| Official Luthiers Forum! http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/ |
|
| Matching brace wood to top wood http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=19342 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | tansu [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Matching brace wood to top wood |
Should I be concerned about matching brace wood to top wood. I'm just starting a Martin "O" 12 for which I've purchased some Western Red Cedar + I'm using Claro Walnut B&S's. I don't have quite enough spruce for a complete set of braces & will need to order some...should I just get WRC instead. |
|
| Author: | Hesh [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:25 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Matching brace wood to top wood |
Tansu welcome to the OLF! ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up") ![[clap]](./images/smilies/smiley32.gif "adulations") No need to match brace wood to the top or back wood but you could if you wanted to. Remember that spruce will have the best strength to weight numbers so if it were me I would use spruce. I don't know if you are working off a plan but if you did not use spruce you may want to consider changing the dimensions of your braces to reflect the strength of the material used. |
|
| Author: | tansu [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Matching brace wood to top wood |
Hesh, Thanks for the welcome & the advice. Chancing the numbers would be over my head right now, but since this will be my 2nd. "O" I know what I did on the 1st.... except this time I'll try scalloping. You bring up another question. I was going to thin the top to .125" & tapering to the outside a bit. In your opinion is this OK for WRC. Remember I'm a novice |
|
| Author: | Laurent Brondel [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 3:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Matching brace wood to top wood |
Some classical builders use WRC for tone bars, for a steel string red or sitka spruce would be much better. WRC is very light but split prone. .125 sounds thick for an 0 size, how well quartered and stiff is your top? |
|
| Author: | tansu [ Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Matching brace wood to top wood |
"how well quartered and stiff is your top"? Laurent, That”s a good question, I”m only just starting to really appreciate this stuff. If you mean by “How well quartered” How vertical the grain lines appear They are 90* to the face. As for stiffness - I don’t know! I will soon have to build a gizmo to measure this. What I have now is two pieces (9" X 23-1/2" x 1/8"). ....What would you suggest? I really appreciate this help. |
|
| Author: | Laurent Brondel [ Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Matching brace wood to top wood |
Seems a waste to use such a large piece for a 0… I like to leave WRC about 10% thicker than spruce, so between .100 and .115 would be in the ballpark for a 0. I use short braces and tend to leave my tops a little on the thick side. Perhaps you could thin it further down if you decide to use tall bracing, I wouldn't. As for stiffness you have to exercise your judgment, gently flexing the plates across and along the grain, and of course it also depends on how thick they are now. |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 5 hours |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|