Practice on the end of a length of 4x2.  If it doesn't come out right, cut it off and have another go.
If it works first time...  cut it off and have another go..  untill you run out of 4x2.  Then try it on the guitar body.

Spacey,

 Are you cutting a dovetail slot or just a square slot?

 I hear you on the one try and back to square one if it doesn't work out risk.

 Good luck!!!





 I had a wonderful day yesterday doing finish carpentry on my mix room windows.

 My assistant was in a wonderful mood and he helped me work the magic on some hand selected quarter sawn pine I was using. Our goal was to "wrap" the grain in a continuous flow from the source boards. No one notices, but they actually do, and when they figure out that they noticed it is rewarding to see them walk around the place staring at wood grain as if they are having a revelation of what is possible. :-)

 He was right there for me, focused on the goal and we fabricated everything using just the boards we wanted, where we wanted while trying to make those super tight finish carpentry cuts and make assembly square, true, and level.

 It seemed like every move was "do it right or back to square one" and it was wonderful to have the support and full attention of an assistant who wanted to help achieve that goal. Good times.




 It's amazing how stressful wood working can be when you feel that you are about to put a piece of wood, that you value for it's uniqueness, at risk of being made into disposable trash.

 


 I know you'll do a great job of it!!!



 best regards,
mike

Karyn I think that's good advice.

Mike it's a dovetail.
I'll probably find out this evening how good of one it is.

It is very cool when details and the extra effort is noticed.
I've never been surprised by others noticing.

When I have it worked out in my head and reach the state where
I know I'm ready then the stress hits because I know it's put up or shut up.
The stress is there because I know I'm not perfect. When the task is done
and the truth is told...I love it. Either way I gain. I learn about how I failed
and how to improve or I admire the achievement and usually wonder how I
can make it better lol.

Well it's something new for me and I'm excited. It's going to be a long day at work.
Just a few little things to prep this eve and let the truth be told.

All I can think of; If it's a dovetail make sure you keep that router pressed down against the surface so it doesn't "lift" and reshape the taper. But you knew that. :-)



Yikes! I've only done simplistic dovetail stuff.



I imagine that getting on the other side of that stepping stone is going to feel very rewarding for you!


all the best,
mike

 How did it work out Spacey? Hopefully all went well there. I have a wood project coming along soon I might need help with. Is it ok if I ask a few questions Mike ,Spacey? This will be a shelving built in around a fireplace. I covered the red bricks on the fireplace with black granite and hung a TV over the fireplace....now I need to build shelves and trim everything in. I have only rudimentary woodworking tools. Never built much furniture. I'm thinking I'll use pine with shelving adjust inserts,cabinets at the bottom and trim it all out nice. It will be a challenge for me. It will be white though so wood grain isn't important.

I'd be happy to discuss wood but I'm hesitant to deviate form the OP subject.


In any event, my too most recent realizations about working with pine for simple furniture:


1) Biscuit joiners are cheap and create opportunity for easy to set up glue joints that you might have otherwise nailed. That can make for an easier job of finishing and an very nice appearance. I often times make true mortise and tenon joints, but it's tedious and time consuming. The biscuit joiner offers similar structural benefits for not much cost or effort.



2) "Forstner" type drill bits are great for making clean holes in soft and or fibrous pine wood. Also, when ever you drill wood, and desire good clean edges, make sure that you have a backing material to reinforce the wood so that it doesn't break up when you punch through the bottom.


When you're ready start a new thread and we can babble.  :-)



best regards,
mike

 Thanks Mike, sorry for drifting from the subject. I'll look you up on this. I know you have made some nice things with wood.Some of those options have crossed my kind but I'm wasn't sure which are best. The other day I was looking at air powered trim nailers for the trim work. So many choices 16 or 18 ga. then there are the lengths etc. Thanks.

Mike and Star- please don't hesitate to discuss anything you care to.

I'll even join in!

Pine would probably be my last choice unless I had no options. Even paying for
number one pine isn't going to buy stability and strength.
I remember when I was young some nice blocks and 2"x 12" pine worked very well. :)

Most pine that I've used is fast grown and weak.
Nothing would be worse than to do all that work and a week later
all the shelves bowed and twisted into a big mess.

For strength I'd use plywood. I'd also spring for furniture grade and
should I decide not to paint -not a problem.

I've been using Red Oak for all my shelves in the shop. I can understand
why you may not want to run the cost up but if you want that built in
to fall into "furniture" then personally I'd rather have a smaller quality unit
than a big oh-hum unit. Not an easy call.

May seem wrong but you do know that a piece of tubing supports more than a solid rod- something to consider. ( horizontally thinking :)

What a trip.

I made the first cut with the router and removed the template- the bearing could
ride on the body from there on.
I checked the fit and it was perfect. So I lined the side with blue painters tape
to tighten the pocket. It tightened it and I had to give a pretty good push to get it in
so finished routering.
After I took the picture showing the neck holding the body I then routered for exact
depth.
Done. Now I'm back to breathing normal...oh...the center-line is balls on and also the
plane of neck to body (pocket isn't tilted in any direction).

My first dove-tail ever and it's a big one lol.

.................

Nice