Cutaway Side profile

[Ben-Had]

OK, I am about to embark on my first cutaway and my question is this: Does the cutaway side of the guitar have a different profile than the non-cutaway side and if so where can I get a template for that of how should I trace it out measurement wise? Thanks.

[tippie53]

Yes there is a difference. Do you have a pattern already ? If you do figure from about 8 inch from the neck joint you put a gentle arch of about 1/4 in. This is on the back side only. As the cutaway curves into the radius the rim with become wider, then fade as the curve come backs out of the radius.
Hope this helps.
if you need info let me know

[Ben-Had]

Does it just curve up or does it curve back down? How long would the arch be?

[Darryl Young]

Ben,

If you have an outside mold and if you have a radius dish, here is a suggestion.

Tape along the bottom of the inside the mold (on the half that has the cutaway). Set the mold on the radius dish. Useing a pencil inside an appropriately sized washer, let the washer roll around the inside of the mold while you trace a line on the tape. Keep the pencil pressed against the bottom of the washer so it's always the same height above the dish. The washer will rise and fall with the radius of the dish and give you a perfect shape for the side.

If the tape is trimmed to start and end on the centerline, the length of the tape will be the length of the side.

Once you know the length of the side, layout this length where you want it on your side and draw perpendicular lines on the side showing where the side needs trimmed. Now on these perpendicular lines, at one end measure/mark the depth you want the side at the tail and on the other line measure/mark the depth you want the side at the neck.

Now grab the marked tape and align the neck end with the depth mark you made. Stretch it tight and align the tail end of the tape with the depth mark you made on the tail end. Viola, now the line on the tape marks the perfect profile for the cutaway side!

[johnnparchem]

Ben,

If you have an outside mold and if you have a radius dish, here is a suggestion.

Tape along the bottom of the inside the mold (on the half that has the cutaway). Set the mold on the radius dish. Useing a pencil inside an appropriately sized washer, let the washer roll around the inside of the mold while you trace a line on the tape. Keep the pencil pressed against the bottom of the washer so it's always the same height above the dish. The washer will rise and fall with the radius of the dish and give you a perfect shape for the side.

If the tape is trimmed to start and end on the centerline, the length of the tape will be the length of the side.

Once you know the length of the side, layout this length where you want it on your side and draw perpendicular lines on the side showing where the side needs trimmed. Now on these perpendicular lines, at one end measure/mark the depth you want the side at the tail and on the other line measure/mark the depth you want the side at the neck.

Now grab the marked tape and align the neck end with the depth mark you made. Stretch it tight and align the tail end of the tape with the depth mark you made on the tail end. Viola, now the line on the tape marks the perfect profile for the cutaway side!

This is how I did the harp ukulele. The profile worked out really well.

[tippie53]

make it heavier

[Ben-Had]

OK, so with the info I got I feel good I'm in the ball park shape wise. I didn't have a washer thick enough to stay above the highest (lowest?) spot on the radius dish so I made a small wheel with my 1 1/2" hole saw and drilled out the center to fit my pencil.

[tippie53]

call me if you need