Hello all. I am new here and I wanted to post something interesting as my first post.
My real name is Bustard
Recently I had been fooling around with older style guitars and thought Id try to build one of those Belchoir Dias ones with the fluted back ribs.
I thought it would just be cool to build one, learn how to bend the beautiful ribs and then maybe adapt it into an modern style steel string design, with an idea to lighten up the body.
I would like to say that I am no Luthier but a sculptor, trained designer/artist who likes to dabble in creative solutions to gain knowledge and understanding of design and materials.
I was dismayed as I could find no info on the net for this process so thought Id better here.
I have used this process for other artistic wooden creations and have easily bent wood up to 2mm!
Thats an old pulley wheel from the scrap yard.
After a little research and development I have created the double-bent ribs and find that what seemed difficult is actually very simple and fast. Even faster than hand bending a regular guitar on a hot pipe.
My Dias instrument, the first is not very good but there is still lots more to do and the first one of course is the hardest.
If there is anyone interested I would try answer any questions in regard to such things.
Since I am no luthier per say but an artist , I thought sharing the details might interest some who may have been trying to acomplish this design. As you know in Art there is no true property, at least in my Philosophy.
Im sure there are those who may enjoy just seeing how I did it, taking the idea and running with it to create there own designs or copies of that fabulous instrument or the Chambre Viheula.
Some would misdirect others looking to creat by deception or keeping secrets.
A fine local luthier once told me there are no secrets, and I dont think there should be.
The method is extremmely fast and 100% effective with Two daily sessions on the pipe of about 10 minutes each created all the ribs shown in the photo.
I just bent them like you would a side by spraying them with a little water, finding the right temperature and rolled them.
I trimmed them with a knife and the rebent prior to placing them in the mold overnight incase were are not quite dry.
It would be nice to see some of you fine luthiers, professionals, incorporate the fluted back ribs into some American steel stringed style instruments.
I beleive something very beautiful sounding and looking could result.
The thickness of this wood is 1.2mm for the Dias to allow for slight sanding to the final 1mm. It is flamed western Maple. I chose this because its easy to bend.
enjoy, Im finding out that bending the ribs is the easiest part of this construction.
Thanks for looking! Hope some like it and can use it for some cool stuff..
