Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi,
this is my second thread and again it´s a "stupid" mistake I´m need to correct.
After buying the classical kit at madinter (which is unservice) I decided to perhaps start with a serviced kit to get more experience before I start with the classical and bought the ooo Kit from Stewmac. Everything went fine until I finished the bracing of the top clamping the top to a flat surface. It was quite late me being a bit tired, but I continued with the back bracing without checking for the instruction. I was absolutely convinced I had to do the same with the back. And instead to use a radiused caul for clamping the back braces I used a flat surface and left everything to cure for about 4 days as I didn´t have any time to continue working on the guitar. Yesterday I checked the instructions what to do next and I read with horror I had done the back bracing definitly wrong.
I need your help! What can I do? The back is now slightly domed but the radius is much bigger than 20´. Can I go on with the building of the guitar or do I have to remove the bracing? The question would be how to do this without damaging the braces and the back. I don´t have a clue about this. And I fear to have the beautiful back of my ooo ruined

I'm not a pro, but I would order another stick of brace wood from one of the wood suppliers, and start over. You can chisel those braces off without damaging the back wood. Good luck.

I’ll start by saying I’m no pro so better advice may come.

Are you saying there is more of a dome to the shape of the back now? That is what you want. More curve than you got with the top. I’m building from the Stew Mac 000 plans now and don't see where it says what the intended radius is. I'm going to use a 15' radius for the back.

I've clamped uke braces flat and had them return to the radius that was carved in the brace. I think you might be OK. If not, just order some new braces, or make some from the brace stock in your un-serviced kit. You are in a “measure first cut once point” where you have done the work, just go ahead and measure it before you cut new braces and make more work for yourself. If it isn’t right, it won’t be hard to redo (and you should).

Good Luck,

John

I think Juergen is telling us there is less dome on the back than anticipated--in other words, a radius much longer than 20'. Juergen, lay a straight edge over the back and make a photograph. Post it here, and the experts will be able to advise whether you've got enough back dome.
Patrick

The braces in the kit are at whatever radius StewMac uses and by clamping then flat you straightened them but they probably have sprung back to close to the radius. I would post these kind of questions on the main forum as many of us never check the kit forum, I look at new posts or I would never have seen this.

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Ok, first of all thanks for your answers.

Directly after taking the clamps away the back was very flat. But on the next day it looked better, still less than what the braces had before glueing, but I decided to go on and close the soundbox. Hmm, I´m not sure if it was a good idea but I have to live with this decision as I think removing the back would be not possible for me.

As for the comment to post in the regular part of the forum: when the next problem arises (which will happen without doubt) I will be posting there.

I am also not an expert. But I would just live with it. The radius is not that crucial on the back. If you have some doming you'll be fine. It's a learning experience.

_________________
Alain
_______

I think that the guitar will be fine. I dont think that you need to try and repair it. Just continue building and the guitar should be fine, good luck!

+1 on those thatsay you're fine. Keep building.

Dave

The back will be fine.....it's not impossible that at a later date, after many more....you might repeat this again, but on purpose.

M.

Thanks for all the help. I just wanted to let you know that the guitar is finished. It does not sound bad (a bit of a lack of bass) but for the first one it´s I think ok. A few pictures to show my very first self build guitar

Looks good - congratulations.