Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Martin - First thanks for the comments. The marks are pencil where I've rubbed a soft pencil along the edge of the template and lightly rubbed that on the soundboard looking for high spots. The upper one on the centre line is a reference point (there are two on the centre line) and shorter templates...

Taken the soundboard as far as I want to before cutting the 'f' holes and applying the parallel bracing. Tap tone and flexing are both good, slightly above the thickness' given in Robert's book. I expect to make adjustments to the top once the box is closed and bindings are fitted. The inner face wi...

Forgot to show the final soundboard face: http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/francisfmilsom/SB-Face-01_zpspc6ejbjb.jpg Found the only way I could get and monitor the surface smoothness was to close my eyes and run the palm of my hand over the surface and 'feel' deviations. One of the profile/t...

Started to carve out the inside of the soundboard: http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/francisfmilsom/SB_inside-01_zpsuoiv63eh.jpg http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/francisfmilsom/SB_inside-03_zpsczkmhjdh.jpg Tap tone dropped markedly once the interior material was removed. Will monitor ...

After the bulk removal its time to start refining the curves - by no means finished yet but moving in the right direction...

Made a start on the carving - surprising how much 'litter' you can generate in a short space of time....



TBC

Body former and carving support now complete:

Got round the re-scale and printing problems now - so happy with the layout. All transferred to a layout board and starting to make the body former and carving support. Ordered Alpine spruce and flamed maple wedges plus F/M sides. Should get all the formers finished before the tonewoods arrive. Then...

Footnote: I've been comparing more closely the plans, and sizing given in Benedetto's book (notably the sizing given on page 9 for the completed body mould) and the shape of the plan given at the back of the book - they're different. The book plan is smaller (for publication) and you are asked to co...

I'm just going through the planning stages at present for a 17 inch carved top and back archtop guitar based on the Georgia Luthier Supply plans and Robert Benedetto's book. At present I'm locating materials and making formers etc., but would like any guidance some of the esteemed members of this fo...

Back to your original question...Im not quite clear on what you're talking about when you say the braces are domed? are you talking about the top being convex which is normal when youve laid the braces in while the top is sitting in a radiused dish?? Maybe Im missing something here? Sorry Martin - ...

Hi Martin, Yes the braces were glued using a radius dish (20 foot rad), the ends on the braces have been shortened and taken much thinner at the ends - the image on mine was at an earlier stage. I'm only adding CF tow to the brace tops and my bridge plate will be fitted between the primary and secon...

Following on from the original question: I now have the bracing in place and going through the tapping procedure to get a good ring and sustain and I've noticed that the process has produced a 'dome' to the bracing. Not just along the length of the individual braces but across the braces as a whole....

Thanks Martin :D - that's confirmed my thoughts on the shifted bracing for a multi scale. My scale lengths are a little different: 654 and 628.6 mm bass and treble respectively. I'm not using bridge pins on this one preferring to drill the bridge from the back: http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a5...

I'm building a multi-scaled J-185 style jumbo with Falcate style bracing with a null fret at #9 giving angled nut and saddle. My question relates to the position of the curved braces. With a conventional single scale length instrument the bracing is symmetric under the bridge. Rotation of the bridge...

Thanks - found a UK supplier of CF tow and resin. http://www.easycomposites.co.uk/#!/fabric-and-reinforcement/carbon-fibre-reinforcement/carbon-fibre-tow/carbon-fibre-tow-3k.html Another question regarding applying the CF tow and resin to a curved Falcate brace - how critical is the tension the CF t...

Thanks all - great info on the bracing and Visual Analyser.

I need to do some more research on CF and resins and where to find them.

Cheers

Agree with you. However the twin glue lines running through the laminations when I compared a spruce only and the spruce/sapele/spruce combination on a short pair of 150mm straight test pieces did show an improvement in bend resistance. It wasn't the most scientific of tests but kept tight enough to...

Thanks for the comments.
I've done some Micky Mouse spectra using a phone on the closed box. I'm waiting for publication of the Gore/Gillet book, at the moment I'm working by feel and sound...
Francis

Question about building with a Falcate brace pattern without carbon fibre. I’ve just completed a Triple O multiscale guitar. Lutz spruce front, cherry back & sides, mahogany neck. Although I’ve used a Falcate bracing pattern I’ve not used CF but rather laminated the braces: spruce/ sapele/spruce, ha...

Regarding colour bleeding - apply a coat of shellac to the lighter bindings first to act as a barrier. Just sand off later at a dry stage.

Great stands - great work

Lovely work - superb timbers and they're application.