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Wondering if there is a source for some of the kerfing that makes tighter radii. I've been cutting some of the regular, but would be nice to be able to buy some that was easier to bend around cutaways, etc. Also, I appreciate the input on the Stew Mac shop stand by. I look forward to more great input about my kerfing question. thanks, Tom Harbin

Good question.

One I've pondered and lied awake at night contemplating myself.

Something that rang true was the fact that the kerfed lining is essentially small blocks of wood connected in line by a thin strip of in tact veneer. Many luthiers construction in aged traditions don't use kerfed linings, but linings of blocks rather than kerfs.

In the tight bends of a cutaway, I separate the kerfs and use the resulting single blocks for the lining. It is tough to tell the difference when examining it from the sound hole.

That's just my $.02 worth.

Dave

PS I think I posted this same question some time ago. If you follow it up with the same question about how to bend the binding and purfling in a tight radius, let me know and I'll tell you what I came up with.

Tom have you thought about using a solid piece of wood cut out (maybe in a couple of pieces) to the shape of the cutaway.

Jim Olson does this on his cut aways, he makes florentine cutaways mind you and this works for him, here's a picture off his website.



If you're making venetian cutaways, you mit try making solid laminated linings. Take 3 or 4 pieces of 0.060" pieces, bend them in your bender and glue them onto your side maybe 2 at a time. You could use cedar strips for this and they would be lite weight too.

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Check out Kevin Ryan's new A4 Kerfing. There's a write up on his web site http://www.ryanguitars.com

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I cut extra kerfs in the waist area of my lining in order to make the bend.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

I've had pretty good luck bending the LMI reverse kerfed linings with moisture and my bending iron for tighter curves.
Terry

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"Double kerfing" has worked well for me. Use a Japanese back saw to cut another kerf right in the middle of each block.

If you lay the kerfing, non-kerfed side down, on your work bench and lay a strip of .030" thick brass on either side of it, you can cut with the saw until it touches both pieces of brass. That will leave just the right amount of wood thickness at the bottom of the kerf.

Mark

Thanks for the replies! I would not have guessed that Olson's cutaways are as beefy as they appear. Got some experimenting to do with your help! Tom

I have some tight radius kerf lining in spanish cedar from the Martin guitar factory. If you need some of that I can send you some.


Steve Brown
steve@customlightandsound.com