut them all without measuring the tongue width or length other than to make sure I've not made a gross error.

When it comes time to cut the body pocket I mate each neck to each body and I cut each body pocket to fit THAT neck...and that neck only. Usually it's going to end up being an overcut of .003" to .005" but I sneak up to each fit by making the first cut an undercut...and then make progressive cuts bigger and bigger....in increments of .0005"....until I get a nice snug fit.

When I have a nice dry fit I glue it immediately.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:01 pm 
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Mahogany
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City: LV
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Country: United States
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Status: Amateur
Thanks gang!! Can't wait to dive in..


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