Some binding / rosette questions

[tippie53]

walnut is too soft. You need to think hard and light. I have used many different woods and found cherry can work .. If you can scratch it with your thumbnail it may be too soft

[nkwak]

Try osage orange.

[tippie53]

Osage orange or Black locust will work

[rienk]

Coach, souns like good questions... I hope you get an answer, becuawe I too would like to hear those answers from knowledgeable builders.

EDIT: THIS THREAD HAS BEGUN A NEW LIFE IN THE "FINISHING" FORUM
http://www.kitguitarsforum.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5730

[tippie53]

The plate needs to be hard , stiff and light however Osage orange is not .
If the wood can withstand the force of the ball ends, that is all you need. Martin as we know used Maple , Rosewood , both work but you also know they used different sizes.
From an engineer standpoint of the structure , the plate serves another purpose and that is part of the bridge structure. Many newbies think that the BREAK angle is key but that is not the true point of the energy transfer of the strings to the top. The overall string height , and then the structure and mass of the plate , top , bridge and saddle all play a part.
I can only speak from my experience so here is what I have used.
Cherry ( worked )
East Indian Rosewood ( Iffy ) can be soft and wore quickly
Maple ( Worked )
Osage Orange ( Worked )
Brazilian Rosewood ( Worker )
Spruce ( Failed )
Black Locust ( Worked )

In all cases I use a .100 thick plate.
I have used basic martin design plates all 1 3/4 to 1 3/8. Some tucked some not. I have used all the glues. I super glued 1 in and do not suggest doing it again. If you ever have to take one out CA is very difficult to release.

[Coach]

I used a maple bridgeplate, 1.5" wide, thickness of .110 ".

The guitar is done, had to get it finished by Christmas time, as it was a gift. Finished in tru-oil. Has an awesome tone, very loud, sparkly, and lots of bass.

Specs:
Sitka top, .100" thickness
Slightly scalloped bracing, rounded off, .260" wide.
EI Rosewood back, .93" bracing .350" wide x .550"

[tippie53]

Martin used a 1 3/8 bridge in the Golden era. So we look at a number of things. Size and thickness , also the mass equation comes into play.
When we look at this area it is more than just the plate , we have to look at the entire structure of the bridge , top and plate. There is no simple answer but you can make a model of this and see how the different shapes can influence the top.
The saddle will be the highest point and then we can look at how the shape of the bridge reacts to the top and how the plate and structure fights this stress.

If you look at just the bridge , the higher the saddle naturally the more torque. Without the plate the top will only have the braces to fight this torque so you will soon see the top dip in to the front of the bridge and pull up behind it.
The plate helps to tie this into the braces . How this will influence the tone is what you as a builder needs to learn. I am sure you can see that the plate is doing things besides holding the pins , you have the way it can mate and support the bridge.
It can be interesting , this is where you see the art of the building the guitar and the science .