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I've thought of that but. . . I radius the rim after the linings go in which are laminated with the side braces. I could easily estimate how much shorter to make them so they are still a tad short when I am done radiusing but I never seem to have my binding/purfling scheme picked out when I make the rim. The rebbates for binding sometimes cut into the first layer of lining and as such the side braces. I need to plan ahead better.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Don't we all...

I bought a 1933 L-00, black with white pick guard, at a local auction for $41. That's the good new. The bad news is that someone had smashed it over a fencepost or similar, shattered the back into 40 pieces, cracked the top in 6 places from underneath, and taken a piece out of one side. The guitar had side braces made of a very coarse weave cloth, like cheesecloth (not very substantial) that was installed under the lining. The side crack going up in the picture stopped at one of these side braces. So I have been using bias tape installed under the lining and putting in about 6 per side.

I have a question, but it necessarily excludes those who use laminated solid linings or reverse kerfed linings. If you use regular kerfed linings, and want to use side braces, it seems to me that this is pretty simple; you just install the side braces at full height (or a slight bit short, if the low RH problem is something you want to guard against) and then install the kerfed linings in shorter sections in between the side braces. I did my last two guitars like that. Does anybody see a problem with that approach? I just think that, with regular kerfed linings, there is little to be gained in trying to use continuous strips.

I've done that before and it hasn't seeme to hurt any...

You could even put in single dentalones over the braces between the kerfed linings of you felt the need to.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

The only thing I see wrong with that, Don, is that I use cutoff pieces of back or side wood for my little braces. They are typically 60 or 70 thousands thick. If I ran them to the top and then put kerfing (which is much thicker) between them I would probably route thru when I did my binding channels.

My braces are actually a little thicker than the kerfing at its thinnest part so I just taper the ends so they lap over the kerfing. Probably reduces the stress riser some but I'm just doing it to look a little more finished. This kind of shows it but not very well

If all you are wanting is the gluing surface provided by the kerf linings, then you are good.
My thoughts on using the solid was to increase the rigidity of the structure. It is a substantial improvement over standard kerfed linings alone.

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

Bri—

I hear you on the reasons why you and other folks choose to use solid linings. That’s why I excluded solid lining folks from the scope of the question. You obviously can’t do what I am suggesting and also achieve the added rigidity you seek.

Going onto the side street of solid linings, I guess I would have a question for those who choose to go that route solely for the added rigidity. There’s no doubt that, before the top and back are glued on, using solid linings makes the rim more rigid. However, once the top and back are glued on, can you tell any difference made by the use of solid linings? I could speculate that the closing of the box adds such an amount of rigidity that it overrides any difference between the different types of linings. But, I defer to those who actually build with solid linings. Can you tell a difference after the box is closed?

The guitar I'm currently building gave me the "opportunity" to do a couple let-in side braces. The guitar is a dreadnought and the sections of the sides between the waist and the lower bout were cupped. The cupping was enough that I was worried that level sanding the sides would make them dangerously thin in that area. Someone here mentioned in another thread on side braces that they could be used to flatten cupped or rippled sides. Running the side braces the full width of the sides would obviously have the best chance to flatten the sides so I decided to try making let-in braces with the reversed kerfed lining I'm using. I made vertical grain mahogany braces from off cuts from a neck blank and routed slots in the kerfed lining to fit and it worked. The sides are nice and flat now. The braces are plain looking but they do the job. I left the ends of the braces a bit shy of the edges of the sides.



Before:



After:

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Nice!

Going to bear my soul here.

Not the prettiest build or picture but this is what I've done with good results so far.

The side struts taper down to nothing at the back & are capped with scraps of lining. I could take more time & fashion perfect caps that completely bridge the gaps in the lining but I seriously doubt there would be much benefit besides making it prettier. As you can see, the linings aren't exactly pretty either but the sides are very rigid.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.