Kevin Chilcott
Luthier
MAKING AN ANGEL
Gluing on the Headface
PAGE 1
Getting Organised
The surface has been sanded and leveled.
This is an Ebony Headface and is
about 1.5mm thick - as
purchased from a Luthiers supplier.
It is pretty level and even but does need some preparation.
( I do also occasionally use Rosewood
Headfaces.)
Above are most of the tools and 'bits n bobs' needed to prepare and glue on the Headface.
A Steel
Rule. A Biro.
An Engineers Square.
A Sharp Blade.
A Drill with a 1mm
'bit'.
A 'Pin' Hammer.
A Pack of 20mm Veneer Pins.
About 8 Clamps.
Titebond Wood
Glue.
A Cloth that
can be damped. The Neck.
The Ebony Head Veneer
and a 'Pad' of
some kind.
A couple of other tools that will be handy are..... an Adjustable
Square and a pair of Pliers.
For as 'Pad' I favour a piece of 3/4"
(18mm)
Chipboard..... the
same shape as the Headstock outline.
The 'Pad' is used between
the Head Veneer and
the Clamps to hold it
in place and even out the pressure
so the Veneer glues tightly
and evenly on the
surface of the Neck.
Fitting the Headface
The Headstock angle
is approximately 17degrees..... as was the pattern it
was cut from.
The Headstock Veneer is just under 2mm
thick, and the Veneer edge, where the Top
Nut will be, has to be angled so the Top
Nut will fit 'snugly' to it.
Using both an Adjustable Square and a normal Engineers Square, the angle that the Veneer edge needs to be can be worked out fairly easily and transferred to the Disc Sander..... see next page.
Continued on Page 2.....