***** Guitar Project Jigs, Tools & Techniques Online Resources Archives OLF Video Page Library of plans MP3 Library Inlay Class
Offical Luthiers Forum





And our community proudly sponsored by:

RC Tonewoods | Stewart MacDonald | LuthiersForum
TasmanianTonewoods | OLF | OLF MERCH
Luthier Suppliers | Pacific Coast Woods | ELEVATE
OLF X | Tasmanian Acoustic Tonewood | Luthiers Forum Store!
Luthiers Forum | OLF Facebook | AVAIL SPACE
OLF | Alaska Specialty Woods | A.Hix Tonewood
Duke of Pearl | Birkonium CNC | Space




Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Wed Jun 25, 2025 4:07 pm


Board index » Luthiers Forum Rooms » Guitar Building Forum

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 12 posts ] 
  Print view Previous topic | Next topic 
Author Message
oval soundhole
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:44 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 6:42 pm
Posts: 582
First name: Brian
Last Name: Itzkin
State: NY/Granada
Country: USA/Spain
Focus: Build
I have used a flat top on the steel string guitars I have built so far and I was wondering If I could do the same for the a classical top. I have one 20' dish I use for the back, but lack the funds and recourses to make/buy another one for the top.
Top
 Profile  
 
Alexandru Marian
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:46 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:59 pm
Posts: 2103
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Country: Romania
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Sure. Use a Hauser plan.

_________________
Build log
Top
 Profile  
 
Ti-Roux
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 3:53 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:46 pm
Posts: 950
First name: Francis
Last Name: Richer
City: Montréal
State: Québec
Zip/Postal Code: H4G 2Z2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
You don't need a radius dish to create radii. What's your building method? Solera?

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars
Top
 Profile  
 
oval soundhole
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:09 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 6:42 pm
Posts: 582
First name: Brian
Last Name: Itzkin
State: NY/Granada
Country: USA/Spain
Focus: Build
I don't have any work boards or jigs, other than my bench, a piece of plywood and the back dish
Top
 Profile  
 
Ti-Roux
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:24 pm 
Offline
Koa
Koa
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:46 pm
Posts: 950
First name: Francis
Last Name: Richer
City: Montréal
State: Québec
Zip/Postal Code: H4G 2Z2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Free hand? So you should go for a flat-top.

_________________
Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars
Top
 Profile  
 
Tony_in_NYC
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:50 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 9:01 pm
Posts: 3031
First name: Tony
Last Name: C
City: Brooklyn
State: NY
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
For a radius clamping caul on the cheap, check this out:
http://kennethmichaelguitars.com/contourcaulkitinstrction.html

You will be able to clamp your radiused braces and when you are done, you will have a nicely contoured top.
I have used that method and it works and at $1.25 for a pack of index cards, it is a heck of a lot cheaper than a radius dish. You can clamp the top on using rubber bands for another $2.00.
Not everyone can afford a couple of radius dishes.
Hope you work it out.

_________________
http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC
Top
 Profile  
 
oval soundhole
PostPosted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 9:55 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 6:42 pm
Posts: 582
First name: Brian
Last Name: Itzkin
State: NY/Granada
Country: USA/Spain
Focus: Build
That won't help me, but thanks
Top
 Profile  
 
jfmckenna
PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:27 am 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6261
Location: Virginia
Tony_in_NYC wrote:
For a radius clamping caul on the cheap, check this out:
http://kennethmichaelguitars.com/contourcaulkitinstrction.html

You will be able to clamp your radiused braces and when you are done, you will have a nicely contoured top.
I have used that method and it works and at $1.25 for a pack of index cards, it is a heck of a lot cheaper than a radius dish. You can clamp the top on using rubber bands for another $2.00.
Not everyone can afford a couple of radius dishes.
Hope you work it out.


That's very interesting but this problem is easily solved by using a flexible slat as a clamping caul. I've been doing it like that for almost 20 years now. Hope I'm not missing something?

---

As for flat top classical, I've never tried it before but after building my first true flat top steal string a few months back it sounds very interesting. Go for it!
Top
 Profile  
 
David LaPlante
PostPosted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:31 am 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:51 pm
Posts: 1134
Location: Albany NY
First name: David
Last Name: LaPlante
Status: Professional
Brian, simply sand a bit of radius into your braces (just the main two harmonic bars above and below the sound hole) and clamp them flat to your surface when gluing. They will spring back (albeit to a lesser dgree) and impart a slight arch to your top. A slight arch is desireable as completely flat tops tend to go concave. Slightly arched ones, most likely in the case of Hauser over time flatten out.
Top
 Profile  
 
Alexandru Marian
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:49 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:59 pm
Posts: 2103
Location: Bucharest, Romania
Country: Romania
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Another thing you can try is to brace it flat in very low humidity, say 30%. At over 40 it will get a belly.

_________________
Build log
Top
 Profile  
 
Steve Davis
PostPosted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 10:57 pm 
Offline
Cocobolo
Cocobolo
User avatar

Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:06 am
Posts: 372
At over 40 it will get a belly.

Like the rest of us
Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  Page 1 of 1
  [ 12 posts ] 

Board index » Luthiers Forum Rooms » Guitar Building Forum

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: bionta and 39 guests

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com