Ladder-braced parlor guitar

[Kevin in California]

Dave, I must admit the solid linings look might fine, so clean and curvy! But since you mentioned that great guitars are made with kerfing, I'll probably just keep on using it and trying for it! Kidding of course. I haven't even figured out yet how to make my own kerfing with the equipment I have, now I'm thinking I should just do solid. I wonder if I could bend 3/16" wide pieces of African Mahogany in my bender to shape? Do you think that would be wide enough to glue the top and back too? I suppose it would have to be quartered to keep from breaking perhaps.
Your guitar is coming along nicely.

Kevin

[John Link]

Kevin,

I've never attempted anything that thick (using a propane fired aluminum tube), but "think" it might work if you really really soaked the wood. In any case, slab cut would be the way to go - less resistance to bending. Mahogany or something like that is a good idea. 3/16 should work if you kept the binding thin.

[Dave Bagwill]

Okay, got the rims cleaned up a bit and used the Mega Mold to dome the back rims to 15' and to put the 1.3* slope on the top. Then I did the end wedge thing, and scraped the excess glue off the top and the back where I had joined them.
Tomorrow I plan on bracing the top, cutting the soundhole and like that.

[Lonnie B]

Awesome progress on your build Dave B. To answer a question for kevin out there in the Golden State.If you own a bandsaw making your own kerfing is a simple thing. There is a great video on youtube that shows you how. It is so simple it will make you laugh. My top wood came in today. Still waiting on the MM but I only bought it Friday so I'm just being impatient. Made a bid on ebay for some more Mahogany today. But still tired from this weekend and took a nap and missed out. Was just going to use it for Kerfing.I'll either get some more or use Home Depot Oak.It's only a couple of blocks from the house. I've got some already also pine. I don't know is there some special kind of wood you use? The video I watched didn't seem to be too specific he used some scrap red alder or something like that.[color=#FF4000

[ken cierp]

I believe triangular kerfed ribbon lining is a product of the industrial age. Which saves material and is easier to install than the vintage solid (pre-bent) laminated (3 or layers) or individual blocks. Making kerf lining without automation is rather a PITA and can be a time consumming process. My first attempts were made using a radial arm saw -- one stroke per kerf. Next generation had a batch positioned on a sled -- keeping them flat on the sled was a challenge.

[Lonnie B]

If you precut your Kerfing in other words make the slant cut. Put a stop on you bandsaw preventing the cut to being to deep. Make a mark 1/4" to the left of your blade. Make the first cut slide the wood to the 1/4" mark push into the blade till you hit the slot. AgIn line up the cut with the 1/4 inch mark and continue making the cuts and moving it to the mark

[ken cierp]

Here's a set up like Lonnie described -- I think the little tilting catch/stop is a good idea to get equal spacing