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I just glued head and tail block onto the sides for #1. My own shape based on a small OM, I will post some prelim pics in few days. So this guitar is about 19.5 inches long and has a venetian cut-away. What dimensions would you use for the side struts (them little braces that run between the top and back kerfing strips). And how often would you place them. My sides are a little on the thin side because of the cut-away. About .080. The wood is flamed black (Australian) acacia.

Standing by and thanks!

ShaneShane Neifer38654.0896759259

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Canada

HI Shane

It very much depends on the material you use for the braces and the shape of the guitar.

I'm with the school of thought that they are there to stop any cracks progressing, therefore my approach is to reinforce the flat area, or areas with very little curve.

On my OM shape this means about four per side one between the tail block and lower bout curves, two either side of the waist and on as the upper bout bent starts to strighten.

I have seen people spae them evenly so they look more even, and have more braces, I am sure this approach is good as well, as the extra weight is minimal.

I to use Russel's approach. I set them between the kerfs and use about 4 per side. 1 at the upper shoulder between the neck and upper bout. Another between the upper and waist and 2 on the lower bout.
These are just cracking braces so they are here for saftey
john

Not intending to hijack the thread but on another note, is it better to use wood or cloth or ribbon strips? If cloth or ribbon, what kind? I read the book "Claptons Guitar" which chronicles Wayne Henderson building 2 guitars for Clapton, and he swore by ribbon.

I use the ribbon, Al Carruth turned me on to that. I like it, and find no troubles at all and it'll stop any crack just as well.
You can get it in any color you want at the sewing store- you want what the ladies call "bias tape". You might have to ask about the sizes. It comes folded up, and I un-fold it, and iron it flat. If you don't have a clothes iron you can wet it and run it aloing your bending iron and it'll flatten out.
Then I wet it with hide glue and put down four or five along each side, before the lining goes on. Trim it flush with the edges and you can glue the lining right over it, and it looks great when it's all done.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Hi Mark, do you have any photos of a guitar in progress where you've used this tape?

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

OM I use 2 per side of the lower bout 1, 1" past each side of the waist radius and 1 per side between the upper bout and neck block for a total of 5 per side. I make mine of laminated rosewood binding scraps edge bound with maple binding scraps sanded to .125" deep-.375" wide and profile fitted from lining to lining. This is way over kill as far as crack stoppage, but is a decorative feature. I use to use just 1 piece of left over binding for each strut.

Awesome, thanks guys, lots of good ideas.

Mark, what width is this bias tape. Would you soak it with AR glue or only hide glue? (are you guessing that I don't have a pot yet, getting one though to fix that banjo, although some may say that banjo's can't be fixed!)

I have excellent brace material, Lutz spruce, very fine grain, very light, very stiff, very straight. Here is an unsolicited comment from one of my BC customers.

"hi shane

hope things are well up there in terrace - i've used your brace wood on 3 instruments now - the latest guitar is the best sounding one i've made and i'm sure the light bracewood had something to do with it - attached is a picture of it and the bouzouki i took to healdsburg

bob laughlin"

Anyway, so what would the dimensions of the side struts be if they were spruce. I have an idea of where to place them now. I quite like the look of a finely shaped spruce strut on a contrasting hardwood so I will try that on this guitar and then the next one I may try Mark's (Al's) bias tape.

Continuing to stand by!

Thanks everyone

Shane

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Canada

I was thinking that I should have been clearer. I need the cross section dimension.

Thanks again

Shane

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Canada

I use 5 per side, used to use wood but now use bias tape.

That looks awesome, thanks for the dimensions Todd. I am going to try .25 x .25 spruce. I will post pictures when I have it done. I am out of town for a few days so it will be a week or two before I have it done.

Thanks

Shane

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Canada

The bias tape that I get is folded, and when I un-wrap it and iron it flat it's about 1 inch wide. I'm sure that you could use regular Ar glue with it as well, I just like the hide glue better. It soaks the ribbon well and looks nice when it dries.
Here is the only picture I could find, it will probably inspire more questions than is helpful. <G> It's an inside shot of a "prototype' guitar that I kept for myself, and it has a lot of experimental things in it. The only bias tape I could find was this wierd blue colored stuff, and for my own guitar I didn't care- so it shows up real well in this picture. The blue wouldn't look so odd against a wood of a different color, but that paduak really makes it stand out!

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

[QUOTE=Mark Swanson] I use the ribbon, Al Carruth turned me on to that. I like it, and find no troubles at all and it'll stop any crack just as well.
[/QUOTE]

Doesn't Al also coat the stip, when installed, with shellac to safeguard the integrity of the hide glue?
Wondering if you also use this step Mark?

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com