Drop Tops

[hy_dro66]

I'm just wondering how you all do drop tops with a top plate. I've only ever tried doing it using a vacuum system. If you guys haven't tried it that way I'd say at least give it a try. It took a few busted bags before I got the setup working properly, but it's up and running now.

[syxxstring]

Try this thread

[Curtis P]

ok, what exactly is a drop top?

Curtis

[Scott Rosenberger]

I've done more than a few and While the Vac System is definately the easiest I was trying to illustrate that it can be done with clamps as well if you have patience and lots of clamps

[westhemann]

i did mine with clamps as well

[Scott Rosenberger]

Curtis,

A Drop Top is a 1/8" to 1/4" Maple or other figured wood Top that's glued to the body wood and bent over the Forearm contour of the guitar You can see it in this photo if you look closely

[Drak]

I've done several, and use nothing more than 3 clamps, a scrap piece of wood, some Titebond, a bowl of water and a sponge.

That's it and it works great, haven't had one fail yet.

[krazyderek]

I have some walnut and maple i'll be giving this "drop top" stuff a try. Iis it the thinner the better/easier when trying to bend over the contour? also could you use an iron on the wood to steam just that section? (obviously with an old shirt or rag protecting to wood from burns)

EDIT: woops, just read Scott's "step six" in that pinned thread

Edited June 15, 2004 by krazyderek

[Curtis P]

Thanks for the replies, will try one some time, maybe

Curtis

[erikbojerik]

I just did my first drop top, and I can say definitively that 3/8" was too thick (at least for my limited talents) to bend over the forearm contour. Add on top of that that it was spalted maple (highly variably hardness across the top). Mine cracked at the bend, across the grain, but it filled in nicely with CA and, since its spalted, it doesn't actually stand out as a crack per se.

In retrospect, I should have thinned the top to <1/4" at the forearm contour before gluing (but AFTER bookmatching), THEN steamed and bent it. It actually was fine in the "wet and bent" position, and cracked upon dry-out. C'est la vie.

[erikbojerik]

the "wet and bent" position

pre-emptive I know, I know....