Side Braces

[rvenneri]

Could anyone give ma some info on side bracing.

What size ?

Direction of Grain?

How many?

Is there any info out there to reference?

I can't find anything.

Thanks

Bob Venneri

[Dean]

How many is up to you, just put them where they will do the most good and at least three and a half inches apart.They are the same thickness as the kerfing with the grain facing in to the body .Hope this helps.

[KeithHowell]

Make sure the the brace is the full width of the side. Don't trim them off to the linings. ie Do the braces first then fit the kerfed linings between them. See Bennedetto's book on building archtops for a good explanation.

Keith

[Prostheta]

As far as I understand, side bracing is purely to prevent splitting around the sides isn't it or am I thinking of something else very similar? Either way, grain direction should be perpendicular to the sides. Keith was on the money.

[KeithHowell]

As far as I understand, side bracing is purely to prevent splitting around the sides isn't it or am I thinking of something else very similar?

Yes, pretty much, however they do give more structural integrity to the sides which can be desirable on a 12 string. The more common method is cloth tape (Duck Tape works well) which also stops the splitting but has little structural strength. I have also used cloth impregnated with Titebond.

Keith

[Prostheta]

Duck Tape. The ultimate in professional building practice.

[Mattia]

Quartered, like any brace, and inlet into the linings. But not all the way along the full side, because I want linings to add stiffness. Or cloth tape soaked in slightly watered down titebond, full width, linings glued over the top.