Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Folks

Looking for as many methods as possible for cutting the rabbet in the heel(face)leaving a nice ledge around the edges before flossing??
Please post pics of process if possible

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"Practice enough till the results aren't hopes but expectations" forum member Peter Havriluk

I don’t have any pics but a I use a little burr bit in the dremel to cut out most of the material and then a chisel to clean it up.

Actually I do have a pic from a repair of a Uke a couple months back.



I think I first saw the idea of the burr bit from a tutorial here. Probably from Hesh.

Edited to add: You can get a lot closer to the edge than I do. I just get nervous.

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A sharp chisel only takes a few minutes, just dont pull a George!
(Hope you are healing up George)

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

I use a laminate trimmer with a 1/4" spiral bit. I have the edges marked where the heel shape goes, then route the rabbet staying around 1/8" inside the lines, careful to stay above the inserts height wise. Do thus befor adding the fingerboard so you have full access to the heel.

I do like Med. If I had a heel design that had straight sides, I would totally use the router table with a fence.

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Pat

Sharp chisel.

I used to use a bur in a Dr*mel but I prefer a chisel these days.

Be very sure to have the work piece immobilized and not in your lap..... We were just talking about a Luthier who castrated themselves or very nearly did so holding a neck in his lap and using a sharp chisel. Leg vices are great for holding necks down range safely.

Chisel for me too, usually 1/4”. I tried the Dremel but also went back to the chisel. I put the neck in the StewMac vise one of my few indispensable shop accoutrements.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Neck in a vice, sharp chisels

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Neck in the vise heel up and a sharp 1/4” chisel. Faster than getting a router out and setting it up.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I use a chisel. Just don't ever, EVER, do so without first securing the workpiece in a manner that allows you to employ proper safety techniques. Not ever. Just don't do it, no matter what. Trust me on this one.

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George :-)

To George's point. I meant to but forgot to say that I always put the neck blank in the vice with the FB side facing me and the heel cap side away from me. That way, If I feel I need to put my left hand around the blank as I am paring the endgrain, the heel is covering my fingers keeping them far away from a slip.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.