Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello everyone. Have been lurking here quite a while. I took the Sergei dejonge course 5 years ago and have just, this past month, started # 2 . Have spent the last few years just thinking about making # 2 but am such a procrastinator ( ie. chicken, lazy fart, slacker) that all I have really been doing is reading about it, buying some jigs and tools. ( I actually bought some stuff from Mark Kett( dishes and binding jig) when he wasn't too busy and there was no waitnig list, with guitarjigs.com...thats how long I've been doing this thinking thing.!!..

Well finally got my act together and started #2 after Christmas....have the plates jointed, the rosette cut and inlayed( after spending a few hours on my hands and knees cursing looking for tiny broken pieces of abalone that popped out of the inlay before glueing)...anyway so far so good...I am currently working on bracing the top and back...and have a question... I have a 25' dish to radius the back. I think I remember that I profiled the back braces(all 4) using the 25' foot dish as in the photo

I have read in a few sources that I'm using , that each of the back braces are profiled at a slightly different curvature, and not all at 25' as I remember doing with Sergei (my memory is not all that good!!...)

Could you folks please comment on what I have done..Thanks so much. You seem to have a fantastic group here..and I'm glad to come out of the closet!..a special hello to all the sergei course folks... what a great month I had with him back in 2002..Cheers..

PS hope you won't mind , but there will probably be many photos with questions to follow..have a great weekend!

Irwin

Halifax NS

[QUOTE=gozierdt]I use the same radius dish (I use 15' for the back) for all the braces, but I put the back onto the dish and note where each of the braces sits relative to the bottom of the dish. Then I sand each brace holding it vertical and in it's actual location relative to the bottom of the dish. So I get a compound radius on each brace- longitudinal along the brace, and transverse- across the width of the brace. It may not matter much, but it should help make it easier for the top to go into a true spherical shape. It's not much different- I agree you're good to go [/QUOTE]

oops yes it's 15' dish for the back . I have a 25 for the top.

I was a little worried because in Cumpiano and Natelson (pg223) they show slightly different arches for the back braces ( unless I'm seeing it wrong..entirely possible!) Thanks..

[QUOTE=Hesh1956]I do what Gene does and learned this from Frank Finicho and his excellent DVD series.

I place the back centered in the dish and put small pieces of masking tape marking the ends of each respective brace. Then I sand the individual braces in the dish in their respective location. Each brace is also marked so that it is placed in it's intended location when doing the gule-up.

Is there any particular reason why you are using a 25' dish for the back. I use 25' for the front and 15' for the back.

And.... Welcome Irwin to the OLF!!! [/QUOTE]

Yes Sorry That was 15 for the Back 25 for the front . I was a little worried when I recieved my back wood. It seemeed to have a "stain" running down the length of each bookmatched side . It was noticable in it's "rough" form , and even after I planed and sanded itto proper thickness. I dont know it you can see it in the photo,,

I'm sure it will be ok..and I wasn't too worried since it will end up far from perfect to say the least , anyway..can anyone tell what the staining or marking might be?

Thanks everyone. I 'd almost forgot that I'd purchased Robbie O'Briens DVD when it came out...I just had a look at it and he expains it quite well and echoes what you all have pretty well said..Thanks again.