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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:31 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2018 11:43 am
Posts: 21
First name: David
Last Name: Scheckman
City: Plainfield
State: VT
Zip/Postal Code: 05667
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
When thicknessing sides, top, and back by hand with planes, scrapers and sandpaper on a block what is a resonable tolerance to try to achieve. I’m measuring in thousandths with a home made thickness gauge and veneer calipers. On a quick attempt at practice sides on some squirrelly quarter sawn oak I stopped at about +/- .005. Close enough or should I take the time to get more uniform?

Thanks,
David


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 5:26 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 8:20 am
Posts: 5924
As long as the change in thickness is moderately gradual you should be fine . Many old instruments have more variation in thickness than that. When people do cutaways they often thin the side in the cutaway area to make it bend more easily.


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 5:58 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:06 pm
Posts: 2739
Location: Magnolia DE
First name: Brian
Last Name: Howard
City: Magnolia
State: Delaware
Zip/Postal Code: 19962
Country: United States
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional
I find my work tends to fall into the .010"-.015" range.

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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 7:38 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6232
Location: Virginia
.005 is way good enough.


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 8:24 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:34 am
Posts: 3081
After more than 25 years of mandolin building and 15 years of guitar building, it's long been my contention that a little variation is a good thing. Instruments that are perfectly CNC'd to absolute tolerances tend to sound sterile. Collings mandolins is a perfect example. They sound very nice, but the tonal qualities are pretty colorless.
You are just fine.



These users thanked the author Haans for the post: ernie (Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:52 am)
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:54 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:08 pm
Posts: 2712
First name: ernest
Last Name: kleinman
City: lee's summit
State: mo
Zip/Postal Code: 64081
Country: usa
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I concur with haans , faster , cheaper better , does not always make the best sounding instruments. I shoot for 5 to 10 thou


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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 11:55 am 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:33 am
Posts: 1831
First name: Willard
Last Name: Guthrie
City: Cumberland
State: Maryland 21502
Zip/Postal Code: 21502
Country: United State
Focus: Repair
Status: Semi-pro
Most of the time, it is the quality of the fit, rather than a specific measurement, that sets our tolerances. That said, for things like bridge thickness, saddle fit, fret work, etc., tolerances are much tighter than when milling brace wood up or other rough work. To borrow a phrase from boatbuilding, carpenters work to the nearest 1/16 inch, cabinetmakers to the nearest 1/64th. and luthiers to the nearest instrument.

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