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I needed a neck radius block and jig for the neck radius in 7.25" to match my Mustang bridge on my the jazzomaster build, so i decided to stick to my cheapo build ethos and make them myself!

Firstly got some chipboard and cut into 3 long pieces...

To make the 7.25" radius jig, i cut a hole in one of the chipboard pieces big enough for the router bit to go through..then attached the router with bolts...
Then measured 7.25" (and i also measured 9") away from the router bit face, and made a mark, and drilled through into an mdf base and bolted it down....
That then gives me the radius i need at the bit....

I then screwed 2 scrap pieces of wood down as guides for the blocks, and then routed away!...

I routed 7 blocks in total, and then cut the tops square....

Glued them together...and then faced the radius with thin board...glueing that down as well using two 7.25" radius offcuts to press radius into shape..


There you go! i may cut thumb notches into the sides for grip and round off the edges for comfort, but ill see how it fairs first...

I also applied this same radius principal to cut the sides for the radius box, like so...just gotta screw it back together....

Another way to make a 7.25 inch radius block is to start with a good, but common 7.25 inch circular saw blade. Set the fence 90 degrees to the blade. Then put the blade just showing and run the block down the fence centered on the high point in the blade. Then just nudge the blade up little by little until you have the the width of the block that you need.

Good idea's

Oops my way won't work. I have done like this before to make cove molding and stuff like that and it works. However, you want a 7.25" radius, and my way will give a 7.25" diameter.

SELF FAIL

JTB's way will make a warp-less sanding board. Chip board might not have been my first choice, but I am amazed at how well it machined. Nice job on the jig.

I found a woodworking jig book once on the clearance rack at boarders books. It is amazing what people come up with.

Well, your way WILL work... it's just a LOT harder to find a 14.5" dia blade

^ si

Great stuff Johnny.

Are you one of Adam's lot from Stoke? Just looking at your location. Luthiery Boom in Stoke-on-Trent

Hey Cur! U could give yours a go and see if it works!
I saw another way of making these where you take the router and put it on it's side on the same sort of jig as mine, but hold the wood youre routing vertical in a workmate...looked way too complicated for me!! So being the easiest way I choose my route..geddit?..ahem!..
Cheers Fran! Not in staffs, but near Coventry in Warwickshire...a mere stones throw from Adam!..and not far from you either
Yeh!..bit of a luthier collective goin on ha ha..
Although my methods are very pikey..

Great read, I've been interested in making radius blocks lately due to the high price on stewmac stuff (most of which looks fairly homebrew itself).

JohnnyTheBoy wrote:Cheers Fran! Not in staffs, but near Coventry in Warwickshire...a mere stones throw from Adam!..and not far from you either
Yeh!..bit of a luthier collective goin on ha ha..
Although my methods are very pikey..

Cov!

Fran wrote: Luthiery Boom in Stoke-on-Trent

Aha its because theres nothing to do here

Fran wrote:.Cov!

Holy smokes! sounds like you know it well Fran ha ha!...rolls beautifully off the tongue doesn't it!
Although in all fairness i'm originally from Nuneaton or "Treacle Town"...so i guess that's just as bad!

Paul_ wrote:Great read, I've been interested in making radius blocks lately due to the high price on stewmac stuff (most of which looks fairly homebrew itself)

Thanks Paul! i was thinking the same thing myself, and that's what lead me to have a go at making my own
I'd spotted one on Ebay for about £8.00 at a luthier site, but i had scrap wood lying around so i thought it rude not to have a go!

When i made the jig i also measured for a 9" radius from the router bit, in case i feel the urge later, to do a more modern profile...i cant take full credit for the jig design, because i based it after another i saw on a forum, but it's made to suit how i wanted it...

Hopefully the end result from the radius/trussrod channel box i made, will work out well!
And i've yet to post my diy truss rod build up!..watch this space

You'll probably be able to use that setup to help make your neck/neck pocket templates, the curve on the heel of a standard Fender neck has a 7.5" radius.

BTW, I'm totally stealing that idea for a truss rod jig.

Adam, that's a compliment if you steal my plans ha ha!
Infact that's the whole reason to post stuff up here for me..hope to help all interested
I shall let u know when I've completely finished the jig and do a test run on scrap first..

Just to point out, if you made these out of scrap hardwood perhaps 8" long they would make a good tool for fret levelling. Just attach grit paper to the underside.
In fact, someone is selling a similar thing on ebay at about £20 a pop.

I've got 12" and 7.25" blocks I bought off ebay, used them to level frets myself with double sided tape to hold the sand paper on.

Great idea Fran! And I recon if I created an opposite radius of my 7.25" box jig's sides, it would do that just nicely!
Infact all I would need to do would be swap the sides over!
Ooohhh got me thinking there!...triple box tool!..even better..hope the bugger works now ha ha!

AddamInsane wrote:I've got 12" and 7.25" blocks I bought off ebay, used them to level frets myself with double sided tape to hold the sand paper on.

I'm more pikey like Johnny, i used my diamond stone from work

Seriously though, a triple tool would be cool. Nowt wrong with making a few quid on the 'bay either. I'd be tempted to patent it first though.

Yeh why not Fran! Make do and mend and all that bollox!
That's it!, from now on I'm changing my methods from Pikey to Womble!
As most of the bits for my jig builds is stuff that everyday folk's leave behind...

My radius block was hand carved, from the finest skip-found chipboard-cupboard-carcass known to man...
Hhmmm wonder if a long sharpening stone would do for the fret stoning?..bet it'd be cheaper than a luthier jobbie...
As for making neck jigs to order..I'm on me hols by the sea, so if anyone fancies a sea-battered driftwood version pm me, and I'll even glue some shells on the side for ya!..
Seriusly tho, where thars muck thars brass...indeedy..

JohnnyTheBoy wrote: That's it!, from now on I'm changing my methods from Pikey to Womble!