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Alan -

Any pointers on deflection testing ? I guess just split the wood, then cut a 20" section, support it on both ends - then hang a weight in the middle and see how much it bends ? That simple ? How do I know i am starting with a strong piece as a baseline ?

Thanks
John


Todd - I am pretty close to you in Laurel - reading your post - are you saying most of the 2x6's and 2x4 at HD and Lowes are spruce ? Funny I passed some grading stakes the other day at HD, and I think they were actually labled spruce...

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

I've built with a 10 deg off top and while it sounded just fine, it felt rubbery across the grain. I have a thicknessed Sitka top that at 10 deg is plain scary.

But for braces, I don't think it is a real problem. Your more valid issue would be figuring out how much runout you have in there. You need to split the wood not cut it. Some trees simply grow with twists and when cutting straight billets you get waves, no matter how good the cutter is. When you split you can at least average the wave out by selective planing and positioning as to at least not have the wave in a critical area of the X or UTB.

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Build log

Shane, I, for one, really appreciate that you do this, and I will continue to consider the price I pay for your top quality bracewood a bargain. Time is the thing in shortest supply in my life. Using your bracewood is very time efficient, because you've done so much of the work already, and with such great care. That and the fact that I know I can't get better bracewood anywhere makes it a no-brainer for me.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

The Lowes in my area had some 1x2 and 1x4 stock that were labeled European spruce. I went through the stack on another trip and found absolutely nothing of use.( I mean for anything) I think they cut up bushes, not trees...
I am still using bracing that I reclaimed from a door frame that I found in a dumpster >20 years ago.

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia