How to route a perfect Truss Rod channel (Tutorial) - Making a Truss Rod Channel Routing JIG

Making an adjustable Truss Rod Channel Routing Jig and use it to route a perfect Truss Rod channel in a guitar neck blank.
In this video I start with making a new jig to help me keep my router in a straight line while routing a channel for the Truss Rods in my guitar necks.
With the completed jig I use it to route a perfect truss rod channel.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:10 Making the Routing JIG
28:10 Routing the Truss Rod channel
Interested in more guitar building related videos?
Check out my channel for more tips and tricks, tool reviews and guitar builds for the (beginner) luthier in a small workshop.
Unquendor Guitars :
Website: www.Unquendor-Guitars.nl
Merchandise : teespring.com/stores/unquendo...
Instagram: unquendor_g...
Facebook: / unquendor
Get epic music for your content and support me and my channel at Epidemic-Sound using this link:
www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Do you like the tools I'm using and want to support me?
Here are some Amazon affiliated links that help you get yours and support me at the same time.
amzn.to/3vuCJtV - Incra Protractor (Imperial)
amzn.to/3tlEKXx - Incra Protractor (Metric)
amzn.to/3cw7pm1 - Triton TRA001 Router
amzn.to/38HhMlW - Triton MOF001 Router
amzn.to/3qQJvqz - Bosch PBD40 Pillar Drill
amzn.to/3cOe8rN - Alpen Forstner bits
Or check out all my tool Suggestions in my Amazon store:
www.amazon.com/shop/unquendor...

[@karthain5742]

This is the best electric guitar building KZbin channel on the Internet.

[@badcoreproductions3462]

the tip for setting the router depth using the actual rod was good. thank you sir!

[@christianboddum8783]

This is gold!!

[@adrienami8958]

A jig is always a fun stuff, from idea to implementation. Thanks.

[@clintbowers5524]

Great jig design! Well done!

[@zoidbergfluffybutt4991]

Very nicely done

[@mrwaffles1394]

Love these helpful videos. Even if you don’t use it exactly, it can inspire something that does work for your particular application. Nailed it again, Daniel.

[@mauricelavergne3434]

Another great video, going to make this jig, thanks

[@edadpops1709]

Great jig man , thanks for sharing 👊🏻

[@glanderguitars6475]

Sir, your precision is greatly appreciated. The jig is awesome. Will start making one today.

[@timjbd]

Good stuff, thanks..

[@marcop.4810]

Thanks for your valuable advice. the truss rod is inserted perfectly

[@MrTeijo]

Nice, definitely trying this next time.

[@srv200024]

fantastic@. Thank you@. I have benn looking for one like this everywhere and you nailed it. thank you so much!!!

[@massimovaladerio9599]

Well done mate. You're helping a lot!!! Grazie ;)

[@jasonkirk1313]

I used your video to make a truss rod channel routing jig and I love it. Excellent video and instruction and a wonderful design. It's very versatile and I really like that I can use it on a neck that I've already cut out. Thank you.

[@rauschguitars]

What I like about this it that you're able to use the jig on a neck blank that doesn't have a square side for a guide to run on. I would be a bit worried about stripping the M8 threads in the aluminium, that could easily be fixed by glueing an M8 nut in place though. Lovely work man!

[@theoloonstra9009]

Geweldige video dit geeft me idd het advies waar ik al aan liep te denken over het maken van de truss rod sleuf.

[@briw4647]

Wonderful

[@GuitaraddictsWorkshop]

I think I might have to make one of these!

[@sentpacking3879]

Thanks Danial ... enjoyed the video. I like your jig a lot more than what I'm using. Although it's similar I think yours is better than what I presently have. Thanks again....I'm now a subscriber.

[@xavierpenalvergrau6046]

Millions of thaks!!!!!!

[@johngiarritta4005]

A router edge guide which usually comes with the router is another way of cutting straight lines.You just need a straight and square side of stick to assure you're cutting straight along the center line.

[@josephbania4564]

Love your video's and you do great work, very inspirational. Here's a tip I use to find the center of any router bit. I took a brass bolt (brass rod will do) cut off the head and ground down the thread in my drill press until it fit my 1/4 inch router collet. Then I filed a point on one end, again using my drill press. Now if I want to find the center of any router bit I still this tool in use it to find my center. Hope this helps.

[@michaelmenkes8085]

My procedure is a lot less work. Take one neck blank with square and straight sides. mark the middle line and where the truss rod starts and stops. Start each end of the channel on the bench press with a 1/4" forstner bit. Take a 1/4" mortise router bit and a router with a fence. align the fence by putting the router bit in the starter hole. Rely on the fence against the blank to rout a straight line to the next end. Shallow passes until reaching the depth. Perfect the depth with a chisel. Done. I made it even easier to align by having a multi-ply neck with a 1/4" center stripe. I honestly don't know why more makers don't cut the truss rod channel before cutting the neck shape.

[@BBGuitars]

I honestly dont see a need to do this any other way than what youve mentioned here. Exactly how I do it and have not had any issues...

[@christophegury4047]

merci "thank you" !!

[@kittenwithclaws5697]

Awesome jig Daniel. Thanks for sharing. So far I always made my truss rods channels and carbon fiber rods channels using the parallel guide of the router. You make me want to build a jig like yours. Maybe a little wider so I could also slide it to route the carbon fiber rods channel. Just one thing : aluminum is easy to work with but is a very soft material. I wouldn't be really confident on tappering it. I'm afraid bolts could be overtigthened with ease. I think I would use steel here...

[@michaelmenkes8085]

The parallel guide is much easier IMO and its easy to also do the rod channels evenly by simply switching the sides of the blank.

[@spenceramandahowe6536]

This is a great jig! Looking forward to building one for myself. Where do you find those metric rulers? I need a set for my own guitar building projects

[@stevechapman9820]

Thanks that was really easy to understand and I really appreciate the use of metric measurements. Good stuff!

[@christianlamby5546]

Nice jig! would the 800mm of the baseplate be sufficient for routing bass trussrods as well?

[@mallninja9805]

@3:31 - nice sync with the audio

[@markbader4942]

Useful? Extremely useful. I am about to start making two striped maple necks, but now I have a jig to make first. Thanks boss! Question though, when you route the access slot into the headstock, that's done at the depth which is the same as the diameter of the adjustment barrel, yes? And, once you've got the thickness of the headstock complete, does the routed channel taper out into nothing, or will you need an access cover?

[@rouxlaki]

Thanks for the video ,you arte very helpfull and your work is very persize. Can i ask you how are you going to connect the two channels you make , i mean trussrod area and headstock between the nut? Just drill with 8mm bit?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Thank you very much. Yes indeed. I drill a 8mm hole after I angle the headstock.

[@peterhansson7967]

Instead of adjusting height of the router bit when routing the channels for the bolts, set inital height to 7 mm and flip the piece up-side-down and route from the other side 😇

[@daanvandijk4632]

Curious how you make the hole from the trussed to the front slot... Nice vid! Thanks!!

[@singtall]

once he angles the headstock it will cut off some of the headstock access route and then he just need to use a standard straight drill bit to tunnel through.

[@luislanga]

Free hand it, you can do it. Get that 5A flamed maple you bought online and just do it, believe in yourself.

[@wooliegeek]

For your truss rod access channel, would you ever consider a channel with a slope, instead of the full depth? Great video BTW

[@UnquendorGuitars]

I'm sorry but I'm not entirely sure what you mean. If you mean drilling the access hole at an angle to reach the truss-rod, I wouldn't recommend it as it will be very hard to get an allen key to reach the truss-rod for adjustment.

[@weshinds9884]

Would it not be easier to use a router table with a fence and just line the center line up with the router bit using the fence? I am very new at this so please forgive me if this is a dumb question.

[@BBGuitars]

Did your router not come with a fence attachment? The jig is nice, but seems like were adding more steps to an already simple process?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

Hi Brad, My router did come with a fence, however… When using the fence on a multi laminated neck the sides need to be 100% parallel to the centerline which might not always be the case and takes extra time to prepare the blank. Also a fence only prevents the router from deviating to one side. The jig prevents the router from deviating to both sides and can even be used on a not perfectly parallel blank. It can even be used on an already shaped neck if needed. For example to deepen an already existing channel.

[@BBGuitars]

@@UnquendorGuitars ahh I getcha then. Certainly has its place for people depending on their preferred methods.

[@modernwives9817]

How do you connect the truss rod channel with the adjustment access hole?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

I drill a hole from the headstock side after cutting the headstock angle.

[@reesriddoch5332]

can you use a wood 2x2 instead of aluminum?

[@UnquendorGuitars]

yes, as long as it is death straight. presuming you're talking about the 'guide rails' the router runs in-between. For the two bottom pieces used to fix the jig to the neck. It doesn't really matter what you use. I use aluminium because I like working with it and it looks nice and professional.