Positioning the bridge

[kencierp]

Bob, Time to move on --- hopefully we all have bigger fish to fry, I know that I do.

[John S]

I use the Centerline Finder with the locking Bridge Squaring/Centering attachment from Tracy at Luthier Suppliers and it works great for me. I'm sure that the other jigs discussed above also work very well. But nothing is automatic, and at the end of the day it will be the Indian, and not the arrow, that determines the accuracy of the shot.

John

[LaurentB]

I know that with my next build I'll get some tool to secure the bridge while glueing it. I don't mind measuring and doing the math, but with all the clamps on it's almost impossible to see if the bridge didn't move while clamping it down, and as a result my scale is very slightly too short on my first StewMac build.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Laurent,
Clamping the bridge can be a precarious step, but if you use locating pins through the saddle slot into the top, you will find glueing it in place much less stressful, and it is very easy to set up to do. Once you have the bridge located, tape it down, drill two small holes (have brad nails the right size handy) through either end of the saddle slot, through the top. When you glue down the bridge, use the "pins" to keep the bridge in place as you clamp....it will not move out of position. When the glue is set, pull the pins out!
No worries.

Kevin

[John S]

I used locating pins (like Kevin suggested) in conjunction with a Fox-type bridge clamp, which gives you 2 additional locating points. No movement, and easy clean up of any squeeze out.

[mike789166]

My original post was about using pins, I have used them on the 4 guitars I have built so far without any problem. I used the pins at either end of the saddle slot for my first one, but on the second I drilled one hole in the centre of the slot and another at the end. The centre gives the scale length and the end hole the alignment. I may get round to buying a jig but getting stuff shipped to Spain is a pain, the red tape here is crazy.