Small Gap Between Bent Sides and Mold -- how to address

[Kelly L]

Ken,

Thanks for clarifying your previous post regarding making the half-template to fit the sides as-is per their current "mis-shape." Whether this was caused by a poor bend or relaxing of the sides, I don't know.

And copy that with respect to your concerns about forcing the rims to fit the mold--I'm not crazy about this approach either. Not sure what potential problems will arise, but I'm sure there may be some.

To this end, I may reconsider my approach and either: 1. create the half-template to fit the sides as-is and adjust the mega mold accordingly or 2. have the sides bent again to fit the 000/OM shape exactly as I'd intended to build, as per the LMII template.

It's worth noting that I purchased the rims and back from a 3rd party off EBay who (allegedly) gets his kits from Martin, though I can't confirm this and have no way of knowing how long the sides might have been sitting freely without a mold after being bent before I received them.

If I were to re-bend the sides, do you have any suggestions or concerns with respect to increased fragility or other issues in re-heating and bending previously bent sides, or is it no different than if they were still flat?

Signed

Aspiring Luthier in Study Just Trying to Get it Right

[Kelly L]

Ah hah! That might explain my problem. I'm sure glad you're knowledgeable in all these matters. Let me circle back with the seller and see if I can confirm and clarify that the shape was bent at Martin -- I received no template from the seller, so purchased the LMI template after the fact. I'll also confirm which LMI template I did purchase and post both bits of info here to clarify and continue trying to move forward in the best manner. Thanks again.

-Kelly

[Kelly L]

Just wanted to follow up with my solution to this issue of the Martin OM sides not fitting in the mega-mold when I had it set-up using the LMI OM template--ie there were spaces between a number of the posts and I tried various ways to force the sides to fit before I came to my senses. As Ken correctly surmised, the LMI template is simply a different shape than the shape of the bent Martin OM sides.

So after trying to force the sides to conform by adding two additional spreaders to the mold, I took the better route and ditched the LMI template and then I did what I'd wanted to do all along in trying to build the earliest version of Martin's OM-28--I created a template and then a half-template using Robert Corwin's tracing of his early 1930 OM-28.

I pulled his tracings into photoshop, shaped it up per his dimensions on length and width of the bouts etc. (because it appeared that he'd taken a photo of the tracing and so it was slightly distorted), had the plan printed, then used spray adhesive to affix the plan to masonite, then jig-sawed it out and sanded it right down to the lines on the perimeter, halved it and used one half to re-set-up the Mega Mold. And wouldn't you know it, the sides fit in much, much better, with 90% of the rims flush to the posts with only a 1/16" of an inch or so between two of the posts on each side--which I'll adjust in equally on both sides--as I now proceed to glue in the neck and tail blocks.

I've attached a photo showing the sides cut to length and fitting better in the mold and a pic of the OM template affixed to and cut out of the masonite. I appreciate all of your input.