Brace yerselves!
Now we get to the really interesting bit. It's how the guitar works.
I've been back on to the supplier in the States because there was both an absence of blueprint in the kit nor was the soundboard marked with where all the different braces went.
He sent me a link to a downloadable blueprint of a similar model. Similar, but different dimensions, so that wasn't a great deal of help. So, I surfed and found blueprints of the correct model available for purchase. I managed to expand one of the thumbnails sufficiently to print and read dimensions off and started applying them to my soundboard.
Here's how it went.
Everything is referenced off the centre line, so to keep perpendicular to it, I drew two parallel lines, one each side of the board, and marked the dimensions from the top along them and was able to square across to either the centre line or any other points like on the outline.
First was the top plate.
Then came the top bar.
These two keep the soundboard stiff close to the neck joint and under the top end of the fretboard. The top bar also provides a level of reinforcement to the top side off the sound hole.
The X Brace comes next.
The X brace keeps the soundboard stiffish and also curved to the large diameter arc. I say, 'ish' because it's how the soundboard vibrates that gives a guitar it's tone.
Next comes the bridge plate.
The bridge plate supports the bridge and saddle on the front side of the soundboard. This is going to be a 12 string, six pairs of strings. The force they exert on to the soundboard is somewhere in the region of 250 lbs. They are trying to rip the bridge of the front off the board and so this plate, notched into the x braces and glued to the underside here resists that force, I hope!
After this comes the tone bars.
These affect the tone created by the vibrations of the stings. They can be 'tuned' by carefully removing some of their mass. In fact all the braces can be tuned to remove mass to improve the tine. The braces strength comes in their height, not their width. So some luthiers scallop the braces and bars and taper them to the top without reducing their height outside the scallops. Not something I'm going to experiment with. But all the bars a braces are scalloped on either end to where they meet another brace or the kerfed linings.
Next, the side braces, one side
....and the other.
Lastly, the sound hole reinforcement braces.
They do exactly what they're called. The sound hole is a weak point. Part of the X Braces, part of top bar and these little braces provide reinforcement around the sound hole and under the rosette.
Well, it looks like the pictures, but I've no idea if it will be ok. But it can't be far off, so next job, I've got to glue them on. That's going to take a bit of planning. Back to youtube.
You will! The planes were only for fitting. I won't be gluing until I've made the soundboard and fitted it.
