davewhite
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Aemulor et ambitiosior
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Post by davewhite on Jan 20, 2017 8:46:12 GMT
Rob, There is no "right curve" for my braces. I don't intend to make my tops and backs as sections of a sphere or any other precise geometrical form. I want them to arch but they will to a degree form their own shape. If you glue a flat brace to a top or back on a flat surface the top or back ends up "arched" when you take off the clamping pressure when the glue is dry. Shaping the bottom of the braces to a circular radius (the easiest geometrical shape to achieve) increases this degree of arching and as long as the brace is in gluing contact along all of its surface using cork wedges in appropriate positions then everything is fine. I learned this method from Jim William's "A Guitar Maker's Manual" and I suppose you could call it "freestyle" building. The final shape of the top and back will be influenced by where the bracing is put and the shape of the sides and in terms of geometric shape it's complex. As for bracing bit by bit, using hot hide glue it gives me greater control and easier access for clean up and for the top I tend to carve and "voice" the main x-braces and utb brace before adding the additional braces and carving "voicing" these. I'm also pretty time rich and go-bar poor  |
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R the F
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Posts: 1,135 
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on Jan 20, 2017 10:57:27 GMT
That's interesting, Dave. I'm pretty sure I've read somewhere that Stefan Sobell likes to see what shape his soundboard takes of its own accord having been left to settle for a week or two and then adjusts the rim to fit so that there is no tension at all between the two. No doubt this is after preliminary forming and bracing since there is such a pronounced "arch" on his soundboards.
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Jan 20, 2017 14:52:44 GMT
The back braces are then carved and the back is “voiced” – here’s the result:  The linings are notched to accept the brace ends and the back is glued to the rim-set using fish glue:  |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Jan 26, 2017 19:45:01 GMT
Next the Bubinga bridge-plate is glued on using hot hide glue and a caul in the go-bar deck:  The brace behind the bridge-plate is then glued on:  The Lawson’s Cypress X brace cap is glued on using hot hide glue:  Then the tone bars are glued on:   The side finger braces are then glued on:   The braces are carved and the top “voiced”. Then the top is signed and dated:   The linings are notched to accept the brace ends and the top is glued to the rim-set using fish glue:  |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Feb 6, 2017 14:34:48 GMT
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Post by andyhowell on Feb 6, 2017 18:26:11 GMT
Looking good Dave.
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davewhite
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Posts: 3,548
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Post by davewhite on Feb 7, 2017 15:22:02 GMT
Thanks Andy. When the glue has dried it’s into the Troji to scrape down the bindings and the side sound-port is then cut:  Here’s the box after the bindings have been scraped and sanded flush and the fingerboard extension slot has been cut:  I've managed to build in a sort of Manzer-style wedge via a top and back bevel on the bass side lower bout - I must have been ahead of my time |
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leoroberts
C.O.G. 
Posts: 26,145
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Feb 7, 2017 22:20:04 GMT
What's the timescale, Dave? Another couple of weeks? I love the grain on that top..
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R the F
Luthier / Guitar Maker
Posts: 1,135
My main instrument is: bandsaw
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Post by R the F on Feb 7, 2017 22:51:04 GMT
I've managed to build in a sort of Manzer-style wedge via a top and back bevel on the bass side lower bout - I must have been ahead of my time Coincidentally, Roger Bucknall seems to have done a similar thing to a Leonardo in his recent blog: "For the top edge I decided to roll the soundboard over the corner rather than build a separate bevel structure "under the arm". This preserves the active soundboard area, looks classy in a subtle way, and does the job very nicely." Link Great minds, eh. |
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davewhite
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Post by davewhite on Feb 8, 2017 7:59:31 GMT
Coincidentally, Roger Bucknall seems to have done a similar thing to a Leonardo in his recent blog: "For the top edge I decided to roll the soundboard over the corner rather than build a separate bevel structure "under the arm". This preserves the active soundboard area, looks classy in a subtle way, and does the job very nicely." Link Great minds, eh. did this quite a while ago - must be morphic resonance.  Mine is much more gentle . . . and accidental  |
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davewhite
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Posts: 3,548
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Post by davewhite on Feb 8, 2017 8:02:30 GMT
Thanks Leo. What's the timescale, Dave? Another couple of weeks? Like Liverpool's return to form - when it's ready |
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leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 26,145
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Feb 8, 2017 13:36:37 GMT
Thanks Leo. What's the timescale, Dave? Another couple of weeks? Like Liverpool's return to form - when it's ready What? This weekend?  |
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brianr2
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Posts: 3,189
My main instrument is: Fylde Goodfellow
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Post by brianr2 on Feb 8, 2017 14:14:31 GMT
Thanks Leo. Like Liverpool's return to form - when it's ready What? This weekend? Or 2018? Brian |
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Post by andyhowell on Feb 8, 2017 14:28:16 GMT
Liverpool?
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davewhite
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Posts: 3,548
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Post by davewhite on Feb 9, 2017 12:11:38 GMT
Thanks Leo. Like Liverpool's return to form - when it's ready What? This weekend? If only  The Lawson’s Cypress neck blank has been thicknessed and now the scarfe joint for the peghead is cut on the bandsaw. The headstock pieces are trued and then glued using hot hide glue and this clamping jig:  The next job is to route the truss rod slot and the slots for the carbon fibre bars:   The two-way truss rod and carbon fibre bars are checked for fit and are then glued in together with a Lawson’s Cypress cap over the truss rod using fish glue:  The Macassar Ebony headstock veneer has the nut edge sanded at an angle to match the headstock to neck-shaft angle and then it’s glued on using fish glue:  The Macassar Ebony back-strap for the headstock was bent on the hot-pipe and glued on using fish glue:  |
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Jo whoever he is.
