Step 7: Slick Cut

One job I can't say I fancied too much, was cutting the slot for the nut (or bolt as it happens) to sit in. This very much sounded like proper woodwork to me and brought back memories of school where this phobia of mine originated. The last time I touched a chisel, it was being removed from my hand after some muppet decided to try and stab me with it.

Ah, happy memories.

But back to reality and out of the sepia, it was more how I was going to do it that had me wondering. First of all was the depth. I'd read somewhere that a third of the nut should be 'above water', but then somewhere else that it should be two thirds, so I was a bit unclear. Obviously going for the latter seemed a better idea as you can always take more away and all that, but putting it back is trickier.

Putting the neck back in the vice then, I grabbed the hacksaw and set about cutting to the required depth, about a quarter of an inch looked about right. This I did on both sides, which basically followed the two lines I had drawn that marked the end of the headstock and the start of the fret board.

Once they were cut, I resisted the urge to get a quarter inch chisel and knock chunks out of the neck, and instead settled down with a file and a small rasp thing and started working my way down. OK, if you know what you are doing the chisel is no doubt the best option, but I felt safer this way and more to the point it worked. Eventually.

Anyway, after a lot of trial and error, the bolt sat nicely and there we are. Sometimes the patient approach is best after all.