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Hi all. I am about to start building soon-ish, once I can get a handle on humidity... but I digress already. I looked around for a few days and I can’t find anything that addresses this here so please just point me to the right thread if this has been discussed already and I just missed it.

I have a stewmac OM Mahogany/Sitka kit and was examining the bits and pieces a few days ago and I’m a bit stumped on something. While putting top braces on the bracing template I was surprised how they seemed to not be for the OM. A little research suggests that they send dreadnought braces with an OM kit!? Besides being surprised by this I see zero reference in the instructions to this or even where to join the X brace. As the X braces seem to be for a dreadnought there is a LOT of room to play with as to where they join. Also, the scolloped nodes (is that the right word?) do not line up with the plans no matter what I do nor like any OM brace photos I have looked at. Besides wondering why stewmac would even do thins, It makes me wounded if I should just get some brace stock and a radius dish and make my own. Any insight on what’s up with the stewmac OM kit braces and a plan of attack would be most appreciated.

Bill..

post pics
this is easy to trim them
are the braces notched for the X brace?

Not Nnotched...I guess if I compare it to pictures of various OM and 000 scolloped tops from the pre and post war two things stand out. If I notch the X as far down as I can so the node is as far back from the kerfing as I can get it it still seams to close to the edge. Plus the amount of material on each side of the joint at the X would be much less than in a vintage instrument. It just seems like trying to fit too long pre scolloped brace into too small a body. What am I missing here... ?

Om
Are to this 1931 OM for example. Can’t find other examples at the moment

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=5424

Hmm.... the link didn’t post so here is the photo of the 31 OM top.

Do you have the ability to rip stock to width? With small brace stock, a handsaw will do, then plane to final size.

Instead of fooling around trying to figure out how to adapt incorrect braces to fit, buy some brace stock
(e.g https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_S ... races.html )

and carve the correct ones. LMI also sells brace stock.

Save the dreadought braces for when you build a dreadnought <grin> or use what you can adapt without a struggle.

It might be worth contacting StewMac to see what they would be willing to do for you. In my experience, their customer service is pretty generous.

I don' t see anything terribly out of kilter
you cant trim the braces and you don't want to try and make them to the print as the body will dictate the final end of the brace,,
On the tone bar you can trim them on the X side to shorten them up.

Hi -

Im sorry I am just seeing this and I am hoping that you found out the answer.

I am finishing the same build and they do send dreadnaught braces with that kit but they are also supposed to send you 000 braces that need to be carved and shaped by you. Did you get the kit from Stew Mac and did they send you an instruction book? You can download the instructions from their site.

If you did not get the kit from StewMac then you can call them and they will send you a set of braces for a few dollars - you will need to shape them yourself though.

Hope this helps.

-Pat

I'm seeing the grain of the bridge plate running parallel with the grain of the top. I have always seen bridge plates' grain at right angles (more or less) to the top grain direction and bridge plate wood purchased separately is cut that way, the grain running the long dimension of the bridge plate.

the plate is not original to the guitar and I would not do it that way. Also the original plate was Maple and rather small compared to this rosewood example

Seems to me as if one of the purposes of a bridge plate is compromised by the grain direction of this bridge plate. Perhaps the builder can install a more conventional bridge plate before the top goes on?