Half lap joint?

[dvddvd]

Hi
I want to take a piece of timber 25mm x 45mm x 700mm and cut it in half. But I'd like to join it back up with a lap joint.
Would be easy if starting from scratch, but this is a finished guitar neck!
I know I'd lose the thickness of the saw blade, so would have to take that into account.

Any ideas how to cut a half lap joint?

 

[robertpstubbs]

Why?

Maybe use a fret saw.

 

[arrow]

Mark out half the thickness on both pieces of timber and cut it with a tenon saw.

 

[The Happy Builder]

Pay the extra postage, cutting it in half literally sounds like a way of destroying it.

 

[billfromarran]

Why?

Maybe use a fret saw.

Pity it isn't a violin, you could use a bow saw.

 

[dvddvd]

I want to build a travel guitar.
You can buy them but they are small bodied guitars with a full size neck. Which if your traveling economy is to long.
So want to build one that the neck comes apart into 2.

I built a mock up, with a guitar neck and just cut it in half.
Then inserted 2 x 60mm x 6mm stainless Steel dowels in one end.
In the other piece had 2 x 6mm nylon bushings that the steel dowels slid into.
Then a 2 piece truss rod held both halves together.

It worked!

But thought a half lap joint would be stronger? Still use the truss rod etc.

It's for another mock up.

If it works better I can make both halves separately and the lap joint would be straight forward.

But at the moment using pre finished necks to experiment..

 

[robertpstubbs]

I think you mean what I would call a straight lap joint. You could do cuts 1 and 2 with a tenon saw. I think you would need a fret saw to do cut 3.

 

[dvddvd]

Thanks, yes it's the number 3 cut, which would be hard

 

[stevie22]

I think you'll need 2 necks to make one.

The kerf (cuts 1 & 2)will mean that the neck will wind up a touch shorter which I doubt will matter but there will be a small lateral step due to cut 3 which I would have thought would make playing weird.

If I get a chance I'll quiz my son who spends a lot of his time messing about with guitars.

 

[CGN]

Thanks, yes it's the number 3 cut, which would be hard

joints 1 and 2 would be better at 45 degrees so they lock in and the string tension won’t try and ‘hinge’ the joint.

 

[Resmond]

I think you'll need 2 necks to make one.

The kerf (cuts 1 & 2)will mean that the neck will wind up a touch shorter which I doubt will matter but there will be a small lateral step due to cut 3 which I would have thought would make playing weird.

If I get a chance I'll quiz my son who spends a lot of his time messing about with guitars.

Think cuts 1/2 might actually mess with the tuning or at least the intonation, not sure by how much tho

 

[CGN]

Think cuts 1/2 might actually mess with the tuning or at least the intonation, not sure by how much tho

missed the bit about using a ready made neck, but def will effect the intonation.

 

[dvddvd]

Hi thanks,
I would make adjustments for whatever is removed by cutting.

So I wouldn't just cut everything and then butt up so it's 1mm shorter etc. Same with the number 3 cut.
I'd make sure the fret board is flat afterwards.
So intonation would be the same as before
thanks

 

[dvddvd]

View attachment 86532

joints 1 and 2 would be better at 45 degrees so they lock in and the string tension won’t try and ‘hinge’ the joint.

Thanks I was going to make the overlap around 100mm.

If it works I'd design one to be cut with my CNC machine which is 3 axis so a basic lap joint would be easier, but yes it would be stronger, I'll look into it.

thanks

 

[Alan22]

Cut it in half, make two female bridle joint sides, and fit one with a tongue.

If you want to get fancy cut the shoulders at opposing angles and it locks.

 

[CGN]

Thanks I was going to make the overlap around 100mm.

If it works I'd design one to be cut with my CNC machine which is 3 axis so a basic lap joint would be easier, but yes it would be stronger, I'll look into it.

thanks

curious how small a travel guitar needs to be when dismantled? A standard neck removed is not too long

 

[dvddvd]

Ryan air carry on max size is 40cms a Fender Telecaster neck is 64 cms long. Or pay £50 each way to carry a full size guitar

 

[CGN]

Ryan air carry on max size is 40cms a Fender Telecaster neck is 64 cms long. Or pay £50 each way to carry a full size guitar

Yes it’s a pain. Travelled internationally with twangers, but always gone in the hold. Cling filmed multiple instruments ‘as one’ to save on excess baggage

 

[dvddvd]

I'm trying to build it so it's no longer than 300mm.
Going to redesign the headstock and make it shorter.
The main body will be 150mm wide and then outriggers with a knee rest section and a top section. So it will feel like a skeleton full size to play.
So total size would be packed away 300mm x 300mm x 25mm

 

[2shortplanks]

I think this is a non starter. How are you going to deal with the truss rod? You will get much more useful answers on a guitar forum from actual luthiers, e.g.
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/categories/making-modding