Mitch Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 Just interested as i am considering making an acoustic some time. Quote
jaycee Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 Generally speaking yes. The radius gives the top extra strentgh, classical guitars are not radiussed because the string tension is not as great compared to a steel strung guitar. Quote
erikbojerik Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 No. A radiused top is just more stable over time. There are plenty of flat-tops out there, but except for the need for a radius dish, its not that much different from building a true flat-top (except possibly predicting the neck angle). Quote
dpm99 Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I have a related question. When you're radiusing a top, do you radius the inside and the outside surfaces? If so, I'm assuming the process it to thin the top, then radius it, then brace it, right? I'm kinda lost on this point. -Dave Quote
guitar_player Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I have a related question. When you're radiusing a top, do you radius the inside and the outside surfaces? If so, I'm assuming the process it to thin the top, then radius it, then brace it, right? I'm kinda lost on this point. -Dave The top starts as a thin bookmatched piece and then the braces are radiused and then glued on and after they're glued on it makes it radiused Quote
dpm99 Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I have a related question. When you're radiusing a top, do you radius the inside and the outside surfaces? If so, I'm assuming the process it to thin the top, then radius it, then brace it, right? I'm kinda lost on this point. -Dave The top starts as a thin bookmatched piece and then the braces are radiused and then glued on and after they're glued on it makes it radiused Woah woah woah! Light bulb. So you don't actually radius the top. You radius the braces, and then you bend the top over the radiused braces, right? Do you radius all the braces? It seems like it would be hard to bend the top in all four directions at the same time. Quote
guitar_player Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I have a related question. When you're radiusing a top, do you radius the inside and the outside surfaces? If so, I'm assuming the process it to thin the top, then radius it, then brace it, right? I'm kinda lost on this point. -Dave The top starts as a thin bookmatched piece and then the braces are radiused and then glued on and after they're glued on it makes it radiused Woah woah woah! Light bulb. So you don't actually radius the top. You radius the braces, and then you bend the top over the radiused braces, right? Do you radius all the braces? It seems like it would be hard to bend the top in all four directions at the same time. Yeah, you do all of them the top is very flexible because of how thin it is. The back only has 4 braces going one way so it's only radiused one way but then the back of the sides are shaped to a taper to radius it the other way too. Quote
Woodenspoke Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Ok, I have a related question. When you're radiusing a top, do you radius the inside and the outside surfaces? If so, I'm assuming the process it to thin the top, then radius it, then brace it, right? I'm kinda lost on this point. -Dave The top starts as a thin bookmatched piece and then the braces are radiused and then glued on and after they're glued on it makes it radiused Woah woah woah! Light bulb. So you don't actually radius the top. You radius the braces, and then you bend the top over the radiused braces, right? Do you radius all the braces? It seems like it would be hard to bend the top in all four directions at the same time. Yeah, you do all of them the top is very flexible because of how thin it is. The back only has 4 braces going one way so it's only radiused one way but then the back of the sides are shaped to a taper to radius it the other way too. Lets not forget that the sides top and back are also curved so the radiused top and back fit without gaps. I radius dish is recommend as it makes the whole process less of a challenge. There are various radius dishes available or make your own, first decide on a radius for both the top and the back. In most circumstances they are not the same. I use a 25' top radius and a 15' back radius, the back being the greater arch. Check You tube for videos on the process, I have seen a few there. Quote
pariah223 Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 I was intimidated by the whole radius sound board when i first thought of building an acoustic. So much in fact that i decided to buiild an electric first. Once i got around to doing my acoustic, i was suprised at how unbelievably easy it was to do (much easier than spelling unbelievably correctly). There are alot of tutorials on radius dish making out there. Quote
erikbojerik Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 +1 radius dish Buy one or make one. Quote
guitar_player Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 I was intimidated by the whole radius sound board when i first thought of building an acoustic. So much in fact that i decided to buiild an electric first. Once i got around to doing my acoustic, i was suprised at how unbelievably easy it was to do (much easier than spelling unbelievably correctly). There are alot of tutorials on radius dish making out there. Yeah the radius takes maybe another hour and half of work and it's really just sanding the braces and lining. Only bad part is making the dishes but that doesn't take too long. Building acoustics are much more involved than electrics but a lot more fun. For radiusing the linings I use the master templates for the radiuses with some sandpaper double taped on, I like that way better. With the dish I rough out the radius on the braces on a belt sander and clean it up with a piece of sandpaper on the dish. Then I use the dish for the go bar system (which is a great, easy, and cheap way to glue on the braces). Quote
dpm99 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 Yeah, I'm familiar with all that. For some reason, I was thinking you use the radius dish directly on the top and back. That's probably why I could never find good information. I kept looking for pictures of people trying to sand down their tops with a radius dish. I guess that's one of those things I'll look back on and laugh someday. Incidentally, if anyone knows of a cheaper source for a radius dish than this guy, I'm all ears: http://www.axehandle.net/gpage1.html Thanks for the help, -Dave Quote
pariah223 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 that is actually the cheapest i have seen them. any cheaper than that would be making your own i think. I enjoyed making my dishes... but to me building jigs and tools is half the fun. Especially when they work! Quote
guitar_player Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 That's the cheapest I've seen but it doesn't even say what radius it is though, I made my own though. Quote
dpm99 Posted March 4, 2009 Report Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) Because I work with limited space, I try to limit my jigs. I'd considered building one myself, but in the end, I don't think I'll regret buying one. On my particular build, I won't need one for the back anyway. That's the cheapest I've seen but it doesn't even say what radius it is though, I made my own though. I think you just tell him the radius you want and he builds it to order. -Dave EDIT: Incidentally, he makes 16" long radius sanding block too, and at a pretty reasonable price! Edited March 4, 2009 by dpm99 Quote
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