This morning I completed gluing all of the top braces so thought I'd put up a few pictures.
This is the method I used to clamp the small side tone bars - I clamped the ends with spring clamps and used a flexible piece of pine spanned across both tone bars to hold the opposite ends. This worked well and I used the same method for both sides of the guitar.
This is the method I used to clamp the small side tone bars - I clamped the ends with spring clamps and used a flexible piece of pine spanned across both tone bars to hold the opposite ends. This worked well and I used the same method for both sides of the guitar.
I tried, but I could not seem to come up with a way of clamping both of the long tone bars at the same time. I ended up having to clamp one at a time, again using a piece of pine as one of my clamps.
The last tone bar seemed a little more stubborn so I added an extra "clamp" to get a good joint. Its so exciting having the top all braced! Next step will be to thin out the ends of the X-braces where they fit into the sides, as well as shape the tone bars. I'll have to do the same on the back bracing, as well as contour the sides. I wonder how long it will be until I have the body completed?! That will be awesome!