Official Luthiers Forum!

I just ordered my first 4 piece back (Cocobolo from BobC of course). I have never used one or even saw one before. Do I need to run a reinforcing strip along all 3 seams or just one in the middle like a conventional 2 piece back?

Thanks,

Laurie

PS - I must be the worst searcher in the archives - I can't be the first person to ask this question!

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

Laurie I can help you on this cuz I just went thru this discussion on this board.

The opinions will vary but the consensus was that it certainly wouldn't hurt. In fact...I have several 3 and 4 piece backs of Cocobolo sitting under my bed (snicker)....and when I get around to doing those backs I am going to put the center strips on it. I will make the outside center strips a little more narrow than the middle center strip just to keep as much of an eye on weight as possible.

Some will tell you to wipe with Acetone before you glue Coco...some will say they have had no problems with it without wiping. Again..wiping can't hurt.

Can you post some pics of it?...

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Thanks Sniggly - it struck me as a good idea, but I've never noticed it before. I've never noticed the wedge bracing in a 3 piece back either.

The set is in the mail, but here is the pic from Bob's website (it will probably be quite small) ...it'll be a while before I work the set, I have a lot of guitars to build for other people...



You reminded me that I forgot to check the 66 pages of "recent stuff" that isn't in the archives yet..

I'll learn one of these years....

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

What a beautiful set!!!!!

if you make great joints with epoxy or Poly. glue you will have no problems.
Careful about wiping with acetone-it drags oils to the surface!!
It will remove the top layer & desolve some under that !
This can lead to a very oily joint!!
Or wipe it with it till NO oils are visible on the cloth!!

reinforcements do not have to be large & ugly!!
make 10mm wide ones only 2mm tall!!!

mike

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Mike Collins

Laurie - I have problems searching the archives all the time so don't worry about it. I was kinda 'beatin my chest' cuz I got to answer a question here....

I'll have to see if I can dig up my Coco and put up a pic or two.....I am absolutely dying to do a Port Orford Cedar and Coco OM.....or maybe an SJ....

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

I use west systems epoxy on cocobolo with only a center seam joint. I have had no problems thus far.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Laurie, if the inside two boards are wider than the waist then I just put in a cleat or two in the lower bout for the seam with the outside boards. On my guitars that means that the two inside boards need to be about five inches wide. Then the outside seam falls outside of the waist and doesn't run the length of the back.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

Same here as Brock, I use west systems and only use a reinforcement on the center seam.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Thanks for ther advice everyone

Sniggly - I'd be VERY interested in seeing your coco pics, I hope you can take them out of the vault long enough to snap a picture of them..

Laurie

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Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.