Follow
Purfling and Neck-set
Purfling the Front plate
It is a lot easier to purfle the front plate before the neck is installed. But I have found that I can get better results purfling after installing the plates, than before, though I was taught to purfle the plates very early, before even completing the arching. But what consistently resulted was that I could not reliably produce even-looking edge-overhangs when I purfled before plate installation.
So…beginning purfling, here:
Neck Setting
I did not take as many photos as would have been ideal. I was concentrating on the work, and not thinking about pictures. Sorry.
The heel-end of the neck had to be as close to exactly the final shape as possible before I laid out the neck mortise. As it turned out, I had set the taper incorrectly, forgetting that I had deliberately left the heel long, so I had to re-shape the neck-heel. Fortunately, I caught it early, and was able to make the correction.
When setting the neck, I make no further changes to the neck-heel, but rather, I carefully shape the mortise to receive the neck-heel.
Five factors have to come together for a good neck-set:
- The angle of the fingerboard to the front,
- The height of the fingerboard above the front plate edge,
- The transverse angle of the neck,
- The transverse “roll angle”, and
- The distance from the upper end of the fingerboard to the upper edge of the front plate. (130 mm)
All five really must be perfect. Sometimes I can get it quite quickly. This was NOT one of those times. (sigh…)
But the end result was quite satisfactory: all five were correct, and the fit was tight. I slathered in the hot hide-glue, and rammed the neck home one last time: no clamps were needed.
Next, I will check the back-plate fit, complete the back-plate graduations, install the label, remove the mold, clean up the interior, and install the back plate. This is the “Titian” Stradivari model. I decided to include a scroll-graft and an ebony “button crown” on the “Plowden” Guarneri del Gesu model. So there will definitely be some additional steps to completion, there. I will try to remember to take more pictures.
Thanks for looking.