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Preferring the looks of solid lings over kerfed, this is what I`ve come up with and am in need of feedback. Opting to use "popcicle braces" let through the lining to reduce stress risers, I`ve made a two-layer lining that will accept the braces and give things a finished look. The total thickness is .250" as it stands now (each layer being .125" and .650" tall). I don`t really think this is anything incredibly new, and maybe someone has some experience with it?
Mario, it is my understanding that you may be the authority to ask, no?

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I use a solid lining for the back and a kerfed lining for the top, although I cut each of the individual triangles out and space them out just a little more for the top lining. This is based on the Hauser design which I use to build classicals. I think Hauser was trying to reduce mass against the top. I think your solid linings look really nice, and should add a nice clean look to the box. I've never used side braces like you show in the pic. I try to build as light as possible. How thin do you take your sides? I'm really trying to build as light as possible without compromising integrity. I guess it's all a matter of give and take.

Cheers!

John

Interesting, and it sure would be effective, but overkill, perhaps. In all fairness, though, I like your idea, as it locks everything together tightly, as a frame system, with all the lap joints.

I'd be inclined to make the side braces narrower, but again, sicne we're on learning kick here on the OLF, and I'm trying to instill good trial and error practices <bg>, if you don't mind, build the next handful of your guitars in this size, then build a handful with side braces at half the width of these. Pay attention and try to note if there's a general shift in tone. By general, what i want you all to listen to when you make a basic design change is not to listen to this one guitar you made the change on, but listen to the whole, and try to note if there's a overall change. Did the last 5-6 guitars all have a deeper bottom than those you did previously? Did the new ones all exibit a cleaner top end? Have they become louder of late, again, compared to where you were...?

Given answers to the above next year, look back and evaluate. If there was no noticable change, and the weight wasn't an issue, then return to the wider side braces, because they will give you the most crack protection. If there did seem to be a change for the better with the smaller ones, see if you can't make them smaller again, without inducing too much risk.

See where I'm headed? Pushing the envelope is fun, but it has to be done in a calculated fashion, otherwise, you have no idea what's causing what. For example, if you build one guitar with ths system, and that guitar is the nest you ever built, is it because of this lining system, or was it just a fluke? Was it just that the combination of woods and everything just happened to be perfect? If you get all excited, and place all the rewards on the linuing system based on one guitar, then if the next one sucks, you'll not know if it was the linings or not, right? Because, maybe the linings sucked on the great one, too, only the rest was so fantastic it overcame the bad lining idea. See where this leads?

In this example, i used the linings, because that is what the subject is here. But in the real world, the linings won't make or break an instrument. But the thopght process on how to evaluate a new idea is the same, and it doesn't change; you cannot base anything upon a result that hasn't been doubled-back and re-tested.

Anywho, I like you linings here <bg> Good idea, great potential. Likely takes less time than my system. In fact, I'm sure it takes less time, and it will likely be stronger still. You could even pre-assemble these ahead of time, couldn't you? Heck, you may even, with some planning, be able to notch them for the braces before placing them in the sides...

Thanks for the reply, and I think you`ve made a good point on reducing mass as long as strength isn`t sacrificed. My sides are a little on the thick side at .085", so I think I`ll try to see what I can do to remove some material here and there. I do have a bad habit of overbuilding things (construction brain).
Mario, I whole-heartily agree with setting a standard to make comparisons to, and not jumping to conclusions before all proofs are read accurately as possible.
Yes, pre-assembly is what I had in mind, and possibly setting the bracing and lining into the mold as a whole to ensure things don`t get drawn or pulled out of proportion during assembly. Pre-notching? Possible...
Thanks again.
Cocephus

_________________
Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,