There was not much time for the workshop today but I did get the vertical side supports glued in. The idea here is to stiffen the sides and to prevent splits. These sides are very wide and a split is not out of the realm of possibility without these supports.
The big achievement of the day was the completion of the back. With ibex plane, scraper and some help with the orbital sander I got the back as thin and smooth as I wanted. In the picture above I am glueing in two transverse flexible braces just to be sure we don't develop a split back at some point in the future. I am holding the braces down to the curve of the back with these bags of lead shot, very handy tools in a luthier's managerie of tools. I think I may also glue a one inch strip of veneer cross grained up the center glue joint for the sake of security.
And finally, I trimmed the over hanging edge of the soundboard with the laminate trimmer. Looks a whole lot better now and I could not resist putting the neck, now being french polished up beside the body.
Felt like some good progress despite the short time in the workshop.
And finally, I trimmed the over hanging edge of the soundboard with the laminate trimmer. Looks a whole lot better now and I could not resist putting the neck, now being french polished up beside the body.
Felt like some good progress despite the short time in the workshop.
