Sha-banjo!

Before getting too crazy refining the heel, I wanted to try out my heel/rim fit jig. I took a pass on the bandsaw, leaving plenty of room for further cuts and sanding:

That first cut came out mediocre when pressed up against the rim. I'll have to work on the jig.

Not shown: with the neck secured in the above manner, I swiped it under the Safe-t-planer to planethe heel cap surface flat and to its final height. I wasn't in the mood for photos of this process because I stupidly caught one of the bolts in the Safe-t-planer and narrowly escaped with my life, the neck, and the tool intact (the tool required a little sanding to clean up the soft aluminum gouged by the bolt). The Safe-t-planer is so safe that when you whack it with a bolt and drop the chuck off the drill press, it spins away from the user and falls harmlessly on the floor. It was all very inspirational.

Onward to ramping a small angle on the sides of the heel:

I am loving the curly figure on the one side. The other side's not quite as dramatic.

And then subtle concaving of the same:

Other than taking a chunk of Koa binding in a mildly conspicuous spot, it's coming out pretty well so far. Next up: removing the corners.