Build #3: sitka/black walnut 000

[nkwak]

I ordered a new top and spent a good part of this morning removing the remainder of the kerfed lining and the glue from the sides so that I can put in new kerfed lining. I'm being very careful and put the body back in the mold for this step and have been as precise as I can be with a chisel, then a scraper and finally sandpaper.

I jointed the new top yesterday and am looking forward to running it through the drum sander; I can't today because my wife is working from home and demands silence because her job is basically sitting in on conference calls.

[nkwak]

I removed the old lining and replaced it so that I can sand the geometry into the rims. The old top was flat, this one will have a 60' radius.



I'm keeping the old top as a template for the bracing. The day before I'd cut the billets on my table saw, cut them to length with a miter box and a pull saw, then worked on making the lap joint after establishing the angle.



Question: which braces need to have the radius? On the premade braces I'd used previously only the X brace had a radius. I know the No. 1 (upper transverse brace) doesn't need radius because it will be supporting the fretboard.

[phavriluk]

I never thought about selectively radiusing braces. I regarded the top as a dome ('drive the bus' lately?), so every brace is radiused on my projects to preserve the shape of the dome.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

I will typically radius all the braces. So I maintain a flat area for the fretboard extension I only radius the outside ends of the transverse brace leaving about 4" in the center flat for the fretboard. This way the major part of the top will be maintaining its radius shape

[nkwak]

Ok. I’ve radiused the undersides of everything but the upper transverse brace and the popsicle stick. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with just doing a partial radius on the latter. My concern is inadvertently sanding in an angle on the flat portion that would emulate a twist in the neck.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

You should be fine. The radius is so slight you can easily clamp down the top above the upper bout when gluing.

[nkwak]

The new top is almost ready to brace.

[nkwak]

I got the new top all braced up and chiseled/sanded:



I didn't design my mold with positioning pins so I'm hoping that these holes in the neck block will suffice. I'm forever buying little bits and bobs like this 1/4" diameter welding rod which I hacksawed to something shorter. The rest is eyeballing on the centerline:

[Stray Feathers]

You've done a beautiful job on that new top- well done! Bruce W.

[nkwak]

Thank you, but I can't afford to rest on my laurels just yet. There's still plenty left for me to screw up!