Fig.2 HEEL CURVE OUTLINE, SS
Fig.2-A HEEL CURVE OUTLINE, CL
STEP 2-SAWING THE HEEL PROFILE
The bulk of the heelblock that
lies in front of the heel profile must now be cut away
with a coping saw or bandsaw. We give instruction here
for the coping saw technique: clamp the neckshaft to the
table, upside down, with the heelblock facing upward.
Place the headstock off the edge of the table to avoid
crushing the projecting portion of the headstock veneer.
Place a clamping caul under the clamp itself to avoid
marring the back of the shaft.
You will now be looking at the
bottom of the heel. Cut down toward the shaft, making
your entering cut just 1/16 inch ahead of the heel-cap
profile.
For best results with the
coping saw, grasp the handle with both hands, place one
foot in front of the other, and bend your knees slightly.
Keeping your elbows near your sides, saw down the lines
with slow, deliberate strokes, letting the blade do all
the work. Twist the handle as you saw to follow the curve
portion of the line. The kerf exits just shy (about 1/16
inch) of the shaft, leaving a small "step" as
shown in Fig.2,2-A.
The width of the heelblock must
be reduced to the width of the fingerboard by sawing,
planing, or chiseling. Remove an equal thickness of
material from the entire area of each face. Do not come
closer than 1/8 inch from the actual fingerboard line.
The reduced portion of the neckblank extends about 4 to 5
inches from the end of the neck blank.
FIG.3 INITIAL STATE OF SS HEEL
(BEFORE CARVING)
FIG.3-A INITIAL STATE OF CL
HEEL (BEFORE CARVING)
STEP 3 - RAMPING THE HEEL
The heel should now look like
that in Fig.3 or 3-A. Study the names of the important
features of the heel. We will hereafter use these terms
during the heel-carving steps, as well as other
procedures in this book. Now examine Fig.4 or Fig.4-A.
Clamp the neck on edge to the
table or in a tabletop vise. Using a wide chisel, shave a
flat, inclined plane from the fingerboard-limit line to
the heel-cap-limit line. Hold the chisel at the desired
angle and chisel the stock away across the grain,
removing only as much each time as will leave a smooth
surface for the next stroke. As you approach the heel-cap
limit line, reverse direction, carving up the ramp to
avoid chipping out the bottom of the heel. A fine-surfaced,
angled plane should result. Repeat this process in mirror
image on the other side of the heel. Do not proceed to
the next step until both ramps are identical.
Fig.4 RAMPING THE SS HEEL
Fig.4-A RAMPING THE CL HEEL
Fig.5 PATTERN FOR THE CONCAVING
TEMPLATES
STEP 4- CONCAVING THE RAMP
The flat ramps are now hollowed
into an in-curved shape by scooping them with the chisel
(see Fig.6 or 6-A). (Steel-string only: mark the end
grain surface using the template with flat side held
against tenon.) The chisel (skew) is held flat side up
and belly side against the wood. Note that lifting the
handle while pushing up the ramp causes the chisel to dig
in and take a deeper bite. Lowering the handle will allow
the chisel to scoop a thinner shaving. Adjust the handle
height as necessary to remove smooth, even-sized shaving
curls producing a hollowed curve. Do not proceed until
both cheeks of the heel are carved to a similar curve.
FIG.6 CONCAVING THE RAMPS (SS)
FIG.6-A CONCAVING THE RAMPS (CL)
STEP 5 - CARVING THE PRIMARY
FACET
We now begin the initial step
in carving a graceful transition between the horizontal
shaft and the vertical heel. A large facet is cut
starting at the heel-cap outline, traveling up the heel,
swooping around and into the shaft as shown in Fig.7 and
7-A.
The smoothness and continuity
of this facet cut will determine in great measure the
final appearance of the finished heel. Take care to
remove material with light, full-length strokes, rather
than short gouges. The student must strive to remove
progressively only as much material with each pass as
will leave a smooth surface for the next pass, lest the
curved facet become a random, lumpy form. (If lumps or
creases occur, you may fall back on the wood rasp to even
out the lumpy surface before proceeding to make the next,
deeper facet cuts with the chisel.)
The chisel is held belly down,
as we have said, except to make the initial entry cuts
into the heel at the heel-cap area; here it is pushed
flat side down into the facet for an inch or so into the
heel, then flipped over onto its belly to carry the facet
around toward the shaft. (Classical only)
If the chisel exits prematurely
or pops out during the stroke as you travel around the
curve, try to re-enter the cut where you left off (and
just as deeply), always with the purpose of leaving
behind a smooth sweep for the next, deeper facet cut. If
you chronically stop the chisel midstroke in the same
spots along its travel, a nasty crease will develop that
will interrupt the smooth transition and will be
difficult to remove. If you must stop along the facet
stroke, stop in a different spot each time.
Duplicate the major facet on
the other side of the heel. Do not proceed until both are
as similar and symmetrical as possible.
FIG.7 CARVING THE PRIMARY FACET
(SS)
FIG.7-A CARVING THE PRIMARY
FACET (CL)
STEP 6 - CARVING THE SECONDARY
FACETS
The primary facet is now broken
into smaller, or secondary, facets as the heel approaches
its final contour (Fig.8 and Fig.8-A). From here on be
sensitive to grain direction, particularly at the shaft.
If tearing or splitting begins as you enter the shaft,
reverse the direction of the chisel cut.
FIG.8 CARVING THE SECONDARY
FACETS (SS)
FIG.8-A CARVING THE SECONDARY
FACETS (CL)
STEP 7-REFINING THE CARVED HEEL
Examine Fig.9 and 9-A. All
lumps, creases, and facet lines must be shaved away with
the skew knife, and finally with a finely burred scraper.
Work the heel surfaces to a sharp crease down the
centerline with the scraper, working the crease until it
is straight and sharp for most of its length. Remove all
tool marks with #120-grit garnet sandpaper.
FIG. 9 HEEL REFINED WITH
SCRAPER (SS)
FIG.9-A HEEL REFINED WITH
SCRAPER (CL)
William Cumpiano worked as a
professional furniture designer in the late sixties in
New York City when he met Michael Gurian. After a brief
tutorial with him, he elected to pursue the trade of
guitarmaking, starting as an employee of Gurian Guitars,
Ltd., in New Hampshire and later as a partner to Luthier
Michael Millard. He opened his own studio, Stringfellow,
in 1974 and has since established a reputation for
individually handcrafting fine guitars for professional
musicians across the country. He has written numerous
articles, which have appeared in various trade and
technical journals such as Frets Magazine, Fine
Woodworking, Journal of Guitar Acoustics, and the
Quarterly of the Guild of American Luthiers. His shop is
currently located in Hadley, Mass.
Jonathan Natelson is an
accomplished guitarmaker who currently practices law in
Philadelphia.
(Ed. note: This excerpt was
taken from the galleys of the book, Guitarmaking:
Tradition and Technology, prior to it's publication; the
photographs that accompany the text were not available as
we went to press with this catalog. In certain instances
where the text may not have been clear without the
photographs we have added a few words to clarify, and we
have deleted the references to the photographs.)
Text From The Luthiers'
Mercantile Catalog - 1993
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