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Help! I am new and trying to build a solidbody from a single piece of wood. (I know, its going to warp. I'm doing it anyway. Maybe it will end up a wall hanging.) I'm using a router to shape the neck and the bit came out upon startup and dug a 1/4" deep, 2" around gouge in the back of the neck. Still structurally sound. What can I use to fill with? Plastic wood? Something better? Thanx.

Hey, AnalogDave, I work with a guy who uses the name, DigitalDave.
Whenever I have had problems similar to yours while building cabinetry or furniture I have taken a sanding block or chisel and carefully removed wood around the gouge making an evenly shaped and flat surface to which I could conform a matching piece of wood to be glued there. In your case it will be a scooped surface. Take some sand paper, self adheasive works great, and place it on a slightly rounded edge of block and "scoop" away the gouge. Take a piece of wood that as closely as possible matches the projects grain, shape to fit in the "scoop" and glue in place. Once the glue dries I sand it to conform with the surface you're repairing.
You have experienced what most woodworkers have, failure to make sure the collet is tight. Once is usually all it takes. Bearings should be checked, also. I had a bearing come off a trim bit once when I was trimming plastic laminate on a counter top I was building. Bummer.

This could be your big chance to cut the neck off, rout a neck pocket and bolt or glue a new neck on... just sayin.

If you want to fix it, i would go the other direction and highlight it, inlay some contrasting wood in a creative way. Somogyi is famous for doing this as a coverup for a mistake, it ended up being one of his trademarks. http://www.esomogyi.com/neck2.html (That picture is not his famous "mistake", just an idea, as you have a fairly big area to hide.)

_________________
Jordan Aceto
Ithaca, NY

If the gouge is in the back and it's going to be a wall hanging then nobody should notice it.

I'm still trying to make a playable instrument. The wallhanging is plan B.

Well if thats the case and its going to have a solid color auto body filler works better then most wood puttys. It doesn't shrink and its easy to shape and sand.