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I'm about to heat some glue and put braces on an instrument based on the '37 Hauser plans.

Something inside just doesn't feel right about bracing any guitar using 3mmX3mm toothpicks for the fanbraces.

I've mostly built steel strings, but it just doesn't feel quite right.

Has anyone else encountered this before?

dave

Classical guitars are an entirely different approach from steel strings and that is precisely why at this point I no longer build steel strings.
The fan braces being 3 mm (or 3.5 mm?) is rather small even for a classical but you have to remember that Hauser's approach was to use a thicker top (2.5-3.00 mm) rather than other makers whose tops might go down all the way to 1.6-1.8mm at their thinnest and whose fans might be on the order of 6mm wide.

If all of this seems mighty flimsy to your steel string oriented sensibilities that's normal.

You should however set those sensibilities aside and stick to the stated Hauser specs.

If you are using the GAL plan by Richard Brune you should get good results.

My copy of the '37 Hauser from the Brune plan:

Someone posted an old (the famous spanish guy) guitar a while back, built like a baroque guitar, with NO braces, just around the soundhole. It was a student model, but no bottom bracing.My baroque has no bottom braces, but is only 10" wide.

_________________
Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Thanks for the reasurance.

I'll cross my fingers and do my best.

Dave

Another element that might not be on the Brune plan is that Hauser's lower transverse bars dip inwards about 0.002-0.003". Don't make it flat or arched.