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First two pics that wouldn't load in the previous post

Today I cleaned up the inside of the rims, sanded the kerfing, etc. I glued in some side supports. Used .100" maple.

Then I made the back braces from spruce, cut slots in the back strip, shaped the arch on the braces in the radius dish, and glued them in on the gobar deck.

I think the back is going to look great without a center strip!

I shaped the back braces today and cut the inlets in the sides. Will glue the back on tomorrow.

I forgot to take a pic but I glued the back to the rims in the gobar deck today. I notched the sides for the braces and I like to get the back in place using the tape to hold it on the center line, then I flip the mold over and hlue in little blocks on either side of the neck and end blocks so when I glue the back on it self aligns and I don't have to worry about it shifting off center.

I also glued up the redwood top plates in the clamping jig.

I decided on my rosette scheme.
I'm using bwbw plastic purfling that I have left over from my archtop project with abalone.

I first routed two channels for the purfling .070" deep that are .160" apart. The purfling is .080 nominally and I had a bit that size for the dremel. The routing jig I made up years ago that utilizes the StewMac dremel base. This jig has always served me well. Using special cement from LMI for bonding plastic to wood I glued in the purflings. Then scraped them flush. Now I routed out the area between the purflings to .060" deep.
My abalone rosette is .050 to .055" so they went in snuggly to a depth that allows me to flood over the top with CA until it's flush with the purflings.

It's all in and I'll scrape and sand it all flush tomorrow.

I'll be using the same purfling on the top and back with flamed maple bindings and plan to have bw side puflings too.

I cleaned up the rosette, all level and it looks really good. I got a nice tight fit of the plastic purflings. I found these easier to work with than the fiber purflings that swell in the channels when using titebond.....which is a good thing for a tight fit but can be tough getting them in quickly.

Anyway. Cut out the sound hole and cut the top brace stock. I got the X braces radiused, notched and fit together. The rest are basically ready also to glue down
Hope to get them glued down tomorrow.

I love how quickly this is coming together! I wish I were able to work so efficiently. I can’t wait to see more!

Neil it's great to be retired and home most of the time. Some days though I only spend a couple hours at the bench and even skip some, but the joy is that it doesn't take me 5 months now to put one together.
I can see if I got better organized and really tried it could probably put one together in a couple weeks.
I may have to try that!!!

All braces now glued down.
I started some carving today

It's been a few weeks but now getting back on this build.
The temps are rising and I can glue again..

Finished carving the top braces,, notched the sides and glued the top down today..

Now the body is out of the mold and next I'll route the top and back overhangs flush with the sides. Then on to the bindings!!!

Posting using my cellular connection.