Ukulele Brace Relief

Friesen5

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After less than satisfactory results in cutting relief slots for the bracing in kerfing, I came up with this idea. It is an improvement to what I’d done previously. It’s simply a 1/4” wide sanding stick with coarse sandpaper. Watch the video to see the technique.

https://vimeo.com/256346305

Mervin Friesen
 
I'm sorry but I don't really understand why you are doing this. It seems that there is a danger of cutting into the sides and damaging them. I don't see where relief is required. I'm curious though.
 
He is using tucked braces that go under thew lining.
 
I do exactly the same ..only I use a pillar file...you gotta avoid cutting into the edge tho ..and if you do it's "bindings time" ;)
 
Oh OK I get it now. Sorta. Sorry... When I used to "tuck my braces" I just cut the kerfing away with a knife so I could butt the brace ends directly to the sides. Why the pillar file and all that? I think I'm still missing something here.... Regardless I quit doing this awhile back as being useless from a structural point of view. Also I am suspicious that it makes the whole construction of the box too stiff over-all and deadens the top. I just carve the braces back about 1 mm close to the linings and call it a day and glue every thing down.
 
I take the brace ends taper down to a feather edge which tucks just under the linings..this prevents the brace ends popping off, like they sometimes do as the wood expands and contracts...It's all on the Martin style 1 ukulele drawings by Scott Antes...But not on the Grellier plan...For me the Antes plans are most correct..But neither are exactly same as the vintage Martin soprano I own.

Scott Antes
Antes.jpg

Grellier
Grellier.jpg
 
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Yes, yes I feather the braces and used to tuck them under the linings. However, I started to ask myself: Why? What is this really accomplishing from a structural point of view? I think your point that it might prevent the brace ends popping off with expansion and contraction is absolutely valid, but I'm not sure I'm buying that. My feathered brace ends ain't goin' nowhere and are securely glued and clamped tight. Further, I think there might be the potential problem of the tucked brace ends setting up a vibration once they contract enough and setting up a dreaded buzz which would not be good at all. The thought of buzzing top braces keeps me up at night. I hate buzz. Buzz ruins the sound. Buzz is bad.... I'm not really sure about any of this. However, I am of the mind that a non-side braced top gives a freeer and happier tone. The question really comes down to whether this will be a structural problem down the line and therein lies the rub. Time will tell. I console myself with the thought that any stringed instrument is ultimately ephemeral and we all are going to be dead someday and it just really won't matter.
 
After doing years of repairs on ukes and guitars, the main problem with transverse braces that are not tucked into the lining of kerfing is that they come loose and then they start to rattle and the brace splits. Your theories don't hold up over time, that is the fact.


Yes, yes I feather the braces and used to tuck them under the linings. However, I started to ask myself: Why? What is this really accomplishing from a structural point of view? I think your point that it might prevent the brace ends popping off with expansion and contraction is absolutely valid, but I'm not sure I'm buying that. My feathered brace ends ain't goin' nowhere and are securely glued and clamped tight. Further, I think there might be the potential problem of the tucked brace ends setting up a vibration once they contract enough and setting up a dreaded buzz which would not be good at all. The thought of buzzing top braces keeps me up at night. I hate buzz. Buzz ruins the sound. Buzz is bad.... I'm not really sure about any of this. However, I am of the mind that a non-side braced top gives a freeer and happier tone. The question really comes down to whether this will be a structural problem down the line and therein lies the rub. Time will tell. I console myself with the thought that any stringed instrument is ultimately ephemeral and we all are going to be dead someday and it just really won't matter.
 
After doing years of repairs on ukes and guitars, the main problem with transverse braces that are not tucked into the lining of kerfing is that they come loose and then they start to rattle and the brace splits. Your theories don't hold up over time, that is the fact.

I don't have your years of experience doing repairs and this is food for thought for sure Doug. Perhaps I should clarify. I mean the braces are feathered to the linings and not just scalloped. I just don't see those feathered ends coming unglued at the ends. Ever. With modern aliphatic synthetic glues that part is about as welded to the top as it gets. My carpentry sense says that thang is secure. That being said, I might just go back to scalloping the braces to the sides which means gluing them securely to the binding. It ain't that hard and it for sure secure. But I'm gonna stick with the theory that the box gets a little too tight and the sound might suffer. It ain't all about structural strength.
 
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